Teachernet, Careers education

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Careers advice

Effective careers advice can be crucial to the decisions young people make about their future. This article provides some hints and tips about how teachers can offer guidance to students.

The transition that leads from school to the working world can be rough or smooth depending on a combination of advice given, personal focus and whether expectations of working life are met. Far from all young people are fortunate enough to know exactly which vocation they're after so that they can find the right guidance, training or even lucky breaks in order to pursue that career.

There are current discussions surrounding the level and quality of careers advice that's on offer in schools. Despite the fact that the level of schools' careers education varies throughout the country, there's a concern that teachers are not always equipped to give students the specialist careers advice that they need.

Teenagers who are coming to the end of their education, or opting for further studies, may find career options daunting whether they are advised at school or elsewhere. They quite often take their cues from favourite teachers who may have encouraged them in particular subjects, as well as perhaps not-so-favourite-teachers who may have put them off some curriculum-related options altogether.

Uncertainty for some young people might also stem from the fact that they feel that any decision they make about their career path during their late teens or even early twenties might seal their options for the rest of their working lives. It's easy for a young person to let the fact that they are good or bad at certain subjects solely determine the type of work they aim for, which can often mean they might have focused on or started to specialise in an area of work too early.

There's some general confusion about what should be on offer for students in terms of careers advice. There's a split between careers education within the school system, and what's on offer from Connexions. Connexions is the government's support service for all young people aged 13 to 19. It brings together all the services and support that young people need during their teenage years including help with choosing the right courses and careers. Connexions Partnerships also support curriculum and staff development in careers work.

Headteachers and governing bodies of all maintained schools must ensure that their school provides programmes of careers education to all pupils in Years 7 to 11. They should work with the Connexions Service to ensure that pupils have access to high-quality careers information materials and ensure that students have access to the Connexions Service. The Connexions Direct part of the website offers careers advice to 13 to 19-year-olds in an inventive way. With over 5 000 weekly calls to its telephone and Internet service and 400 Connexions one-stop shops — many of which are open after hours — it operates by giving impartial careers advice for 13 to 19-year-olds.

Today there's a more universal approach to careers education than in previous years. With an even stronger emphasis on work experience and references from temporary employers, careers advice is far less static than it once was. From September 2005 all Key Stage 4 students will be entitled to the equivalent of 5 days' enterprise experience.

Teachers play an important role in informing students about the options available to them, and many of their future choices are heavily influenced by the impact of teachers during a child's school years. Most people remember the teacher who might have encouraged them or pointed out particular skills or strong points at school, and given them the kind of motivation and self-esteem that pushed them in a progressive direction in terms of their career choices. With these points in mind, it's even more crucial that teachers — who are likely to have built up a more personal relationship with students than a more impartial careers advisor — are equipped to offer career education to older pupils.

Not knowing which career path to take is a big issue for many school leavers, even with the added help of vocational advice. Many teachers or careers advisors who want to be a point of help or reference for young people looking for advice regarding their choices could offer some of the following common sense points as food for thought:

Encourage extracurricular activities so that experience gained from hobbies, interests or travel can be matched with academic or vocational skills learnt at school.
Combine skills in literacy and numeracy as the workplace often blurs the lines between the arts and science in ways that the school system sometimes doesn't.
Keep persevering if you know you have a specific talent, no matter how many possible knock-backs may occur along the way.
Be open-minded about where your career plans will lead you, and be prepared to change your mind along the way, even if you've specialised in a certain area.
However, aspirations can change, and what is vehemently stated as the career of choice at 16 can drastically change just a few years later.

Useful links

Careers education
TeacherNet's 14 to 19 Careers education section provides guidance relating to careers education.
Enterprise education
From September 2005 all Key Stage 4 students will be entitled to 5 days' enterprise experience. See this TeacherNet area for further information.
Careers education and guidance
This section on TeacherNet provides more tips about delivering careers education.
Careers.co.uk
A one-stop site for information and advice on careers, higher education, qualifications, training, CVs, money and more for young people who live in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, Surrey, West Sussex, the City of London, Hackney and Islington.
Connexions
There are 47 Connexions Partnerships covering the whole of England, providing practical help with choosing the right courses and careers, including access to broader personal development through activities like sport, performing arts and volunteering activities. It also provides help and advice on issues like drug abuse, sexual health and homelessness.
Careers Fair
This site has links to Connexions Partnerships and careers companies as well as information on careers choices at 16 an 18, taking a year out and work experience.
The A to Z of School Leadership provides additional information about careers guidance, Connexions and work experience.