All primary school pupils will benefit from world leading
careers education developed by top industry professionals
including the British Chambers of Commerce and BP.
To mark National Careers Week, which runs from Monday 4
March, to Friday 8 March, Education Secretary announced that the
Department is working with industry leaders to help make
first class career-related learning a reality in all
primary schools.
The Department for Education has published research that
shows 96% of primary schools are offering tailored career
activities to pupils, despite not being compelled to, and
is committing ensure this reaches 100% by working with
industry professionals.
Education Secretary said:
“Careers advice has thankfully moved on from my school
days, where I once did a multiple choice test and was told
I should work in catering.
“Good careers education is such a valuable asset that will
help children to explore future possibilities and go on to
lead happy rewarding lives. I’m pleased to know that so
many primary school pupils have access to career-related
learning to expand their ideas of who they could become in
the future.
“But we want to make sure that support is available to
everyone and that it’s of the highest standard so that is
why we are working with industry experts to produce support
primary schools.”
Schools Minister met business leaders for a
breakfast meeting ahead of National Careers Week. During
the meeting, representatives from BP plc, UBS AG, the
Confederation of British Industries (CBI), British Chambers
of Commerce, the Education and Employers Taskforce,
Business in the Community, Linklaters and Greensill UK,
discussed the importance of modern foreign languages in
careers education and agreed to form an ongoing network and
to develop an action plan setting out how they will support
schools to help pupils gain the language skills their
future careers could require.
Today’s announcements comes after the Secretary of State
visited Barham Primary School in Kent to answer pupils’
questions about his career as part of the Primary Futures
programme, which gives primary schools access to a wide
range of professionals, who deliver sessions that help
raise children’s aspirations and counteract stereotypes
about the people who do different jobs.
Many primary schools are already thinking about how best to
introduce young children to ideas about the work they might
do in future. The Department, through The Careers &
Enterprise Company, is investing £2million to develop and
extend career-related learning in primary schools. A series
of organisations have submitted bids for grants from the
fund and The Careers & Enterprise Company will announce
successful applicants later this year.
This is one of a number of funds announced in the
Government’s careers strategy to support the development
and expansion of effective careers provision, focusing on
geographical areas of need and targeting the most
disadvantaged young people. The Careers & Enterprise
Company will soon announce the successful applicants from a
£2.5million pot of funding to help develop models for
effective personal careers guidance in secondary school and
the successful applicants from a separate £2.5million pot
to develop models to help pupils benefit from effective
encounters with employers.
