Careers guidance 'must improve' in schools

Students, employers and colleges are suffering because of inadequate career guidance in schools, it has been claimed.

Deborah Ribchester, curriculum manager for the Association of Colleges, said it is misleading when businesses criticise colleges and schools together.

"Colleges have dedicated, specialist advice and guidance staff and the service is accredited externally; the picture is much more mixed in schools," she commented.

"In fact, colleges have to deal with the fallout from poor quality pre-16 advice and guidance – as do employers and, most importantly, the students themselves."

According to the CBI/EDI annual education and skills survey 2011, many business leaders believe young people are not in a position to make informed decisions about their future careers because of poor advice in schools and colleges.

Only six per cent of organisations surveyed said they think career guidance is good enough, while 64 per cent believe it must improve.

More than half of business leaders surveyed said they would be willing to play a greater role in delivering advice to students.

Posted by Katie Kearns

 

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