Schools should have trained careers teachers

Ensuring more people enter and remain in employment for longer is an important mission for many organisations in the UK. This means that overcoming barriers such as skills shortages is crucial, which is why education charity Teach First has released a report that highlights the need for all schools across England to have teachers trained to give high-quality careers advice.

According to the Department for Education, children from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds are five times more likely to not be in employment, education or training after the age of 16, in comparison to those from wealthier backgrounds.

Teach First's report, entitled 'Careers education in the classroom: The role of teachers in making young people work ready', focuses on the delivery of school career and employability training.

The initiative has been financially supported by Goldman Sachs and the KPMG Foundation following the charity's rollout of its own careers guidance programme, which is aimed at supporting children from low-income communities, who may not have access to the necessary guidance that their wealthier peers might receive. 

Jude Heaton, director for higher education access and employability at Teach First, said: "There is a pressing need for careers and employability education to be improved in this country, with acute moral and economic implications for all of us - particularly those from poorer backgrounds.

"...we know that with the right support, the right training, and the right incentives to support pupils with careers learning, teachers are the crucial part of the careers puzzle. But teachers can’t do it alone.

"The long-term systemic change necessary, requires efforts from policymakers, employers, and rest of civil society. It is time for all of us to act."

Virtual College is producing a range of Career VOOCs (Vocational Open Online Courses) designed to allow young people to explore their career options in an interactive and engaging manner. To find out more, please visit: https://www.virtual-college.co.uk/resources/free-courses