Ofsted careers advice and guidance review: Guidance in schools must urgently improve, says CIPD.......

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Ofsted careers advice and guidance review: Guidance in schools must urgently improve, says CIPD

Thousands of schools students already benefiting from the advice of HR professionals

Ahead of the publication of the Ofsted review into careers advice and guidance in schools today (Tuesday), the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, has expressed their concerns about the level of advice being made available to young people about how to navigate the world of work.

CIPD research has found that a lack of careers advice and guidance is hindering young people’s ability to find jobs – by broadening the gap between young people and employers. Over half (53%) of employers feel the young people they meet have received inadequate careers advice and guidance, and many young people themselves say that the support they have received has either been unhelpful or non-existent.

The CIPD is championing the role of business in helping to tackle the issue – and is encouraging its members, HR professionals working in all sectors and regions of the UK, to volunteer in schools to offer advice around employability skills. Hundreds of HR professionals are already signed up to the Inspiring the Future initiative, and over the summer helped 2,000 school and college students with their CV and interview skills.

Commenting, Katerina Rüdiger, Head of Skills and Policy Campaigns at the CIPD, said: “Employers and young people tell us that there are serious inadequacies with the level of careers advice and guidance being provided in our schools. Research with employers highlights that many see this as one of the main obstacles that young people face when looking for work. This is why, as part of the CIPD Learning to Work programme, we are encouraging HR professionals to volunteer to help young people bridge the gap between education and work. HR professionals are particularly well placed to help young people with their employability skills and it’s in employers’ interest to ensure that those leaving education are well prepared and excited about their future careers.

“Many employers are keen to engage with schools, and where possible, schools have a responsibility to open their doors to them. However, it is important to recognise that there are wider systemic issues at play – greater investment is needed so that every young person has access to an independent careers adviser. Schools should also be incentivised to embed careers advice and guidance into their teaching programmes via targets that measure this, not just academic exam results.”

Learning to Work is an action focused programme led by the CIPD to promote the role of employers in reducing youth unemployment. As part of this, the CIPD champions two volunteering initiatives that facilitate employer engagement with young people – Inspiring the Future and Steps Ahead Mentoring. Across both schemes, more than 2,000 volunteers are already signed up to help young people with their employability skills.

Those interested in registering for free for Inspiring the Future can find further information here: cipd.co.uk/inspiringfuture