Careers advice ‘fragmented’, says education union

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) has criticised careers education in schools, claiming that a lack of funding has resulted in a ‘fragmented’ careers advice system.

Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ATL, has said that education on career options has been badly effected by the government’s abolition of the Connexions service in 2010, resulting in a significant lack of funding.

Bousted told the Commons sub-Committee on education, skills and the economy that there were few quality apprenticeships and that employers needed to provide more work experience to young people.

Bousted said: “In the gap left after the coalition disbanded the Connexions service, careers advice has fragmented which has made it impossible for teachers to know where to turn to get good advice for young people.

“Teachers desperately want to be able to provide the best advice, but, although the government made it a statutory requirement for schools to provide impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance, it has not provided funding for the specialists needed to coordinate this.”

Bousted also highlighted a considerable regional variation in the availability of apprenticeships, with fewer in London than the North West.

She said: “Young people should have a right to have work experience and proper funding to enable them to find out about all opportunities, including those outside their local area. This is particularly important in rural and coastal areas where employment opportunities may be limited.

“Schools and colleges do, however, need more help from employers. We want work experience to be compulsory for 16-18 year-olds, and this will require employers to provide good quality placements.”