Careers Education in England and Europe

Christopher WinchKing’s College, London

Plan

Aims of Career Education transition to adulthood and entry into

the labour market the institutional link between school and work The case of Austria The case of England Conclusion – what we need to do

What is careers education? All education is a preparation for life, so

what has careers education to contribute?

European societies aim to make young people autonomous i.e. to chart their own course in life.

Employment (but not only employment) is a fundamental feature of adult life in our kind of society.

Some Basic Moral Principles for Careers Education

Preparing young people for adulthood is part of education.

Moving from school into an adult environment is part of education.

Everyone has a right to proper careers education, just as they have a right to the rest of education.

Autonomy

It makes big demands on us. We need knowledge about the

worthwhile options that are available to us.

We need to know ourselves. We need to achieve balance in our

lives.

What are Worthwhile Options?

They need to be worthwhile in an objective sense.

But they also need to be worthwhile for me as an individual.

So I need to know what might be worthwhile for me.

How do I know what is worthwhile for me?

Do I have a good range of sources of advice?

Can I sample options in order to make an informed decision?

Does the school curriculum provide me with the materials and opportunities for making an informed choice?

Entering the Labour Market

Do I have a realistic appreciation of possibilities?

Do I understand how the labour market works?

Does my school know enough about possibilities for me beyond my going to university?

Why is Careers Education so Important?

A botched entry into the labour market can have long-term damaging effects on young people.

Making the wrong choices of career can be hard to remedy later.

High youth unemployment is very bad for society.

School and Careers Education 1

Schools need to cater for all their pupils.

They need to have good links with the world of employment.

They need to show pupils how success at school is linked to success in employment.

School and Careers Education 2

To do this, they need:

Properly qualified staff. A secure place for Careers Education

on the curriculum. Resources to manage liaison with

employers and others involved in employment and the labour market.

Careers Education in Austria 1

From the fifth school year onwards, school counsellors and career guidance officers are available to schoolchildren and parents who have questions about the school and career.

They provide information about possible education paths and access requirements, as well as qualifications.

They provide a basic overview to young people about further education and career options.

Careers Education in Austria 2

Guidance is conducted by teachers with relevant qualifications who provide their counselling services in addition to their teaching activity.

Careers Education in Austria 3

In the final years of lower secondary level, in the seventh and eighth school years, career guidance is a compulsory subject totalling 32 hours a year.

These lessons particularly aim to: strengthen the schoolchildren’s decision-making

competence, social skills, determination and perseverance.

Provide short periods of work placement at companies and personal contacts to people from different occupations aim to help schoolchildren examine their career aspirations and take independent decisions.

High participation in VET

The careers education is made more effective if there is high participation in VET and if you need qualifications to enter the labour market.

Some 80% of all learners at upper secondary level in Austria are enrolled in a (pre)vocational education and training programme.

Careers Education in England 1.

Section 29 of the Education Act 2011 places schools under a duty to secure access to independent careers guidance for their pupils in school years 9-11. Careers guidance secured under the new duty must:

be presented in an impartial manner include information on the full range of post-16

education or training options, including Apprenticeships

promote the best interests of the pupils to whom it is given.

Careers Education in England 2.

Under the Act, schools have a duty to: secure access to independent and

impartial careers guidance for their pupils.

While complying with the requirement to secure careers guidance from an external source, schools will be free to make arrangements for careers guidance that fit the needs and circumstances of their pupils.

Careers Education in England 3.

there will be no expectation that local authorities will provide a universal careers service.

The National Careers Service will be fully operational from April 2012. It will comprise a single website and telephone helpline number to which schools may wish to direct pupils.

Careers Education in England 4.

schools should secure access to independent face-to-face careers guidance where it is the most suitable support for young people to make successful transitions, particularly children from disadvantaged backgrounds or those who have special educational needs, learning difficulties or disabilities.

Careers Education in England 5.

Where schools deem face-to-face careers guidance to be appropriate for their pupils, it can be provided by qualified careers professionals.

Comment: We see here the demise of a universal careers service providing personal and informed advice to young people.

Youth Unemployment Rate 2011

Austria: – 8.7% Germany: – 8.3% United Kingdom : - 22.0% Spain: - 48.9%

Source Eurostat – figures for Q4 seasonally adjusted.

How to Interpret these findings

It is obviously a mistake to attribute high youth unemployment solely to inadequate CE.

On the other hand, high youth unemployment makes the need for CE all the more pressing.

How does England Measure Up?

Over the last 35 years transitions from school into work and adulthood have become more complex and protracted.

Careers Education has not developed in tandem with increasing demands. If anything, it has atrophied.

Some Preliminary Conclusions

Successful CE seems to be associated with:

A systematic approach which treats CE as part of education.

A strong licensure system for entering employment.

Relatively low youth unemployment