NUS Raises Concern Over Funding For New Career Hubs Designed to Improve Access to University

This week saw the launch of the governments new Careers Strategy, designed to make sure young people have the skills they need and employers want post-Brexit.

Every school and college in the country will aim to have a dedicated careers leader in place by the start of the new school year – backed by £4million of funding – who can give advice on the best training routes and up-to-date information on the jobs market, helping young people make decisions about their future.

The plan will also boost careers support in the areas of the country most in need, with £5million funding to create 20 careers hubs across the country that will link schools and colleges with local universities and employers to help broaden pupils’ horizons.

The Strategy – developed in partnership with the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and co-ordinated through an expanded role for the Careers and Enterprise Company – will help young people choose the career that is right for them, alongside the £500million investment in new T levels to deliver a world-class technical education system on par with the high-quality academic routes available.

Launching the strategy at the Careers Development Institute (CDI) annual conference in Birmingham, Skills Minister Anne Milton said "Without access to the best possible careers support, some people will miss out on the opportunities available.

They will continue to be held back if they don’t have the right advice, at the right time to make informed decisions about their future, or may not have access to the broader experiences and role models to help them develop as people."

Responding to this morning’s launch of the Careers Strategy NUS Vice President for Further Education, Emily Chapman, said "The Careers Strategy is welcome. For far too long, young people have been left to navigate the complicated careers landscape alone, or with minimal support. This support is often patchy across the country, with many having to rely on outdates websites and sometimes biased advice from parents and teachers. 

We are especially pleased to see that the four pillars of the strategy aim to ensure that young people have access to high quality, face-to-face, impartial CIAG. It is particularly promising to see that the strategy has been built in partnership with the Gatsby Foundation, and that it places the eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Careers Guidance front and centre.

However, while the principles of the strategy are good, the minimal funding that has been allocated towards implementing it is deeply concerning. It is unclear how £4million will support over 500 schools to provide a dedicated careers leader, or how £5million will cover 20 new careers hubs across the country to support those most in need. Principles are a good place to start, but without proper investment and accountability, this strategy will flounder and fail.”