OF the 360,000 young people who leave school each year, more than half do not feel ready for the world of work.
Studies also show that two in five school leavers have not completed any form of work experience either, making it even tougher to decide on a career choice.
Next week is National Careers Week, which focuses on the free careers advice and support available in schools and colleges.
Run by teachers and volunteer experts, it reaches more than a million young people.
This year the theme is Own Your Future and will encourage pupils to discover fulfilling careers they will enjoy.
Founder Nick Newman explains: “You can’t make informed decisions about the world of work unless you explore it. National Careers Week is the biggest celebration of career pathways for young people in the UK.”
Rylie Sweeney was once in danger of dropping out of school, but after receiving supportive careers advice, she now helps others as an Education And Youth Policy Adviser.
Rylie, 20, from Hartlepool, Co Durham, said: “I was at risk of disengaging from education because I couldn’t see how it connected to my future. But moving to a college that embedded careers into learning changed that.
“Through 13 work experience placements, I gained real-world exposure that helped me build confidence, develop skills and make informed choices about my next step.
“Those experiences reshaped how I saw my future.
“Early, meaningful careers support can completely shift a young person’s trajectory. It certainly did for me.”
Currently, the biggest worry for school leavers is the impact of AI on the jobs market.
Research from BBC Bitesize shows that 37 per cent of teens fear the tech will reduce the number of jobs available in the future.
To help start the careers conversation, we have teamed up with The Careers & Enterprise Company, the national body for careers education that works with 96 per cent of secondary schools and colleges.
See its advice below.
PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE WORLD OF WORK
– WIDEN YOUR LENS: Don’t make decisions based on a leaflet or a single conversation. Use them to spark further research and to unleash your curiosity about career paths.
Look up sectors and jobs online, compare different entry routes and reflect on what interests you.
Activities beyond the classroom matter too, so say yes to different experiences. Go to employer talks, workplace visits, university and college open days.
Volunteering, joining a sports team or completing The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award all build confidence, teamwork and leadership.
– GET TO KNOW YOURSELF: Pay attention to what you enjoy, what you find challenging and what you are naturally good at.
Are you happiest leading a team on the sports field, solving problems independently or helping others through volunteering?
After each experience, reflect: What did I learn? What skills did I use?
What feedback did I receive? Over time, patterns emerge.
Ask your teachers, friends and family members what strengths they see in you.
– CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS: It is easy to dismiss whole industries based on things you may have heard, so push yourself to explore roles you have never considered.
Look up someone doing your dream job and trace their path.
You may find it was anything but conventional.
– PRIORITISE ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Employers value essential skills such as communication, teamwork, creativity, leadership, problem-solving, resilience and more.
Use work experience placements, employer-led projects and mock interviews to practise these skills in real contexts.
When applying, be ready to explain not just what you studied but also show how you have these essential skills, perhaps through leading a sports team, caring responsibilities, managing revision alongside a job or contributing to a community project.
– UNDERSTAND THE ROUTES: There are many ways into a great career. Choosing one pathway now doesn’t lock you in forever.
Many people retrain, upskill or pivot later in life.
– THINK AHEAD BUT STAY FLEXIBLE: The world of work is changing rapidly.
Research growth areas in your region and how your school subjects link to them.
Seeing that connection can make your learning feel more purposeful and offer relevance and application to the workplace.
Above all, give yourself permission not to have everything figured out.
Career development is a process, not a single decision point.
Careers talk is child’s play
IF you are a parent, many of the jobs on offer now didn’t exist when you were growing up, so how can you best support your child’s career choices?
Debbie Hearne is Chief Customer Officer at careers platform morrisby.com and an expert in bridging conversations between parents and kids.
She said: “Careers guidance isn’t a one-off chat. Short, regular conversations feel less overwhelming than one big ‘What are you going to be?’ discussion.”
Here is her advice on how to have those chats.
1. Encourage exploration, without pressure: It is OK if they don’t know what they want to do yet. Encourage curiosity about different industries, pathways and roles – even those you are not familiar with.
2. Focus on strengths, not just subjects: Help your child identify what they are good at and enjoy, for example, problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, leadership, etc. Careers are built on skills and strengths, not just favourite school subjects.
3. Talk about all pathways: University is just one route. Others include apprenticeships, further education courses, T-Levels, vocational qualifications, employment with training and entrepreneurship and all can lead to success.
4. Share your career story: Be honest about your journey, including changes, mistakes and unexpected turns. It shows that careers aren’t always linear.
5. Build employability skills at home: Simple things make a difference. Responsibility such as chores and commitments, time management, communication skills and resilience when things go wrong. These “soft skills” are highly valued by employers.
6. Use labour market information: Look at growing industries and in-demand roles together. Technology, green energy, healthcare and creative digital are all expanding. This helps passion and practicality.
A caring role
HOSPITALITY giant Whitbread has pledged to offer jobs to over 500 care-experienced young people each year.
The firm, which owns Premier Inn, wants to create the opportunities in its hotels and restaurants to remove employment barriers for disadvantaged young people.
The company is partnering with charity Barnardo’s to recruit young people who have been in care.
So far, 18 young people have secured jobs through the scheme.
Rachel Howarth, Chief People Officer for Whitbread, said: “All too often those who are care-experienced face barriers that others may not.
“We’re here to say there is a place for you and no limits to your ambition if you’d like to work for us.”
A degree for free
FANCY gaining a free degree in the fast-growing nuclear industry?
The Cogent Skills Nuclear Sponsorship Scheme offers full university funding to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and underrepresented groups studying STEM degrees.
The programme covers tuition fees for three years, plus a £5,000-a-year bursary towards living expenses and two summer placements.
Sofian Ali, 29, is an engineering student on the scheme.
He said: “One of the biggest benefits is having my tuition fully funded, which allows me to study full-time at university without financial pressures.”
Apply by tomorrow at cogentskills.com/nuclear-industry-sponsorship.
