This academic paper provides an overview of recent policies around careers education information and guidance in the UK. It may be useful to policy makers and educators with responsibilities around careers guidance.
Careers work in England’s schools: politics, practices and prospects
Synopsis
This academic paper provides a historical synopsis the impact government policies are having on careers work in England’s secondary schools. The author outlines the various attempts to reshape careers provision for young people, through an evolving national careers experiment.
Following some comparisons between the other national careers policy developments in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, it argues that a blame culture and evidence-based rhetoric has crept into England’s policy discourse, and that the careers development profession has been largely left on the periphery of this careers experiment.
The author suggests that there are tensions when it comes to a quasi-market experiment in careers work and the role of government that have not been resolved.