National Careers Service for England - Statement by John Hayes
In New Challenges, New Chances the government said high-quality information about careers and skills, and independent, professional advice and guidance for people who need it most, are a vital part of an efficient labour market which drives growth. We want people to make learning and career choices which are well-informed, stimulating education and training which reflects need.
In April 2012 the National Careers Service will be launched, building on Next Step. It will provide information, advice and guidance on careers, skills and the labour market, covering further education, Apprenticeships and other types of training and higher education.
- Able to help 700,000 adults face to face each year in up to one million interviews
- Able to handle up to one million telephone advice sessions and at least 20 million online sessions
- Providing guidance for approximately 370,000 young people through the use of the helpline and web.
Schools will be responsible for securing independent, impartial careers guidance for their pupils. The Department for Education is providing statutory guidance to help schools discharge this duty, and will support the sharing of best practice.
The National Careers Service will set a benchmark for high quality which we want others to follow; and schools can choose to commission organisations in the Service to provide guidance for their pupils. The National Careers Service will work with, and augment, others such as the website ‘born2do’.
Alongside the National Careers Service, Lifelong Learning Accounts will encourage individuals to learn, and keep on learning. Our aspiration is for one million people to open Lifelong Learning Accounts by the end of 2012.
Related link
Next Step
