Young people seek more personalised careers guidance

With ever greater choice and diversity in UK higher education, up to 20 per cent of students changing course or dropping out during their first year, and one third of graduates regretting their choice of course, there is an increasing need for young people to receive the best possible advice. However, research released today by The Inspiring Futures Foundation shows that young people in the state sector who intend to shape their careers by going to university are disillusioned with the quality and quantity of careers advice and skills development that they are currently receiving whilst still at school.

The research, which was conducted amongst 14-18 year olds across the UK who are on a path to higher education, reveals that 68 per cent believe more useful careers guidance is needed in schools. Of these, a quarter went as far as to say a lot more useful guidance is needed. This is perhaps not surprising when one considers that parents were more often cited as the source of careers advice than either teachers or specific careers advisors.

When given free reign to suggest any improvements that could be made to careers guidance, the young respondents gave some interesting and well considered suggestions. In addition to the provision of more accessible careers advice, many respondents suggested that a more personalised approach to careers guidance was needed, believing that the current provision was of a ëone size fits allí model that didnít always suit their needs. This suggestion would appear to sit well with government aims to develop more personalised learning in schools.

The Inspiring Futures Foundation exists to help young people make informed decisions and develop key employability skills. Originally with a background of working only in the independent education sector it is now extending its services to state schools. Chief Executive Andy Airey explains how the organisation has recognised the need for its services to engage with a wider range of young people who are considering a higher education route to their first career:

ìThis research confirms our fears that careers guidance for young people considering higher education, almost half of young people in state schools today, is not consistently providing the personalised support that these young people require. Today, the choices of course and university, in the context of career aspirations, are significantly more complex than before and given the escalating costs of higher education to students, the lack of impartial, personalised and objective advice will result in costly mistakes that could also jeopardise career success.î

The research goes on to show that young people are resorting to instinct when planning a future career. While 90 per cent of students aged between 14 and 18 who intend to further their studies at university do have clear thoughts on the areas in which theyíd like to pursue a career in later life, those intentions are based on nothing more solid than instinct. Indeed, while 65 per cent of respondents admitted to basing their plans on ëwhat they think theyíd be good atí, only just over one per cent based their plans on the advice of a careers advisor, and only two per cent have listened to the guidance of their teachers. Similarly, less than one per cent had based their plans on having successfully completed work experience in that sector. In fact, the careers of fictional characters were more likely (three per cent) to have influenced todayís young students than more reliable sources of advice.

Anthony McClaran, Chief Executive of UCAS and a member of the Board of Trustees at Inspiring Futures, concludes:

ìJust as there is incredible diversity and increasing competitiveness in UK higher education and in the global workplace, so too is there incredible diversity amongst young people today. These young people donít fit a single model and so to think that the careers provision that they receive should be of a ëone size fits allí model is simply misguided. They live and thrive in a diverse world and the guidance they receive to shape their future careers should be similarly rich. Of course, the input from schools will remain critically important ñ but those in business and other outside organisations also have an important part to play.î