Careers advice, information and guidance inquiry launched

• Inquiry: Careers advice
• Committee on Education, Skills and the Economy

Call for written submissions

Written submissions are invited addressing the following points:

• The quality and impartiality of current provision
• How careers advice in schools and colleges can help to match skills with labour market needs
• The role of the new Careers and Enterprise Company and its relationship with other bodies such as the National Careers Service
• The balance between national and local approaches to careers advice
• Careers advice and apprenticeships
• The potential for employers to play a greater role in careers advice

The inquiry will focus in particular on developments since the publication of the Education Committee report Careers guidance for young people: The impact of the new duty on schools, in 2013.

Send a written submission through the careers advice inquiry page.

The deadline for receipt of submissions is midday on Wednesday 20 January 2016.

Sub-Committee's comments

Neil Carmichael MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee, said:

"Good quality careers advice is exceptionally important but current provision often seems patchy and complex, falling short in providing young people with comprehensive advice about the range of career opportunities available. While routes to university may be well mapped out, alternatives such as apprenticeships and vocational qualifications are largely ignored. As part of this inquiry, we look forward to examining the Government's forthcoming careers strategy and to make recommendations across the education and skills sectors to help improve the careers advice services which young people receive".

Iain Wright MP, Chair of the Business Innovation and Skills Select Committee, said: 

"Ensuring young people have access to good quality careers information, advice and guidance is crucial to social mobility. Giving young people a clearer understanding of where they could be going and how to get there can have a massive impact on their life chances as well as bringing benefits to our economy. As a new Committee, we are clear that education and skills policy has a crucial role to play in boosting our nation's economy and that there should be a closer alignment between the needs of business and the skills our education system provides our young people. Whitehall has too much of a silo-mentality, with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education doing little to demonstrate joined-up thinking. We want to show Government that working across policy areas and across parties is possible and, as a Committee, we want to help ensure young people have the skills they need to achieve fulfilling careers and boost the country's productivity."

Committee structure and future agenda

The new Sub-Committee on Education, Skills, and the Economy is a Parliamentary innovation, bringing together Members from the Education Committee and Business, Innovation and Skills Committee to examine skills and education issues, and their impact on the economy, in a joined-up way. 

The Sub-Committee on Education, Skills and the Economy will also hold a separate evidence session in the New Year where Skills Minister, Nick Boles, explains his role and the effectiveness of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education in working together to increase productivity and economic performance.

Further information

• Guidance: written submissions
• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

Image: iStockphoto