Labour has announced an ambitious plan to revolutionise careers advice and work experience for young people across the country. This initiative, unveiled today, aims to equip over one million pupils with the skills and knowledge necessary for the workforce, addressing long-standing concerns about the lack of adequate job information and opportunities.
Central to Labour’s strategy is the introduction of a new commitment to provide two weeks of quality work experience for every young person. Additionally, the party plans to recruit over 1,000 new careers advisors to forge stronger partnerships between schools, colleges, and local employers. This move is designed to ensure that young people are better prepared for the working world.
Labour’s announcement comes in response to analysis indicating that if the Conservatives remain in power, one million children risk receiving insufficient information about job opportunities over the next five years. Currently, more than one-third of secondary school students report a lack of awareness about potential careers, a situation that could leave nearly 1.2 million children inadequately informed and exacerbate skills shortages in critical sectors.
The number of 16-18 year-olds classified as Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET) has risen by 50,000 since 2018, reaching 167,000. This increase is mainly due to a surge in 18-year-olds out of work, education, or training. Research indicates that high-quality careers advice can significantly improve the prospects of young people, particularly in disadvantaged schools, by increasing their chances of progressing in education, employment, or training by a third.
A recent report by the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee criticised the state of careers guidance in schools, especially regarding the creative sector, labelling it as “patchy and disjointed.” This sector alone is worth approximately £126 billion to the UK economy, highlighting the importance of effective careers advice.
Labour’s commitment to enhancing careers advice and work experience forms part of a broader ‘Youth Guarantee,’ which promises access to training, apprenticeships, or employment support for all 18-21 year-olds.
Shadow Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, remarked, “Over one million young people are set to benefit from Labour ushering in a revolution in work readiness with our plan to work with local employers to turbocharge work experience and careers advice in schools.
“We will train a thousand new careers advisors, and deliver two weeks’ worth of high-quality work experience for every young person at secondary school to boost opportunity.
“It’s time to turn the page on fourteen years of failure in education – but change will only come if people vote for it – that’s why if families want to break down barriers to opportunity for their children they need to vote Labour on July 4th.”
