CEIAG & Careers Leaders
So Tell Me Nicky Morgan, What is Careers Education?
Sunday 17th August 2014
EDIT - It's always interesting to go back over blogs written some time ago - As I'm working through migrating my blogs, it makes me think how far we have come. Or maybe you disagree. Please comment I love hearing your views. Have we moved from here?
I've been very quiet this last 2 weeks, mainly because I've been doing family things and they complain if I'm constantly checking my pad or tweeting madly. So I may be a little late with my comments prompted by a tweet received from e_gran on results day. However, this one single tweet seems to have led to a multi part blog. This blog will certainly be a 2 parter or possibly a 3 parter.
The tweet that started it...
@CareersDefender Interesting to hear our new SoS on TV say that emphasis will be placed on Careers Education. (That they destroyed)
— Lynda Dixon (@e_gran) August 14, 2014
Nicky Morgan used the term Careers Education to denote careers 'stuff' in schools. The terms that are used and their meaning has long been contentious when discussing careers 'stuff' in an educational context. The main terms, I'm sure there are plenty more, are as follows:
- CEIAG/CIAG/IAG - (Careers) (Education) Information Advice & Guidance
- Careers Education
- Careers Guidance
- Careers Advice
- Employability
- Aspiration building
Why did Nicky Morgan use the term Careers Education? For now, I'm going to use the term 'stuff' for the purpose of encompassing all the above terms. You'll see why later.
To me, the plethora of names and acronyms denote various opinions/ideas of what constitutes 'stuff' in schools aided and ably abetted by the DFE and the Govian attack on 'stuff' in schools.
What Happened?
For the uninitiated, Connexions who had previously provided careers 'stuff' free of charge to most schools was shut down in 2009. This saved the Government in excess of £100m, if the figures quoted by the BBC are correct.
The responsibility of providing 'stuff ' in schools passed to the schools who, for the most part, didn't have anyone knowledgeable enough to do a reasonable job in delivering 'stuff'. No extra money was given to the schools in order to buy in 'stuff' or to train anyone in the school to know what they needed to do with 'stuff'
So what is 'stuff'
I'd suggest that 'stuff' is a mixture of:-
1) Advice/information - which can come from various sources impartial or not about the wide range of options available which often aren't considered by young people.
2) Guidance - which, in my opinion, should come from independent and qualified professionals trained in supporting young people to make such complex decisions. Ofsted and DFE duty specifically says that careers education should be independent and that pupil needs are paramount over all other considerations
3) Exploration & aspiration building activities, learning opportunities built into the curriculum.
4) Self knowledge - Being supported in the process of understanding and improving one's own skills and atributes and how they impact on the process of deciding on career ideas.
5) Education in how to filter, assess and prioritise the various inputs from the plethora of sources that young people are now subjected to.
Given that schools often don't have anyone in post who has the necessary knowledge and skills to ensure that this is delivered, I'd say that the pupils who have been in KS3, 4 or 5 at any time from 2009 have been well and truly stuffed by the uncertainty of what careers education really comprises of. (Told you I'd tell you why I call it stuff )
Whilst item 1 and 3 are often addressed, be it in an organised or disorganised way. items 2 & 3 are often severely limited in availability and item 5 hasn't even hit the consciousness of many schools.
So what did Nicky Morgan mean by Careers Education being important? Did she mean that students should have access to good guidance? Or that they should be exposed to lots of information? Did she mean their aspirations are raised? Somehow I don't think the term careers education could be so contentious.
So, with the aim of getting more schools to consider what Careers Education comprises in their organisation, probably prompted by the new Ofsted handbook and the publication in April of the statutory duty for careers, I'd like to stimulate debate amongst teachers, school leaders, governors and other stakeholders about what good Careers Education looks like.
Please feel free to comment below or to email or tweet your responses.
