Views on Policy Issues – Careers Information, Advice and
Guidance for Semta’s Industries (England)
What do you think?
Semta represents the view of our employers
across government and the media. If you are an employer in
the science, engineering, or manufacturing technology sectors, we
welcome your views at policy@semta.org.uk
The issue
- Careers guidance services for young people
and adults are going through another period of intense change, with
responsibilities and remits rapidly evolving.
- It is imperative that young people and adults
receive guidance and information appropriate to both their
aspirations and abilities – inspiring them to apply to the right
industries at the right level. We believe that our sector
suffers particularly from a lack of appropriate signposting, with
careers advisers too often directing high achieving individuals
straight into full time academic routes and only informing those
with lower levels of achievement about other routes, such as
apprenticeship. We are also concerned that the work-based
route is actively promoted to low achievers, which leads to
disappointment for the individual and wasted time for the
recruiter.
- It can be difficult to measure the quality of
careers guidance. The recipients are not necessarily aware of
the advice which they should be receiving, so often accept the
information they are given as the “right” answer, when it may be
incomplete, biased and / or inappropriate.
- From April 2008, Local Authorities have taken
on responsibility for careers information, advice and guidance for
young people in their area. Working with schools and
colleges, they will commission provision to support their 14-19
provision.
- A new adult careers and advancement service
will be launched in Autumn 2010, designed to help those not in
work, and those wishing to progress at work through support,
information and guidance.
Semta Employers’ View
- Semta’s employers strongly believe that young
people are not hearing the right message about careers in science
and engineering. While some areas of our sector are
experiencing difficulties, others are suffering extreme skill
shortages. Earning levels for our sector are good, and the
opportunities for development, travel, and really making a
difference in the world are growing all the time. The image
of engineering and manufacturing as a “dying” sector, and that
careers in engineering are in decline is not true.
- Employers believe that careers in science are
similarly misrepresented, with the image of the “mad scientist”
prevailing. Modern careers in bioscience companies are
extremely diverse, and require a whole range of skills in addition
to technical and theoretical ability. Young people need to
know about the intellectual demands and opportunities which working
in science can bring.
- Employers are also very concerned about the
lack of information given to high achieving young people about the
work-based route. Too often, these young people are only
advised on academic options, and are not told about the
opportunities in programmes such as apprenticeships. The
entry requirements of engineering apprenticeships are the same as
for academic qualifications at the same levels, and often require a
greater amount of commitment (e.g. an Engineering Advanced
Apprenticeship lasts for at least three years). Appropriate
young people should be made aware of these opportunities, and the
demands of the frameworks.
- Employers are concerned that handing
responsibility for careers guidance for young people to Local
Authorities will lead to unhelpful fragmentation of the service,
and a lack of overall control over quality. There are also
concerns that careers guidance will be tailored to “fit” local
authority provision if certain routes and qualifications are
not supported locally, will the careers service still promote
them?
- Employers welcome the concept of the new
adult careers and advancement service, but again are concerned that
misconceptions and prejudices which exist about certain sectors and
careers are properly addressed by advisers.
What is Semta doing?
- Semta does not currently provide careers
information directly. However, we do produce the Directions
booklet, which shows young people the various routes through to an
engineering career.
- We also provide support for ETB, the
organisation which is tasked with promoting engineering
careers.
- We lobby for a better system of careers
guidance (for example in the Draft Apprenticeship Bill, which
proposes that information about apprenticeship should only be given
where the adviser deems it would be “in (the individual’s) best
interests” – thereby effectively giving the adviser permission to
withhold information based on their personal judgement).
- As part of our core remit, all Sector Skills
Councils provide Labour Market Information (LMI), which we are
currently revamping to ensure it can be used by individuals and
careers advisers. Semta provides Labour Market Information
about Semta’s sectors to support careers guidance professionals and
will be doing so through the supply of LMI to the Adult Advancement
Careers Advisory Service. Semta also oversee the writing of
job articles for the jobs4u website to ensure that our sectors are
correctly described and represented.
What else needs to be done?
- The government is currently doing a great
deal in the area of science and engineering careers, funding
projects and commissioning research. It is important that the
Sector Skills Councils in science, engineering and manufacturing
are involved in this activity, giving the employers a voice in
whatever development is recommended.
- Employers work with the careers service
in your area, to make sure they are aware of opportunities in your
sector. The new quality standards for careers information,
advice and guidance include consultation with employers, so if you
believe that your needs are not being met, you should raise this
with the service itself and the Local Authority.
Evidence and facts
- The Adult Careers and Advancement Service will be launched in
2010 as part of the government’s reforms to adult skills
support. This year sees a major procurement exercise for
nextstep contractors in England for the next two years.
Successful contractors will be expected to trial the delivery of
the new service in readiness for the full roll-out in 2010/11.
Trials will include testing Skills Health Checks, Skills Accounts
and joining up with other key advisory services - for example,
housing, childcare and employment rights.
- From 1st April 2008, Local Authorities assumed responsibility
for commissioning careers advice and guidance services for young
people from the national Connexions service.
The new quality standards for the universal information, advice and
guidance service for young people aged 11 to 19 was launched in
2008. They are the benchmark for the services that local
authorities commission for young people and also for the level of
service that 14-19 consortia must provide in order to offer Diploma
programmes.
- A recent report by Ofsted identified
continuing elements of bias in the advice and guidance being given
to young people, with some young people at 11-18 schools feeling
that they had not been made fully aware of the range of options
open to them post-16. [1]
More information
Engineering and science careers information:
www.scenta.org.uk
www.enginuity.org.uk/
www.futuremorph.org
http://www.raes.org.uk
http://www.theiet.org/careers/
http://www.ukrc4setwomen.org/
http://www.abpi-careers.org.uk/
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/
Standards:
Careers quality standards for young people
Sources
[1] Implementation of 14-19 reforms: an evaluation of
progress, Ofsted, September 2008, Reference no: 070258
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18 November 2008