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This chapter explores what careers education and work experience is being provided to students, from the student perspective. It focuses on the work-related learning and careers information, advice and guidance (CIAG) aspects of career-related learning and draws on a unique dataset to document current teenage perceptions held of CIAG provision and work experience in England. The chapter highlights a need for policy makers and practitioners to re-evaluate current provision and participation in England. As of 2017, securing independent careers advice for all pupils remains a statutory requirement for secondary schools in England while work experience is strongly encouraged but not mandatory. As M. S. Richardson discusses, equality and diversity issues have not always been sufficiently acknowledged within the careers development literature. Careers education and work experience have the potential to be useful tools for promoting social equity and can be helpful for encouraging social mobility.

Abstract from publisher's website.

The volume from which this chapter is taken is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 133.717. Show less

Currently, in England, there is widespread concern that careers education (information, advice and guidance) is relatively poorly resourced in schools and there is much debate about its current effectiveness. In this paper, [the authors] investigate students' views on careers education provision and their satisfaction with this provision. The work draws on data collected via a national survey of over 13,000 Year 11 students aged 15/16 years and in-depth longitudinal interviews conducted with 70 students from this cohort (aged from 10 to 16 years).

[The authors'] findings show that there is clear student demand for 'more and better' careers education and [they] conclude that some schools may not be meeting the statutory requirement to provide impartial careers support for all students. Moreover, [the authors'] quantitative analyses indicate that provision of careers education in England is currently patterned in ways that may be working to promote inequalities relating to gender, ethnicity and social class. Findings from [their] interview data offer insight into possible influencing factors and suggest that the majority of careers support is provided via a 'self-referral' system, which disadvantages those who, arguably, might benefit most. [The authors] conclude by discussing the implications of these patterns and suggest some potential, more equitable, ways forward for schools and teachers. Specifically, [they] recommend that targeted resourcing is needed for schools and teachers to engage and support disadvantaged students, and suggest greater monitoring of participation (not just provision).

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