Developing children and young people’s awareness of the world of work should be introduced from the earliest years. This could include schools linking curriculum themes to specific careers.

Children and young people should be encouraged to think about the career they would like when they grow up and how this links to their interests, strengths and ambitions.

All Secondary schools, colleges and sixth form centres will provide education on careers called their careers programme. All schools and colleges have a statutory responsibility to deliver the GATSBY benchmarks for a good careers programme. This will include work experience, encounters with employers and career advice. This should be led by the Career Leader within the school or college.

Each setting should have a dedicated page on their website that covers the Careers programme that has sections for parents/carers, students, teachers and employers.

Schools, colleges and sixth form centres should have an awareness of local labour market information (LMI) that relates to their Careers programme. From 1 January 2023, all schools must provide at least six encounters with a provider of technical education or apprenticeships for students in Years 8 to 13. This is known as Provider Access Legislation (PAL).

Many schools and colleges will have a member of staff responsible for CEIAG (careers, education, information, advice and guidance) that young people can meet with, and that you can talk to if you want some support.

Career Education should address stereotypes and break down barriers to career progression. The Career programme should include information on the whole range of destinations including:

• employment
• apprenticeships
• T levels training providers
• further education
• and University where appropriate.

It is good practice for schools to offer support with choosing subject options in year 9 and year 12. Prior to selecting subject options young people should be encouraged to think about university, college and career goals. Young people should be supported to select subject options which reflect their goals. 

It is good practice for schools, colleges and sixth form centres to offer support for writing curricula vitae (CV), university and/or apprenticeship applications.

You can find further information about careers here: 

• National Careers Service
• Connexions Wolverhampton
• Wolves Workbox
• UCAS careers advice
• Prospects
• You Future Black Country – Jobs and Opportunities Jobs

Where young people or parents feel that extra support is needed for the young person to access the careers programme, this can be discussed with the SENCo (SEN Coordinator), the CEIAG coordinator (Careers education information advice and guidance co-ordinator) or the Careers leader.

As a result, reasonable adjustments can be put into place to ensure that the careers programme is relevant and accessible for the young person.   

There is an annual Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Moving into Adulthood Careers Fair which is attended by education settings, young people and parent/carers. The event is inclusive and aimed at showcasing the range of local providers and destinations available to students with additional needs.

Schools can access further support to implement their careers programme through the Black Country Careers Hub, who hold Community of Practice (CoP) meetings and events for SEND schools and college settings as well as SENCos.

All Special Schools and those with a resource base or SEN unit will have a bespoke Careers programme that is tailored to the needs and aspirations of their students.

Careers Education in Special Schools should relate to aspirations relevant and achievable by the students, for example an awareness of:

• supported Internships
• Inclusive apprenticeships
• employers and employment routes available in the local area.

Special Schools can access further support from the Black Country Careers Hub to run targeted projects supporting young people with SEND, such as Barista training and opportunities to run a coffee shop and pop-up shops.

Young people with SEND should also be given the opportunity to see relevant role models and people who they can identify with in the world of work, examples can be found here Jobs – Your Future Black Country.

In Wolverhampton we recommend that schools follow the Preparation for Adulthood guidance for children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans during their Annual Reviews from Year 9. This includes guidance on education, employment and training and ensures that children and young people and their families are encouraged to consider preparing for adulthood.