What opportunities can the primary careers programme give your students?

The primary careers programme will make sure all young people get high quality advice to set them on the road to making informed choices about the skills needed for a successful career

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on gov.uk

Primary school pupils are to benefit from a new careers programme that will encourage them to think about future jobs early, whilst nurturing aspirations and challenging stereotypes. The primary school scheme will be rolled out across 55 disadvantaged areas of the country where school outcomes are the weakest, and have been for some time, and delivers on a commitment made in the Schools White Paper. It will support more than 600,000 pupils in over 2,200 primary schools, giving them the kick start they need to boost their ambitions, and is backed by £2.6m.

Evidence shows that children start to form ideas about their futures as they start primary school; by linking lessons in an age-appropriate way to different careers, training and skills, the programme will bring learning to life and inspire pupils about the world of work. It will also provide opportunities for pupils to meet employers and role models from a range of industries, helping to raise aspirations and link their learning to future skills, jobs and careers. 

The programme, which started on January 1, will give pupils strengthened careers advice – by hearing directly from training providers, pupils will get to understand the full range of opportunities available to them, including apprenticeships, T Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications, not just the traditional academic routes. 

This programme builds on the existing requirement that every secondary school should offer their pupils at least one experience of a workplace by age 16, and a further work experience by age 18, giving them the opportunity to get a sense of the skills that are valued in the workplace in order to forge a great career.