National Careers Service has a mountain to climb

MODEL turned TV Chef Lorraine Pascale and Skills Minister John Hayes has launched a new service which will transform careers advice by combining highly-trained advisers with an interactive website, helping countless people to reach their potential.

Lorraine gave up modelling in search of a career with a more secure long term future. After enrolling on a variety of courses including hypnotherapy and design, she decided to pursue a career in cookery.

Lorraine is backing The National Careers Service which will offer independent, impartial information and advice on learning and work. It will also give people access to a wide range of information about careers and the job market where they live.

The National Careers Service will:-

► Handle up to one million telephone advice sessions and at least 20 million online sessions

► Provide information and advice for approximately 370,000 young people through the use of the helpline and website

► Offer face to face advice to 700,000 adults each year in a range of locations in local communities

► Operate to the recently enhanced matrix Standard, the national quality standard for the delivery of information, advice and guidance

► Provide detailed sector by sector labour market information so people can discover which industries are growing in their area

► Provide tools such as a CV builder and a Skills Health Check on the website to help people identify their skills strengths and gaps

► Allow people to open a Lifelong Learning Account, which gives them clear information and advice on skills, careers and financial support in a single, personalised online space.

Lorraine Pascale said:- "After modelling, choosing my next career move was a big decision. I knew I wanted to find something that I was really passionate about, but I tried courses in hypnotherapy, auto repair and interior design before I found the thing that really makes me tick: cooking. Having independent careers advice can really help you find the thing you want to do. I’d encourage everyone to make the most of the National Careers Service to find out how to take their career forward, and realise their ambitions."

John Hayes said:- "With competition for jobs more fierce than ever, now is the time to introduce a careers service that will deliver on its promise. The National Careers Service, universally available to people at all stages of their careers, has the very best interactive tools on its website and the highest-quality advisers, committed to the noble cause of helping others fulfil their aspirations. Making available the right advice at the right time and in the right places is to strike a blow for social mobility, social cohesion and social justice; a society that encourages people from wherever they start to journey to the destination of their dreams."

Record Producer Pete Waterman has a keen personal and professional interest in skills and training; ranging from basic literacy to apprenticeships. He is also backing the new National Careers Service.

Pete Waterman said:- "I know from my own experience that it’s never too late to learn a new skill. I learnt to read and write much later in life than many people, but this opened up a whole new world for me. It’s one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about helping people to get the skills they need to fulfil their ambitions."

With a strong emphasis on high-quality advice for all ages, schools will be required to secure independent, impartial careers guidance for their pupils. The Department for Education has published statutory guidance to help schools discharge this duty.

Yet Jon Richards, UNISON Head of Education, on 5 April 2012, the day that the new service was launched said:- "The Government’s new National Careers Service has a mountain to climb if it is to deliver decent careers services for young people."

In their view with unemployment among 16 to 25 year olds at record levels, and more than a million young people struggling to find work, the union is warning that the new service looks to be a flimsy replacement for the now decimated Connexions service.

At a time when youth unemployment is at a record high over 4000 careers professional have already lost their jobs and a further 4000 are at risk over the next year UNISON says that:- "The Government is intent on cutting public services and has ignored the interests of young people as well as potential employers and educators."

Jon Richards, went on to say:- "The Government has handed over responsibility for providing careers advice to schools, but without the money to make it work. Many schools are totally unprepared and the National Careers Service will not fill the gap that is left. To make it worse the decimation of the Connexions service means that current careers advice for young people is a shambles in many areas. Just when our young people need it most, hundreds of thousands across England will have either very limited, or even no access to ‘face-to-face’ career guidance. The class of 2012 will be the least informed about their career options at a time when they need to know the most."

Research by UNISON revealed that of 144 local authorities only 15 will maintain what the researchers termed as a "substantial" universal careers service, and at least a third have reduced or removed the universal element of the Connexions service. More than 100 councils have reduced staffing levels and 50 have closed Connexions centres.  

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