Engineering bodies call for better careers advice

The government is creating an all-age independent careers service and, under a new education bill, all schools in England will have to provide careers advice from someone not directly on the school payroll.

A DfE spokesman told The Engineer: ‘The way that careers advice is currently delivered in schools isn’t working – over half of young people say it doesn’t meet their needs. That is why we are changing the system so that all schools have a duty to secure access to independent, impartial careers guidance for their pupils.’

But Education for Engineering (E4E), a group made up of 39 UK engineering organisations led by the Royal Academy of Engineering, said yesterday that this amounted to an end to schools’ duty to provide general careers education.

The group, which is chaired by BAE Systems chairman Dick Olver, said the plans could reduce the number of students aware of the opportunities of an engineering career.

‘Young people often do not make the connection between the mobile phones they use or the computer game consoles they play with on a daily basis and the engineers who created them,’ said Olver.

‘We need to better inform our children and young adults about the value of engineering and the exciting career opportunities an engineering background can afford.