Government must improve careers provision to combat skills gap

MPs have blasted the Government for “burying its head in the sand” while poor careers guidance “fails” young people.

Many youngsters leave education without the tools to help them consider their future job options. Photo credit: Fotolia 
 
The Sub-Committee on Education, Skills and the Economy said youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds were the worst affected by the “lack of action to address failings in careers provision.”
 
It called on Ministers to “urgently” adopt the recommendations in a July report, which found schools were leaving young people without a clear idea of options, thereby exacerbating the skills gap.
 
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Co-chairs of the committee Neil Carmichael and Iain Wright said: “The Government’s lack of action to address failings in careers provision is unacceptable and its response to our report smacks of complacency. Ministers appear to be burying their heads in the sand while careers guidance fails young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and exacerbates the country’s skills gap.
 
“Impartial advice and guidance and high quality careers education is vital if we are to achieve the social mobility and aspiration that the Prime Minister has talked about and vital to creating the skilled workforce needed to grow the economy post-Brexit.”
 
The MPs lamented that the “long-promised” careers strategy is yet to emerge, and called on the Government to “get its act together.”
 
In its July report the committee said schools watchdog Ofsted should judge careers information and advice in secondary schools and withhold an ‘outstanding’  rating if provision is found to be lacking. 

Mary.Isokariari

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