Careers guidance and access

Thinking about choosing a career’ can feel like a huge decision and while some young people may know exactly which direction they want to take, many are still trying to find their vocation well into their 20s or even 30s.

Whether your child has it all mapped out or not, careers advice and guidance can help to explain the options and spark ideas.

The Government is working to ensure young people can access good careers advice throughout their education and in this section, we look at the services and facilities on offer to help you and your child make informed choices about their next steps.

Every young person needs high-quality career guidance to make informed decisions about their future. Good career guidance is a necessity for social mobility: those young people without significant social capital or home support to draw upon have the most to gain from high-quality career guidance.

Gatsby

Understanding careers advice and access 

Careers advice and careers guidance are very slightly different. Let us explain what each involves and why they’re both important.

Careers services 

The Government recognised that the quality of careers advice and guidance was inconsistent in schools and colleges and set up a number of initiatives to improve things.

Supporting your child 

As well as directing your child to professionals who can help, there are lots of things you can do at home to offer support too.