Much has been achieved in the decade since Gatsby’s Founder, David Sainsbury, first asked Sir John Holman to describe what world class careers guidance looks like. During this time, we have seen impressive innovation in careers activities from schools, colleges, and employers and the Benchmarks are now embedded at the heart of the careers system. As we look ahead to the next ten years of Good Career Guidance, we are embarking on a programme of analysis to ensure our work continues to deliver the greatest impact for all young people. Throughout 2023 we will conduct a programme of stakeholder engagement, consultation, and research, including working closely with Government officials, with the results published in late 2024.
The publication of the Benchmarks, alongside the commitment of schools and colleges, has already led to the largest improvement in career guidance for young people in a generation. Millions more young people are benefitting from rich experiences with employers and there is growing evidence that implementing the Benchmarks increases career readiness and improves destination outcomes, particularly for those in the most disadvantaged circumstances.
The stability, clarity and ambition offered by the framework of the Benchmarks has been critical for schools and colleges. The consistency that schools and colleges now have in language and approach to careers provision has meant that meaningful and measurable improvements can be made in a systemic way. They are the golden thread that binds the entire system together.
The progress we have seen has been underpinned by a strong infrastructure of Careers Hubs, Cornerstone Employers, online resources, and vibrant career guidance community. This sits alongside a growing cadre of trained and committed Careers Leaders. We are hugely encouraged by the work of schools and colleges across the country and the impact that this is having on young people.
However, over the last 10 years there has also been significant changes in education and the labour market. The time is right to reflect on these changes and capture the experiences of schools and colleges and their implementation of the Benchmarks.
Following the publication of Sir John Holman’s recommendations to government on the future of the careers system, Gatsby is also looking ahead to the next ten years of Good Career Guidance for young people in England. We are keen understand how schools and colleges have implemented the benchmarks, explore innovations in practice and unpick challenges that still remain.
We are therefore embarking on a programme of research, open consultation and stakeholder engagement to assess what, if any, refinement might be needed to ensure that the stability and impact of the Gatsby Benchmarks continues for the next decade.
Throughout 2023 we will conduct a significant programme of stakeholder engagement, consultation, and research. This will include an open consultation, a literature and evidence review and various roundtables with stakeholders across the sector. We will be working with a research partner for this work and will publish our findings in late 2024.
The 8 Benchmarks for Good Career Guidance were tested in a pilot in the North East of England. More information about this pilot and its findings can be explored here.
In 2014 Lord David Sainsbury asked Sir John Holman to identify what characterised high quality careers provision. The findings of this research were published on the Good Career Guidance Report (2014)
To stay informed about our work in this area, please email careerguidance@gatsby.org.uk to be added to our stakeholder communications list.
I was first convinced of the importance of good career guidance in schools and colleges when I was a headteacher, particularly for those young people without the social capital to be supported elsewhere. This year will mark a decade since David Sainsbury asked me to embark on my work which defined the eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance. There has since been significant progress and there is much to celebrate. We now have powerful evidence that the using the Benchmarks leads to a positive impact on the progression of young people.
Today (12th December 2022) the Government published a set of recommendations from Sir John Holman which sets out a vision for an ambitious and coherent future for career guidance for young people and adults.
