Information, advice and guidance: Sector lobbies Education Secretary for all-ages careers service
13/12/06
Education Secretary Alan Johnson is under mounting pressure to respond to calls for a careers guidance service for all ages, after telling the sector it is an important area for debate.
Deidre Hughes, director of the University of Derby’s Centre for Guidance Studies, asked Johnson whether he shared the vision of many in the sector for an all-age service, at Lifelong Learning UK’s first annual conference last week. Johnson said: “I think it’s an important area we could debate.”
In his government-commissioned review of skills published earlier this month, Sandy Leitch commends the all-age careers guidance systems in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and criticises the fragmentation of guidance services in England, which are divided into services for young people and adults. But he stops short of recommending an all-age approach for England.
The Association of Learning Providers says this was a major disappointment. David Hunter, chief executive of Lifelong Learning UK, said he would also support the move to an all-age service.
Chris Evans, executive director of the Institute of Career Guidance, said: “There’s a clear opportunity for organisations to get in touch with the Secretary of State and say: ‘how can this debate happen?’ It feels to me as if the door is opening. I’m pleased the Secretary of State has acknowledged that this needs to be debated.”
In an interview with the Institute of Career Guidance earlier this year youth minister Beverley Hughes said there were no plans for an all-age guidance service.
But the majority of respondents to the Government’s review into information, advice and guidance for adults called for such a service.
The review is expected to result next month in a business plan for a reformed adult guidance service.
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