A thought for #NationalCareersWeek

Making Every Week Careers Week

Many of you may know that I was one of the founding directors of #NationalCareersWeek and I’ve continued to support what they do since I stepped down (heading towards retirement) a few years ago. It always heartens me to see the buzz that it creates year on year and it gives me a feeling of pride to know that I was instrumental in getting it going.

However, I recall many, many meetings where we expressed the ambition to “Make every week careers week” This highlighted what the founding directors envisaged, that NCW would help support schools’ awareness of the need for and thus the raising of the profile and effect of careers education on young people.

For many schools, National Careers Week and National Apprenticeship Week have become the focal points of the careers calendar. They bring energy, visitors, assemblies, social media activity and an opportunity to create buzz and interest amongst staff and students alike.

But here is the uncomfortable truth. If everything meaningful happens in two themed weeks, careers risks becoming an event rather than a culture.

For Careers Leaders and SLT, the real objective could/should be that whilst the two ‘spotlight’ weeks are vital and energising for all, the real aim for the future is to weave careers into the fabric of everyday school life so that pupils experience it as normal, relevant, continuous and visible . Also a key thought for may careers leaders is to provide an argument for SLT to see the reason for and importance of careers education.

Weekly and termly small but easily recognised and remembered inputs give opportunities for evidence of impact and learning but also help plant seeds of knowledge for when Ofsted inspectors ask students to remember and recount the effect that the activities have on their own personal development and ambition.

From showcase to steady presence

The themed weeks are useful. They provide a hook. They create momentum. They give you permission to prioritise. What they should not become is the only time pupils hear about pathways, labour market trends, apprenticeships or the relevance of their subjects to future opportunities.

A steady stream of careers learning, delivered in small, manageable ways, is more powerful than a single annual splash. It also reduces pressure on staff and avoids the frantic scramble for speakers and activities every February and March.

The good news is this does not require complex planning or additional budget. It requires consistency. All the ideas I provide below can be reused and rotated year on year, just requiring a quick check to see that they are still relevant and up-to-date. They are also easy to scaffold and adapt to meet the needs of different year groups and/or learning needs.

Below are 3 practical activities that can be delivered in form time or assembly, with minimal preparation. Paid subscribers have access to another 3 suggestions PLUS a prompt sheet for SLT to support the case for time in tutor time each week to support continual careers education opportunities.

1. Five Minute Futures

Time needed: 5 minutes in form time
Set up time: None beyond a slide or printed prompt

Each week, share one short “future focus” prompt:

• A job linked to a curriculum subject

• A current labour market statistic

• A short case study of a former pupil

• A myth busting fact about apprenticeships or university

Provide two or three discussion questions. For example:

• What skills would someone need for this role?

• Which subjects link to it?

• Could you see yourself doing something similar?

Over time, pupils begin to see careers as connected to everyday learning, not a separate bolt on. Also you build up a resource bank of activities for future use.

2. Tutor Time Pathway Spotlight

Time needed: 10 minutes
Set up time: Thirty minutes to put together a simple one page template reused weekly

Each week, spotlight one pathway:

• T Levels

• Apprenticeships

• A levels

• Vocational routes

• Degree apprenticeships

Stick to three key points:

1. What it is

2. Who it suits

3. One real example

Rotate pathways across the year so that by July every pupil has heard about multiple options several times.

This supports Gatsby Benchmark 7 without needing a full scale event.

As an extra for those of you still wavering before taking out a paid subscription, here is a freebie just for you. Download your editable PowerPoint here Think how much time you’d save if you had access to all the resources that I publish.

3. Skills of the Week

Time needed: 5 to 10 minutes
Set up: A half term list of six skills

Choose six employability skills for the half term, for example:

• Communication

• Teamwork

• Problem solving

• Resilience

• Organisation

• Initiative

Each week:

• Define the skill

• Give a real workplace example

• Ask pupils to identify where they are already developing it in school

SLT can reinforce this language in assemblies and behaviour conversations. Over time, pupils internalise a shared vocabulary around skills.

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