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42 teachwire.net/secondary How balanced is your CAREERS PROVISION? Balancing careers education at scale with a truly personalised approach isn’t the impossible ask it’s sometimes made out to be, says JimBurton C areers education is in the spotlight like never before; something I believe is critical both for the next generation and for our economy. By the end of this year schools must be able to demonstrate that they meet all eight of the Gatsby Benchmarks, and while this deadline comes as no surprise, it does present a focus that simply can’t be ignored any longer. Nevertheless, educators across the country are concerned by the prospect of delivering a more extensive careers programme, while ensuring that it meets the needs of each and every student on an individual basis. Is this level of concern well-founded, or just a misunderstanding? Like it or not, the need for careers programmes to be rooted in the core principles embodied by the Gatsby Benchmarks cannot be denied. For too long, the provision of careers education in the UK has failed to deliver for young people, for the business community and for the economy of this country. Focusing on the link between subject excellence and suggested careers, with a smattering of careers guidance thrown in, was never going to be a recipe for success. Sadly though, this has been the experience of generations of young people. So, while the need for change is seemingly undeniable, is the new vision that is proposed realistic? I’d argue, that yes, it is. EMPOWERING DIGITAL NATIVES The concept of comprehensive career skills development across a longer time frame, and with markedly increased opportunities to gain insight into the world of work, does, at face value, appear to create a noticeably greater time burden on the educator. The fact that this programme needs to be linked with a truly personalised approach that meets the needs of each and every student further exacerbates this demand. We also have to bear in mind the way in which technology has permeated all aspects of modern life. Technology brings many benefits, yet at the same time, its effects are unpredictable. The impact technology is having on the world of work is already affecting careers guidance provision. Not only must educators strike a balance between delivering a more comprehensive and personalised programme, they must also now face the need to provide support and advice to students for careers that may not yet exist! But this isn’t the challenge it initially appears to be. Let’s not forget that students today are digital natives. They have always been able to easily access an incredible amount of knowledge and information, and while this can prove overwhelming, it can become enormously empowering when utilised effectively. And it is this, I believe, that is the key to success in balancing careers education at scale with a highly personalised approach. Being able to harness the power and value of all the information available requires appreciation of a set of three core principles that are surprisingly simple and easy to implement in a school or college. CRITICAL ATTRIBUTES The first of these principles is the school-wide integration of careers education and 21st century skills development. We must abandon the notion that careers education is a bolt-on to the main curriculum. It must be fully integrated across all subject areas, with educators empowered to help students identify the skills, learning and experiences that will strengthen their futures. Employers continue to indicate that young people entering the workplace lack work-ready, soft skills. The need to identify, support and nurture critical attributes, such as teamwork, analytical thinking and problem solving, has never been more important. The second of these principles is empowering educators. Put simply, the best teachers are the passionate ones. We all have memories of that teacher who was genuinely interested in the subject that they taught. These teachers delivered lessons with passion, and as a consequence, theirs would often be the subjects in which we achieved our best results. Why should careers education be any different? It’s no secret that