Careers Leader
Careers Leaders are responsible and accountable for the planning, delivery and impact measurement of their school, special school or college’s strategic careers plan and progressive careers programme.
It’s a key role that involves aligning careers provision to the strategic priorities of the school, special school or college and overseeing work towards meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks in a meaningful way for young people.
The Careers Leader needs to be someone who can:
- Take responsibility for continuous improvement of the strategic careers plan and the progressive careers programme, which should be planned and implemented to ensure positive outcomes for young people.
- Coordinate and manage the various elements of the careers programme informed by a strategic careers plan aligned to school, special school or college priorities.
- Liaise with external partners, such as employers, learning providers and career guidance services.
- Pay careful attention to feedback from all stakeholders and to the destinations of pupils.
Developed with you in mind, we’ve made it easy to quickly find the trusted, high quality resources you need to make a difference. We’ve identified, and regularly update, key resources that can directly support you as you plan, implement and measure the impact of your strategic careers plan and progressive careers programme and as you work towards achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks.
Careers Impact internal leadership review
The Careers Impact internal leadership review supports a quality assured, sustainable and strategic approach to careers leadership.
The review forms part of the Careers Impact System, which is a process that drives continuous improvement in careers education. It sets clearly defined standards as to what good looks like in careers leadership and is directly linked to wider school and college improvement.
Spotlight
Careers Leader Induction: Free Online Learning
Careers Leader Induction: Free Online Learning
Guided Learning Hours: 2-4 hours
Careers Leader training
Transform your careers programme and develop your skills as a Careers Leader to strategically embed careers in the curriculum.
Gatsby Benchmark 1 Module 1: Creating a Strategic Careers Plan
The following resource and support are designed to support a Careers Leader to create a strategic careers plan. The resource and support include ‘Building a Strategic Careers Plan’ guidance document and a Careers Leader recorded webinar on this element of Benchmark 1.
Gatsby Benchmark toolkit – schools
Access case studies of best practice in schools, as well as tips and practical suggestions for successfully implementing the eight Gatsby Benchmarks.
Gatsby Benchmark toolkit – colleges
Identify what ‘good’ looks like across all eight Gatsby Benchmarks, see useful case studies, and follow practical suggestions for putting the benchmarks into practice.
Gatsby Benchmark toolkit – SEND
If you are working to deliver the Gatsby Benchmarks for young people with SEND – in any setting – you will find lots of practical help in this toolkit.
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Careers Leader training
Transform your careers programme and develop your skills as a Careers Leader to strategically embed careers in the curriculum.
Careers Advice Toolkit: Apprenticeships and Technical Education
Our digital Careers Advice Toolkit is a one stop shop, providing young people with engaging employability skills and careers information, including access to Cat, an AI careers chatbot.
Amazing Apprenticeships Resources
Amazing Apprenticeships is a leading organisation in the education sector, working with schools, colleges and employers, tackling misconceptions and promoting the benefits of apprenticeships and technical education.
They work closely with the Department for Education and a wide range of other partners and stakeholder organisations in England and internationally, to ensure that more individuals and businesses can access the benefits of apprenticeships.
Animated film explaining what apprenticeships are and their benefits, watch here!
FES Connect - Films
To celebrate careers excellence in colleges, we have made a series of films celebrating innovation and variety around the country.
World Down Syndrome Day Resource Hub
On the 21st March we create a single global voice advocating for the rights, inclusion and well being of people with Down syndrome. This year we want to End The Stereotypes.
Sign up to access our free resources to learn why this message matters and how you can help.
PeopleHawk Careers Platform
PeopleHawk is a powerful online careers platform which harnesses a comprehensive suite of AI-backed tools to empower students on an EPIC Career Journey.
Reimagining - Experiences of the Workplace
Developed by Shoreham Academy.
A set of resources designed to support both educators and employers to reimagine students’ experiences of the workplace. Containing practical guides and templates which can provide inspiration for a range of meaningful project-based activities.
You can also find a link below to our ‘Future Workplace’ webinar which highlighted these resources as part of a wider session looking at the implications (for educators and employers) of the post pandemic workplace.
British Beauty Council: Future Talent Programme
The British Beauty Council is dedicated to ensuring clear and diverse beauty career pathways are promoted to young people. Through this work it aims to maintain a continuous flow of new talent into the sector which will maintain the UK beauty industry’s global reputation at the cutting edge of innovation.
Apprenticeship Guide
“Effective Approaches to Careers Guidance for Apprentices” sets out to show how the Gatsby Benchmarks can be an excellent framework for colleges and training providers to create modern, 21st century careers education for apprentices.
10X Challenge from Young Enterprise
The 10X Challenge, from Young Enterprise, is a free national enterprise programme providing young people, aged 11-19, with first-hand experience of starting their own business with a £10 pledge in four weeks, entering exciting competitions along the way! This year’s challenge will take place from the 3rd to 28th March 2025.
Parental Engagement: Whole-staff CPD session
A two-part session to train all staff in parental engagement in careers and to get staff to work with parents directly to find out what they need.
This editable training presentation can be delivered during an INSET or other CPD session to upskill all staff.
BBC Bitesize – Careers
This well-known resource can be used to help contextualise the world of work alongside curriculum study – and support young people in making informed decisions.
Check out what is on offer for National Careers Week 2025!
