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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Parental Engagement: Parental Journey/roadmap
Help parents understand their child’s careers education journey, the key decision points and how and when you will be offering them support using these visual journey’s.
My Journey, My Future
This programme is focused on the different stages of transition experienced by young people on the journey from education to the world of work.
Amazing Apprenticeships - Find an apprenticeship Guide
This guide provides step-by-step support in how to set up an account on Find an apprenticeship, which is the government apprenticeship vacancy service advertising over 20,000 apprenticeship vacancies a year. Download this guide to support students or individuals to create an account and start searching and applying for apprenticeships.
Career Guides - Youth Employment UK
Youth Employment UK’s Career Guides are perfect for young people to get a taste of what different careers involve, how to get into various roles, and support them with exploring options that interest them!
Speakers for Schools: Virtual and onsite work experiences
We connect young people from state secondary schools and colleges with life-changing and career-enhancing work experience opportunities with leading employers at a regional and national level.
Journey/roadmap (Learner Journey)
Make sure everyone knows which way you’re heading: ensure all stakeholders understand your careers programme by using these templates to present it in a visual way.
BM6 How to meet Gatsby Benchmark 6 more meaningfully and deliver positive student outcomes
Watch this webinar and accompanying resource to support planning and delivery of meaningful experiences of the workplace.
University Applications and Clearing
Guide students to the perfect university course with free resources from Trotman, designed to accompany HEAP 2025 – the leading university course directory!
Help your students navigate clearing with confidence and ease with our collection of free resources!
Preparing for Assessment Centres
HR Consultant and award-winning Enterprise Adviser, Anna Smith, has developed a set of template slides for Careers Leaders and employers to use when delivering outreach to help young people prepare for assessment centres and psychometric tests as part of application processes.
Switched On: Screen Industry Careers
Into Film have partnered with the BFI to create Switched On: Careers in the Screen Industry, a brand-new free resource providing anyone who offers careers advice to young people the most up-to-date tools and knowledge about the creative screen industries.
Effective employer mentoring
This research is available to support anyone who is involved in mentoring to better understand good practice.
Education Landscape: A guide for Employers
Resources for employers to access a single source of truth which makes the education and skills landscape easier to navigate.
