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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Podcast: Creative Industry
Join Emily Maguire as she hosts lively conversations with entertainment professionals from all corners of the creative industry. In each episode, Emily explores her guests’ career journeys and passions for their roles.
Example Strategic Careers Plan: The Link School (AP)
Example strategic careers plan from The Link School, Sunderland (AP).
This strategy covers 2021-2024.
The strategy outlines the school’s vision for careers and the main aims of careers provision at the school.
Detail includes: vision, SWOT analysis strategic objectives and key actions. The School’s Provider Access policy is also included.
Example Provider Access Policy Statement
Personalise your own Provider Access Policy Statement with this helpful template designed by the Arete Learning Trust.
Transition Guide from Primary to Secondary: enhancing careers education and supporting parental engagement
This resource is designed to support Careers Leaders and other staff involved in the transition process from Key Stage 2 into Key Stage 3, exploring opportunities to embed careers activities and parental engagement across the full range of transition opportunities.
It takes you through the three phases:
- Decision making (Y4,5,6) while children and parents /carers are still considering their options
- Decision made (Y6) once the children have been allocated their secondary school
- Started (Y7) once the children have started their secondary school.
Example Careers Calendar of events 2024/25
This is an editable overview for an academic year of events and specific weeks across the country to support in planning events and the development of a careers education programme.
Ofsted - Education Inspection Framework Guide
This guide is for school leaders and careers leaders to support preparation for the Education Inspection Framework (2019). The guide also provides Enterprise Advisers and Governors with key questions to support strategic careers planning.
Support for students on Results Days
We have collated key advice, resource and support to help you to prepare, deliver and reflect on Results Days.
Benchmark 4 Careers in the Curriculum Guide
Careers In Curriculum- resources by subject to help teachers deliver careers in curriculum within their lessons.
British Army Supporting Education – FREE Lesson Resources
The British Army supports education through various initiatives, including further education opportunities for students. This includes outreach activities that give an insight into military careers, STEM/PSHE education, and sponsoring cadet forces in schools.
BCS - Tech Careers Quiz
Developed by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
Looking to spark excitement about tech careers? Look no further than the BCS careers quiz! It's a fun and interactive way to explore potential career pathways in the tech industry.
Career-related learning in primary. What works?
This research compiles evidence on the career-related learning of primary aged children’s decisions, aspirations and attitudes.
Collecting Intended Destinations
Find out why collecting destination data is so important, and learn about some effective methods Careers Leaders use to capture this information.
