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.
Benchmark 1: Suggested universal career-related learning outcomes
This resource suggests a set of learning outcomes that could underpin your universal careers provision.
Understanding how to create a strategic careers plan
This resource helps Careers Leaders create a strategic careers plan that ensures the careers provision:
- Has explicit backing of governors, the headteacher and the senior management teams
- Is linked to the whole school, special school or college development plan
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Inspire students with career volunteers that are ‘Making the Most of Transitions’
We know that transition is a moment for students to build and take ownership of those key life skills of resilience, confidence, independent learning, positivity and managing change. Bring a careers lens to these important skills that are not just important for transition and for life, but are essential skills for the world of work.
Activity linked to TV SEND
Developed by the Inspiring Worcestershire Careers Hub team this resource has been specifically designed to be used as a discussion activity with SEND students around a TV programme linked to the world of work.
MSMF Employer projects: BAM NUTTAL renewable energy
Developed by Bam Nuttal this is an employer project which features in the My Skills My Future programme and is around renewable energy. Targeted at Career SEND Group 2, this activity is suitable for those typically likely to take GCSE or Level 2 equivalent qualifications.
MSMF Employer projects: Catcote Academy
This page contains resources for the Employer project section of the My Skills My Future programme designed by the team at Catcote Academy a Special School in Tees Valley.
MSMF Employer projects: GM Monk Electricians
Developed by the team at GM Monk Electricians, this easy to use project is designed to support understanding of a task performed by an Electrician and is part of the My Skills My Future programme.
MSMF Employer projects: Hugglepets
This resource from Hugglepets contains a number of activities that enable a young person to look into more detail at animal care. They are featured in the My Skills My Future programme.
MSMF Employer projects: Marriott International
This project is part of the My Skills My Future programme and looks at Marriott International as a Company to raise awareness.
MSMF Employer projects: The Depot, Lewes Cinema
Developed as part of the My Skills My Future programme this is a simple task to support young people with SEND to understand elements of the business in the retail sector.
MSMF Employer Videos: SONY
This resource contains links to a series of videos to support understanding around SONY as an employer as part of the My Skills My Future programme.
MSMF Employer videos: Ubisoft
This resource links to a series of videos to raise understanding of Ubisoft as a company as part of the My Skills My Future programme.
MSMF: Video selection from Scope
This resource contains links to a number of videos developed by Scope, the disability and equality charity. These are featured in the My Skills My Future programme.
All About Me
Developed by Green Corridor College this resource is part of the My Skills My Future (MSMF) programme.
Keyword(s): all
Amazon Future Engineer UK - Virtual School Trips
Kahoot! Robotics Fulfilment Centre Career Tour
From our online store to your doorstep, discover how computer science, state-of-the-art engineering, and incredible people deliver customer orders at Amazon.
Ambitious about Autism Toolkits
This resource contains a collection of toolkits to help more autistic young people access sustainable and meaningful employment opportunities.
An Employers Guide to Supported Employment
Developed by the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI). This resource is focused on employing people with a mental health condition, a learning disability and/or autistic people.
Annual review checklist
As a Careers Leader, you can use this checklist as an annual review of provision to support your planning for the following year.
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.
Aquatic Science Careers: Lesson Activities & Videos
Using this resource, you can dive into the thrilling world of aquatic science! Discover what it's like to work in this dynamic field and hear inspiring career journeys from our passionate colleagues at Cefas.
Arrange and prepare for an independent training provider visit
This is a template resource that can be adapted locally to help Careers Hub support their institutions to prepare for an ITP encounter.
Aspire: Information and advice to help post-16 students understand their university, further education and career options
Launched by the social mobility charity upReach, Aspire was created to encourage state school students all over the UK to aim high and broaden their career horizons. Aimed at Year 12 and 13 students, these resources provide detailed information about a wide range of career options that students from lower socio-economic backgrounds may have limited exposure to through existing networks.
Auditing and planning tools for SEND career provision in mainstream
Developed by Black Country Careers Hub. Here are three resources to support a mainstream setting to audit their careers offer for SEND pupils. Create a SWOT analysis based on the audit, then plan pupil centred interventions to meet the needs of individual pupils.
AutonoMe Supported Employment and Independent Living
AutonoMe uses the power of personalised human support combined with technology to enable neurodiverse people and those with learning disabilities to gain employment and develop skills for independent living.
This is a costed resource with possible funding streams identified.
Barclays LifeSkills
Access free online interactive resources, schemes of learning, ready-made lessons and work experience opportunities – and build them into your progressive careers programme.
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!