Launch of National Careers Service reignites fears over youth support

The service, which launched today (5 April), aims to provide phone and online advice to 370,000 young people and face-to-face advice to 700,000 adults.

From September, schools and colleges will take on a new duty to secure independent careers guidance for pupils, but they will not be required to provide face-to-face advice.

Jon Richards, Unison’s head of education, said the new careers advice arrangements for young people are a “flimsy” replacement for Connexions services, which have been “decimated” by public sector cuts.

He said: “The government’s new National Careers Service has a mountain to climb if it is to deliver decent careers services for young people.

“To make it worse the decimation of the Connexions service means that current careers advice for young people is a shambles in many areas. Just when our young people need it most, hundreds of thousands across England will have either very limited, or even no access to face-to-face careers guidance.”

Further education minister John Hayes said the service has “the very best interactive tools on its website and the highest-quality advisers”.

Meanwhile, career advisers’ professional body The Institute of Career Guidance (ICG) welcomed the launch of the national service.

Steve Higginbotham, immediate past-president of the ICG, said: “We look forward to the National Careers Service setting the benchmark for high quality careers services.”