Institute of Career Guidance backs calls to set up standards for careers professionals' training

The results of the taskforce's year-long review, Towards a Strong Careers Profession, include 14 recommendations about establishing professional principles in the sector and improving the quality of careers education, information, advice and guidance for young people in schools and colleges.

As one of the taskforce members, ICG president Dr Deirdre Hughes described the conclusions as "ambitious and exciting".

"Individuals' aspirations and achievements must be nurtured and supported so that they can maximise their talents and lead fulfilling lives," she said. "The Careers Profession Task Force has recognised this and the growing need for individuals to have access to reliable and impartial careers information, advice and guidance."

The taskforce welcomed the establishment of the Careers Profession Alliance, an overarching group for membership bodies, in the report and recommended the government actively support and encourage the existence of a representative body for career professionals.

The report also called for a requirement that careers professionals achieve a minimum Level 6 Qualifications and Credit Framework qualification before starting to practise, and recommended that this minimum be raised to Level 7 within five years.

"The key findings provide an ambitious and exciting blueprint for the careers profession to build on best practice and to improve the stature and profile of its work," said Hughes. "Clearly, having a strengthened careers profession will improve social mobility and achieve greater prosperity for future generations."

Careers England chairman, Allister McGowan said the report paves the way for an all-age careers service, a proposal backed by both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats before the general election. 

The Careers Profession Task Force was set up under the Labour government and is chaired by Dame Ruth Silver, chair of the Learning and Skills Improvement Service.