Careers guidance should be available from Year 8 onwards, says a report published by the National Careers Council (NCC).
And that, we think, is an excellent idea - after all, how many people really know exactly what they want to do for a living at the tender age of twelve?
And if they're absolutely, totally positive about their career choice, how much help is really, honestly and truly available for them to get onto the first rung of their chosen career ladder?
The report - "An Aspirational Nation: Creating a Culture Change in Careers Provision" published today - also makes other suggestions, including an employer-led advisory board for the National Careers Service (NCS), which makes a great deal of sense. Who better to judge what kind of training young people require than those who'll be employing them later one?
And while we're on the subject of the NCS, the report also recommends the service extends its online services.
And that makes perfect sense, too, because what other alternative do many young people have to their local career advice centre that's been closed down due to lack of funding ... or their already overworked teachers?
These are the people who are giving their time and energy on an unpaid basis to help those young people onto a career path ... but who – in many cases - lack the necessary skills to make sure what they're saying is actually the right advice.
One more recommendation is for employers to "volunteer" staff members to take some time out and give presentations at schools and colleges. And that, we think, would benefit both sides of the equation: pupils would have a first-hand account of life in the working world ... and those people "volunteered" to go talk to them would get some valuable experience in the art and/or science of public speaking. And that’s good experience to have.
Yes, indeed - a cultural change when it comes to careers guidance is sorely needed. In fact, the report itself says just that: “A culture change is needed in careers provision for young people and adults in order to address the mismatch of skills shortages and high unemployment”.
And one more recommendation in the report involves a new scheme to promote what it calls "character and resilience in a successful working life". This, we'd like to know more about, because people do get knocked down in real life, metaphorically speaking. But then again, in the words of nineties band Chumbawamba: "I get knocked down ... but I get up again" - and that's a good ability to have. So we'd like to hear more about that particular scheme, please.
And we’ll also be watching out for reactions to this report.
