Scaleup programmes
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Careers & Enterprise Company [Annual Review 2021]
Talent and Skills
Impact for scaleups
4,221
Number of schools and colleges participating
4,000+
Enterprise advisors
70%
Increase in proportion of schools and colleges running regular encounters with employers
300+
Cornerstone employers driving careers support in their areas
Key sectors
Set up by government in 2015, The Careers & Enterprise Company’s mission is to help every young person to find their best next step from education and into the wider world. It does this by linking schools and colleges to employers via its network of more than 4,000 volunteer Enterprise Advisers who come from the business world and supporting Careers Leaders in schools with training and resources. 4,221 schools and colleges have joined CEC’s network and adopted the Gatsby Benchmarks of good careers guidance.
The Careers & Enterprise Company has seen progress accelerated in the expanded Career Hubs which now cover 2,234 schools and colleges. The Hubs are built on dynamic partnerships of schools, colleges, LEPs, local authorities working with local employers – providing young people with the opportunity to connect closely to local skills and economic need. Schools and colleges in the first wave of Careers Hubs have improved the performance of their careers provision by 92 per cent in two years.
During lockdown periods and recovery the Careers & Enterprise Company has focused on providing continuity of support to schools and colleges including help with transition and those students facing the biggest barriers. Its programmes of support include:
- The ‘Work It’ series of video career talks by young people for young people aimed at Year 11 and 13, with a focus on diversity of backgrounds and progression routes – including apprenticeships and degree apprenticeship – across several sectors of the economy.
- ‘My Choices’, a campaign to produce online one-stop-shop information and resources to teaching support staff, students and their parents/guardians with next steps and labour market information.
- A national “My Week of Work” initiative developed in partnership between the Careers & Enterprise Company, Oak National Academy and Learn Live, offering a week of online lessons to replace traditional work experience.
- ‘Careers in Context: Can-Do Guides’, developed in partnership with schools, colleges and employers, to drive understanding of how careers guidance can be delivered in an online environment.
