The DfE have updated the statuary guidance for careers provision in 2026, on work experience, digital support and Ofsted assessments.
- Beginning in September 2026, students must receive one week work experience in Years 7-9 and one week work experience in Years 10-11
- The work experience itself must have meaning for the student, including a clear purpose, two-way interaction with employers, along with preparation and reflection time, to allow the student to get as much out of the work experience as possible. It should focus on local skills needs and the interests of the student
- The Gatsby benchmarks are reinforced as highly important for careers provision, with Ofsted assessing schools on their progress
- Improved Compass+ and OnTrack+ can help identify learner support needs from Year
The Education and Employers Charity connect schools with professionals to help with social mobility and progress, tackle the “missing million” NEET and contest stereotypes within careers. They have done this through:
- Working with Speakers for Schools to complement what the other offers, such as working for better careers pathways
- The charity released a study in summer 2026 stating that young people who immerse themselves in the world of work are 80% less likely to become NEET
- A program in Hammersmith and Fulham connected local pupils to a wide variety of workplace volunteers, inspiring the future of the students, offering more opportunities and working to eliminate career stereotypes
- In 2024, the #WhenIGrowUpCampaign took place, which challenges gender and ethnicity stereotypes in careers, and encourages primary school students to learn about a wide variety of job options
- Education of and involvement with primary school students, such as a Westminister-funded-5-year-program. This projects allows them to meet inspiring career role models such as those who work in the Civil Service, and other events such as whole school assemblies.
- The charity partnered with the OECD and released research on the huge mismatch between the traditional job aspirations of teenagers and the existing job market
- The charity has supported sister organizations across the globe and has been launching versions of their volunteering models in different countries through international programs
In early 2026, the number of young people aged 16 to 24 in the UK who were NEET surpassed one million, for the first time since 2013. Reaching 1,012,000 between January and March, this equates to 13.5% of all young people in this age bracket. This has increased by 172,100 from 839,900 in this category from October to December 2025. 61% of NEET young people are economically inactive and 6 in 10 young people who are NEET today have never had a job, which has increased from 4 in 10 from 2025.
We are delighted that we are now transferring the work that we have undertaken in secondary schools and are establishing ourselves within the primary school sector with a roll out of our successful ‘Let’s Talk Careers’ events.
The transition to secondary school is key and we know from our work in this sector that many ideas and perceptions of careers and pathways are cemented very early on in education. It is therefore important we have some input during the primary stage of the student journey. Our ‘Let’s Talk Career’ events have had a fantastic reception in our primary schools. We have delivered them in a fun and interactive way. The aim is not to narrow down students’ choices at this stage but to promote discussion, as the evidence is clear that students are formulating their views from a very early age of what careers are suitable to them.
