Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve careers advice on options for vocational learning.

The Department has put in place measures to help young people make informed choices about their next step in education or training.

All secondary school pupils have opportunities to access information and advice on technical options, including apprenticeships, T Levels and higher technical qualifications. Schools are required by law to provide at least six opportunities for providers of technical education and apprenticeships to speak to all pupils during school years 8 to 13. This legislation came into force on 1 January 2023 and the Department published updated statutory guidance on careers and provider access, which set out what schools need to do to comply.

Through the apprenticeship, support and knowledge (ASK) programme, which is supported by £3.2 million of funding in the 2023/24 financial year, the Department is continuing to provide information, advice and guidance on apprenticeships, T Levels and other technical education routes. ASK has engaged with over 600,000 young people, over 2,200 schools and nearly 80 further education colleges in the 2022/23 academic year.

The Government’s ‘Get the Jump: Skills for Life’ online campaign brings together the different education and training pathways open to young people post 16 and post 18. It helps to raise awareness of technical education options, supports informed choice and signposts users to a new page on the National Careers Service website that brings all the options together for the first time.