Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to promote awareness of vocational career routes in schools.

The department is determined to take action so that all young people can learn about the high-quality opportunities that technical education and apprenticeships can offer. Through the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, we aim to strengthen the Baker Clause so all pupils will have the opportunity to have encounters with providers of approved technical education and apprenticeships.

We expect to see schools setting up career events, assemblies and options evenings so that providers can talk to pupils about what they offer and what it is like to learn in a different environment. The school must prepare and publish a policy statement setting out the circumstances in which education and training providers will be given access to pupils and ensure that this is followed. The policy statement must include:

• Any procedural requirement in relation to requests for access
• Grounds for granting and refusing requests for access
• Details of premises or facilities provided to a person who is given access

As well as steps taken to ensure compliance with the Baker Clause, we are making sure that all government careers information is available in one place to enable people to make informed decisions on the education, training and employment options that are right for them. This will include information on routes into apprenticeships, including higher and degree apprenticeships, and T Levels via an improved course directory accessible via the National Careers Service website.