DWP - Northamptonshire Careers Support for Schools

State-funded schools have a statutory duty to provide independent, high-quality, and impartial careers advice to students aged 12 to 18 years. The DWP's Schools' Advisers can help schools deliver this.

The DWP's Schools' Advisers help support young people who have been identified as being at risk of becoming not in employment, education or training (NEET). They also help support young people who might be disadvantaged in the labour market (for example, those with a health/disability issue or from a BAME background).

The Schools' Advisers work in partnership with the Careers and Enterprise Company and other stakeholders to ensure the JobCentre Plus builds on the support already available to schools. Their support is demand-led and will therefore vary from school to school. However, it is likely to include:

• Providing teachers and students (and where appropriate, parents) with up-to-date information on the range of available apprenticeships - describing the advantages of these opportunities and advising on routes into them.
• Helping schools source work-experience placements, using the JobCentre's extensive network of employers.
• Liaising closely with employer and provider engagement staff. Drawing on their expertise to maximise the links that can be made between schools, employers, and relevant external providers (such as the National Careers Service).
• Providing advice and understanding of the local labour market. Delivering messages on what to expect when entering the workplace, providing realistic information about specific sectors, and giving positive messages about the benefits of working.
• Providing information on the 'soft skills' employers expect when recruiting staff (such as team-working, punctuality, etc.).
• Delivering employability skills (e.g. workshops on interview techniques, application methods, etc.) to groups and individuals most at risk of becoming NEET.
• Providing careers advice to pupils who are likely to become NEET by helping them make informed choices about the full range of options available. These might include apprenticeships.
• Supporting pupils with health/disability issues to identify options for progression from school into the world of work.
• Supporting schools when they hold careers fairs by helping them source employers who might wish to attend.