During National Careers Week, Chesterfield MP and Shadow Skills Minister Toby Perkins has highlighted Labour’s offer on careers guidance and challenged the government to match Labour’s pledges.

At Labour Party Conference last year, Keir Starmer set out that the next Labour government will introduce a package of measures to ensure that no young person leaves compulsory education without the qualifications they need for the modern economy including:

• A promise that every child will have access to quality careers advice in their school by giving schools access to a professional careers advisor one day a week.
• Every pupil will have two weeks’ worth of compulsory work experience, to connect young people with local employers and build the skills needed for work.
• There will be £250 million provided to local authorities to re-engage the 65,000 16-17 year olds who are not known to be in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs).

Toby proposed these measures during the Report Stage of the Skills Bill however they were voted down by the Conservatives.

Toby said:

“Careers guidance is invaluable in ensuring that young people are aware of the opportunities that are open to them, that they can make informed choices and that they have the support to plan their route to their chosen career.

Labour are pleased to pledge their commitment to careers guidance during National Careers Week to ensure that every child leaves school ‘job ready’.

We are committed to ensure that every child receives face-to-face careers guidance, coupled with two weeks compulsory work experience”.