I suppose it still remains an opportunity for planning for the coming school/university year; and of course debate each year following the publication of A-level and GCSE results. A full analysis with respect to STEM is still awaited but it seems to me that there is still quite a bit of turmoil surrounding grades and university places.
One item that caught the eye was a survey published before results day indicating that a third of students rated their careers advice as weak with a quarter saying they didn’t have enough information to make informed choice. Not surprisingly we come across this issue quite a lot; it is perhaps still too early to say whether the current position provides an opportunity for better provision or whether the lack of a consistent approach is creating more of a gap.
I do know that our programmes are structured to provide increased awareness about careers and many students coming through our schemes feedback that their experiences have helped them determine or confirm their study choice or career path. I would certainly like to see this recognised and included more often as an element in the overall provision of careers advice; there is little that can beat a real hands-on experience.
In reaction to the above we have added 'Routes into STEM' to our portfolio. Targeted at 14 year olds it provides experiences at college, university and a company locations, to assist with the choices between apprenticeships and degrees. Two pilot programmes in Bristol and Birmingham proved very successful and we hope to extend these around the country.
We now look forward to the new academic year and an exciting programme ahead.
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