Young Londoners should get at least 100 Hours of Careers Advice or Work Experience

Emma Finamore
Last updated 26 Jun 2015

And what Boris wants, Boris gets.

Every young person in London should have at least 100 hours of careers advice or work experience by the age of 16, says the city’s mayor, Boris Johnson.

Boris is launching a report emphasising the importance of giving young people information about getting a job when they leave school, calling for "impartial, independent and personalised careers education".

He said there needs to be an "easy to navigate" careers system.

The London Ambitions report sets out a blueprint for establishing a more substantial role for careers education, in both primary and secondary school. The plan calls for a fixed entitlement, after fears that career advice is an area too easily neglected.

Boris described it as a "pragmatic way to tackle some of the challenges that young people face when trying to make the right career choices".

The proposals would establish a right to at least 100 hours of careers information, including one-to-one advice, talks from employers, work-related guidance or time spent in work experience.

Schools should have a published careers policy, showing information such as links with local businesses, and schools should have a designated governor responsible for careers.

The report also calls for all secondary schools to have up-to-date, accessible information about the local jobs market - for pupils, parents and teachers - and says there should also be more cooperation between groups of schools to share ideas and expertise.

The report highlights that London's labour market is different from the rest of the country. The workforce in the capital is younger, apparently better educated and more international than anywhere else in the country.

The types of jobs available are increasingly likely to require high levels of qualifications or skills. The report says that by 2022, 60% of jobs in London will be at degree level.

The report argues that young people need to understand their local jobs market so that they can make informed choices.

Report author, Deirdre Hughes, said: "There is a clear moral, social and economic purpose to improving careers provision for all young Londoners.

"Support for young people has stalled and most are getting a raw deal. It is not enough to just to pay lip service to careers support for them.

"More young people must be given the chance to gain more experiences of the world of work and be inspired to see possibilities and goals that are worthwhile and relevant to them."

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