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The overwhelming majority of employers think careers advice in schools is not up to scratch, according to CBI/Pearson’s Education and Skills Survey 2015.

More than three-quarters of businesses across the UK (77%) feel the quality of careers advice received is not good enough to help young people make informed decisions about future career options.

Only 7% of employers believe the advice is adequate – yet 60% would like to be more involved in providing careers guidance in schools and colleges.

Worryingly, a quarter of firms involved in the survey report that local schools, colleges or their pupils, do not appear to be interested in building relationships with businesses.

John Cridland, CBI Director-General, said:

“How can young people decide what type of work they want to do in the future - when the careers advice they receive is simply not up to scratch?

“If pupils are better informed and inspired – both about different jobs and the different study and training routes they can follow - the better prepared they will be for life outside the school gates.

“But worryingly, our survey shows that nearly four in five businesses do not think their future employees are getting the right advice.

“Improving education is everyone’s business so we all must do more to help young people prepare for working life. There is a clear role for businesses alongside schools and careers professionals in creating a careers guidance system that supports all young people.

“Many employers are already playing their part but there is still more to do, and businesses are ready to step up to the mark. After all, who better to mentor, motivate and inspire students about the world of work than business?”

Didcot Girls’ School in Didcot, Oxfordshire, is a prime example of where stronger links with business is boosting careers opportunities for students.

Rachael Warwick, Didcot Girls’ School Headteacher, said:

“By working in partnership with business, science and industry, our students are motivated from a young age to pursue aspirational and ambitious careers.

“Having direct contact with employers, especially inspirational female role models, helps them to understand the opportunities that are out there and what’s required to be able to develop a successful career.

“We actively encourage more girls to take up STEM subjects as part of the national drive for more females in science, technology, engineering and maths-based careers.”

The survey found:

• 77% of businesses across the UK feel the quality of careers advice young people receive is not good enough to help them make informed decisions about future career options
• Only 7% consider the quality of current careers advice to be adequate
• 60% of businesses are willing to play a greater role in the delivery of careers advice in schools and colleges, strengthening existing initiatives
• Three quarters of employers (74%) with links to schools and colleges offer placements for students
• Seven in 10 businesses (71%) provide careers advice and talks
• Over a quarter of employers (28%) say there is insufficient guidance and support on how to make work experience placements worthwhile
• 73% of business have a least some links with schools or colleges. While connections are most widespread between businesses and secondary schools (55%) – and FE colleges (53%) - links at primary school level are less common (24%).

Notes to Editors:

The CBI/Pearson education and skills survey 2015 received responses from more than 300 organisations, collectively employing more than 1.2 million people across the UK.

Participants ranged in size from firms with fewer than 50 employees – to those with more than 5,000. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) accounted for more than a third of respondents (36%).

Across the UK, the CBI speaks on behalf of 190,000 businesses of all sizes and sectors which together employ nearly 7 million people, about one third of the private sector-employed workforce. With offices in the UK as well as representation in Brussels, Washington, Beijing and Delhi, the CBI communicates the British business voice around the world.

Pearson is the world's leading learning company, with 40,000 employees in more than 80 countries working to help people of all ages to make measurable progress in their lives through learning.

Didcot Girls’ School (DGS) is a high performing girls’ comprehensive school of 1,200 students with a mixed sixth form shared with St Birinus Boys’ School, in Didcot, Oxfordshire.

DGS has an in-school engineering club run by The Smallpeice Trust as well as STEM days for Year 9 and 10. Scientists from Harwell Science Park regularly visit the school to work with students under the leadership of STEM expert Dr Nickerson. Work experience placements are also arranged at Harwell.

Careers education begins at age 12 at DGS and, in partnership with parents,  is then weaved into the choices students make when choosing GCSEs, A levels and university/apprenticeship destinations.

75% of students in the sixth form progress to university, with 25% going into apprenticeships, training or taking gap years. Of this 75%, 80% of students routinely access their first choice university and 40% of places are secured at Russell Group universities.