Morning, Thursday, 19th March 2026
Online
This conference will focus on next steps for careers guidance in England.
It follows the Department for Education’s latest updated statutory guidance, with expectations for all secondary schools, colleges and independent providers to have implemented the revised Gatsby Benchmarks from September 2025. Delegates will discuss implementation progress, issues and next steps, with the renewed emphasis on embedding careers education across the curriculum, strengthening senior oversight within education settings, and the requirement for institutions to be able to demonstrate the impact on learners' progression.
It also takes place following the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report and recommendations published in November 2025, with their focus on how pupils are supported to understand progression routes and make informed choices - alongside implementation of Ofsted’s new inspection framework, which places greater weight on leadership oversight and how well schools prepare pupils for next stages of education, training and employment.
Practicalities, governance & priorities for staff
The conference will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to consider immediate priorities and practical implications for schools and colleges, including requirements for evidencing impact, implementing clearer lines of accountability, and how to tackle additional workload associated with reporting. This includes what will be needed for readying school governance structures, careers staff and subject teachers to embed adequate careers education across the curriculum, as well as demonstrating progress through Compass and Compass+ which support schools and colleges to report, benchmark and track strategic careers advice.
Delegates will discuss strategies for improving access to targeted CPD for subject staff, clarifying on reporting expectations, and assessing resource implications where schools or career hubs have limited capacity.
Work placements, employer engagement & provision for pupils facing disadvantage
The agenda examines key issues for meeting the Government’s pledge to guarantee work experience for young people and strengthen employer encounters. We expect discussion to reflect employer calls for clearer practical support, including in the organisation and coordination of placements, avoiding duplication of safeguarding checks, and frameworks for local coordination to reduce the cost and administrative burden of participation.
With the expectation of a two-week work placement by the age of 16, sessions will consider operational requirements, how career hubs and local partnerships can assist in consistent provision across regions, and the role of brokerage and incentive mechanisms to engage SMEs.
Delegates will consider targeted approaches for tackling issues facing pupils with disadvantage or additional needs, including availability of appropriate placements. Support for employer awareness and reasonable-adjustment training will be discussed, as well as transport and access funding for disadvantaged pupils, and standardised safeguarding checks for placement hosts, alongside strategies for areas where local employer capacity is uneven. Options for utilising digital tools to widen access to careers guidance will also be discussed.
Progression pathways, skills & Youth Guarantee implementation
Plans set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper will be examined, looking at transitioning to the new Jobs and Careers Service moving forward. Sessions focus on coordination between schools, colleges and the new service.
The role of combined authorities in engagement with employers and improving regional coordination will be considered, looking at new measures proposed in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. We also expect a focus on developing targeted investment in underserved areas, and strategies for monitoring outcomes of placements, as well as options for tailored employment services and qualifications in line with regional labour market requirements.
Priorities for ensuring that guidance and work placements prepare learners for post-16 qualification options and progression pathways will be discussed. This includes frameworks for effectively involving employers in curriculum design to better align learning with providing skills needed in the workplace, and best practice in utilising labour market intelligence to inform placement content.
Careers guidance support for successful delivery of the Youth Guarantee will be explored, including early identification of those at risk of becoming NEET, coordination with local employment services to reduce NEET risk and support re-engagement.
Careers workforce
Further sessions look at priorities for expanding training pipelines to help build dedicated careers capacity, including integration of careers guidance into initial teacher training and CPD for subject teachers. Further discussion will assess longer-term investment needs and strategies for retention of careers professionals, alongside how employer input can help embed business insights into training.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department for Education; Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; Department of Education, NI; Department for the Economy, NI; Department of Education and Youth, ROI; and Skills England.
