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UK/January 06, 2023/By: Sally Weale/Source: https://www.theguardian.com/

Scheme for primary school pupils will teach primary pupils about jobs, training and skills

Primary school pupils as young as five and six are to be the target of a new careers programme in England encouraging them to think about future jobs early, the government has announced.

Children in years 1, 2 and 3, between the ages of five and eight, will be given age-appropriate lessons designed to introduce them to different careers, training and skills, and inspire them about the world of work.

The £2.6m initiative will be introduced across 55 education investment areas, or “cold spots”, where school outcomes are the weakest, targeting 600,000 pupils in more than 2,200 primary schools.

Pupils will get the chance to meet employers and “role models” from a range of industries, to try to raise aspirations and link learning to future jobs and careers they may pursue.

They will be introduced to careers in the green economy, technology, engineering, construction, Stem, creative industries, aerospace, hospitality and healthcare.

The Department for Education (DfE) said evidence had shown that children started to form ideas about their future when they began primary school, yet most careers guidance took place in secondary schools.

In addition to the primary careers programme, the DfE also gave details of a new requirement for secondary school pupils to be given greater exposure to providers of technical education, so they know about alternatives to a traditional academic route.

Under legislation that came into force at the start of the year, schools will be required to give all pupils in years 8 to 13 at least six opportunities to meet a range of providers of technical education, including apprenticeships, T-levels and higher technical qualifications.

Robert Halfon, the minister for skills, apprenticeships and higher education, said good careers advice was vital to open up opportunities for young people from all backgrounds and create the future workforce the UK needed.

“The changes we are making to boost our careers programme will raise ambitions from an early age for thousands of children in primary schools across the country, while providing opportunities to unlock talent, think about skills, engage with employers and discover different workplaces.”