Future First agrees that education is not focused enough on careers

Responding to today’s (26 Feb) report by Career Colleges Trust that teenagers are unsure where their education is heading:

Career Colleges Trust is right to say that too many state school and college students are struggling to make key decisions about their futures and not getting the exposure to industry and work experience that they need.

Students cannot be what they cannot see.

It is vital schools and colleges prepare young people to enter the working world, raising their aspirations and broadening their career horizons so they are aware of the range of opportunities available to them.

There is a lack of consistency in careers support which varies greatly from school to school, area to area. Future First believes in embedding systems and processes across the education sector to enable every young person to have access to relatable role models and exposure to diverse career options.

Engaging alumni communities works so well because they are sustainable and diverse, while at the same time providing that key message that ‘people like me’ can be successful.

Future First has worked in more than a thousand state schools and colleges across Britain enabling state schools to harness the talents of alumni to inspire and support current students as career and education role models, work experience providers, mentors and e-mentors, governors, donors and fundraisers and as volunteers more widely.

More than 240,000 former students are registered with Future First to stay connected with their former state school or college. They include leading employers, celebrities and everyday heroes in a range of careers from the professions of law and medicine to plumbing and photography.

Every day, Future First alumni are acting as relatable role models to students in their old seats, with stories that are inspirational but also achievable.

Alumni networks have been utilised by many private schools and universities for generations. Future First is the first organisation to embed alumni networks across the state sector.

Future First/YouGov research shows:

• 74% of young people report increased levels of knowledge in available educational pathways or careers after Future First has worked in their school or college
• 85% of young people feel ‘people like me’ can be successful after having met and meaningfully engaged with alumni role models.
• 82% of young people report increased levels of engagement in their school work after having met and meaningfully engaged with alumni role models.  

Matt Lent, Chief Executive Officer of Future First

About Future First: A leading national education charity with the vision that every state school and college should be supported by a thriving, engaged community of former students who help schools do more for current students.