Every pupil, and their parents, should have access to good-quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.
Sharing labour market information with students at East Durham College
Finding reliable information about the local and national labour market is vital to inform good-quality information about jobs and career paths. Access to up-to-date career and labour market information (LMI) is also important for social mobility. If pupils and their parents know what pay you get for different jobs and where and how numerous the vacancies are, they are in a better position to make informed choices about future study and training.
Interpreting labour market information can be overwhelming, so one top tip is to ask students for areas of interest and concentrate on these industries. At Northumberland Church of England Academy trips were organised to local industries that the students picked. In this case the automotive industry was of interest. The school presented LMI in a way that was engaging for students, giving them the opportunity to find out about the state of the industry today and in the future. This left students more equipped to understand the potential challenges within the industry, ask more relevant questions of employers and come to an informed decision about their future career choices.
Students at The King Edward VI School accessing labour market information
At Bishop Auckland College, the careers team ensured all students engaged with LMI by organising large scale education lessons for up to 50 students at a time. They researched high-growth industries in the North East and disseminated information to the students on different vacancies, specific roles and what different sectors might look like in the future. For example, the energy sector is going to be a key source of jobs in the future – something many students had not considered before the LMI was presented to them.
LMI should also be integrated into normal curriculum lessons. Park View School built a central database filled with people who could be brought in by staff to provide LMI for the curriculum. The database contained details of school alumni, parents and carers, contacts made through Future First and Inspiring the Future, and individuals from industry who had worked with the school in the past. The database gives them easy access to lesson resources from real people who are currently in that industry.
Ryan Gibson, National Facilitator for the Career Benchmarks Pilot at the North East LEP
"Organisations such as the Local Authority, Chambers of Commerce and Local Enterprise Partnerships can be particularly useful as they are skilled at accessing and interpreting local LMI. They can help you identify industries that are growing or sectors that have good prospects that your students may not have considered."
Louise Gulliver and Charlotte Reynolds, Careers Leaders at Park View School
“Use the destination data of alumni combined with LMI to better understand whether the curriculum is producing positive destinations for your students.”
Leanne Johnston Career Leader and Assistant Headteacher at The King Edward VI School in Northumberland
"You can track whether your students are going to college or university, securing apprenticeship or progressing into employment. You can also analyse whether students are progressing into growing or declining industries and whether they felt prepared for the world of work."
Use the destination data of alumni combined with LMI to better understand whether the curriculum is producing positive destinations for your students
Careers lEADER FROM PARK VIEW school
