In this blog, Beth Jones, Head of programmes (careers) at the Gatsby Foundation, explains how using alumni can contribute to many of the Gatsby Benchmarks.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years since the publication of The Good Career Guidance report which used international evidence to surface the framework of eight Gatsby Benchmarks. Together, these Benchmarks describe the key elements of a world class careers programme for secondary schools and colleges. And look how far we’ve come since 2014. Following a successful pilot in the North-East of England, the Benchmarks were adopted into national policy in 2018. This marked a turning point in career guidance for young people, with the Benchmarks providing a much-needed blueprint for schools and colleges to work towards. A recent survey found that:
- 94% of people surveyed see them as a valuable framework for career guidance.
- The value placed on each of the eight Benchmarks individually ranges from 96% to 99%.
- The vast majority (88%) of secondary school and college leaders say that the benchmarks have had a positive impact on their students
Using alumni can contribute to many Benchmarks, but particularly Benchmark 3: Addressing the needs of each pupil. This Benchmark highlights the importance of keeping in touch with past students, partly to evaluate activity by seeing if students’ have followed their intended path, but also to encourage alumni to lend their support to current students. This could be, for example, through talking about where they are studying (Benchmark 7) or their career journey and place of work (Benchmarks 5 and 6). Hearing from relatable role models can be a powerful tool in a careers programme – and there may be none more relatable for a young person than those who went to the same school or college as them, perhaps only a few years before.
Over the last few years, I’ve had the privilege of leading Gatsby’s work on career guidance, and my team are now looking forward to the next 10 years of career guidance. In 2023, we launched a significant programme of research and stakeholder consultation, exploring how the Benchmarks could evolve to secure even more impact for young people in the future. This has included an extensive series of visits to a broad spectrum of schools, colleges, and training providers across the country.
In 2014, when the original report was published, alumni networks were often seen as the preserve of private schools. But we have seen big changes on our recent visits. For example, many Multi-Academy Trusts have built strong databases of their alumni which provide a strong network for their students to tap in to for insights about different study and work options. We’ve also seen alumni used creatively across careers programmes. For example, talks by alumni (in person or virtually) are woven into the curriculum to describe how school subjects relate to the world of work.
One school we visited described their alumni as ‘real models’. This perfectly captures the importance of relatability and breadth in the people students encounter through their career guidance activity. Connecting with past students with a range of backgrounds, who followed a range of educational pathways, and who are now in different jobs, showcases what is possible and how to navigate the challenges and opportunities students will face through their career.
Gatsby is now reflecting on all of our research evidence from the last year and continuing to discuss with practitioners how the Benchmarks could evolve. A key message from the work so far has been stability – schools, colleges, students and business have all told us that having a consistent, well-understood framework is working and driving impact with young people. Therefore, through shining a light on the practice we have seen, we will be continuing to champion the importance of involving alumni, and encouraging schools, colleges and training providers to think about breadth and creativity when looking for ways to engage past students in career guidance activities.
To find out more about Good Career Guidance: The Next Ten Years, visit www.gatsby.org.uk/education/programmes/good-career-guidance-the-next-ten-years
