Primary school pupils will benefit from a new careers programme to encourage them to think about future jobs early, while nurturing aspirations and challenging stereotypes.
Young people will also benefit from strengthened careers advice through a change in the law, which will result in all year 8-13 pupils having at least six opportunities to meet a range of providers of technical education.
The £2.6 million scheme will be rolled out across 55 disadvantaged areas of the country where school outcomes are the weakest and have been for some time, supporting more than 600,000 pupils in around 2,200 primary schools.
Pupils will get to understand the full range of opportunities available to them, including apprenticeships, T Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications, as well as the traditional academic route.
Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chairman of the LGA’s People and Places Board, said the labour market has changed significantly in recent years and continues to adapt, so people need joined-up local support – including training and careers advice – to go into long-term, sustainable employment.
“It is councils who are ideally placed to help achieve this,” he said.
“This will require a radical overhaul of our careers advice, which gives councils the funding and powers to use their local leadership and expert knowledge of their areas to coordinate the right support that can best introduce children and young people to the jobs of the future.”