Sandbach High School’s decision to teach Year 10 pupils how to interview, write a CV and understand workplace rights makes a sensible point: careers education should start well before a young person is expected to find a job. But it cannot, by itself, solve the UK’s NEET problem.
The BBC reports that pupils at the Cheshire school receive dedicated careers lessons every fortnight alongside normal classes. They practise introductions, eye contact and interview answers, and will cover CV writing and rights at work. That is more useful than treating careers advice as a last-minute exercise at the school gate. For teenagers approaching part-time work, college choices or apprenticeships, rehearsing how to describe their skills can reduce an avoidable barrier.
The stakes are larger than one classroom. The BBC cites the latest estimate of nearly one million 16-to-24-year-olds across the UK who are not in education, employment or training, about one in eight people in that age group. In that context, schools should be expected to give pupils practical knowledge of recruitment and work, especially when family networks and informal work experience are unevenly available.
Sandbach’s leaders say no student has become NEET on leaving since the school overhauled its careers education. That account is encouraging, but the report provides no independent audit, cohort size or long-term comparison that could show the lessons caused that result or could be replicated nationally.
The strongest limitation is supplied by Matt Lent of Youth Careers Collective, who told the BBC that better work-readiness is not enough and employers must create accessible opportunities. He is right. A polished interview cannot compensate for a shortage of suitable vacancies, inaccessible recruitment, health barriers or missing training places.
The forthcoming Milburn review gives this local example national relevance. Schools should make careers learning practical and early. Ministers and employers should not use that expectation as an excuse to shift responsibility onto pupils. Preparation matters, but opportunity must be available for preparation to lead somewhere.
Sources
- BBC UK · Source date: 2026-11-15
Independent editorial content. WUA is not affiliated with any political party. 2026-11-15
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