Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the findings of a study published by Speakers for Schools which finds glaring inequalities in young people’s access to knowledge of the education system and careers.
“Our country’s esoteric processes for accessing higher education and certain careers are a real barrier to young people who do not know how to navigate them, and we’re hugely supportive of initiatives which demystify those processes.
“We would like to see schools and colleges better supported by the government and by employers to provide the two weeks’ worth of work experience pledged in Labour’s General Election manifesto, as well as the provision of a much more extensive careers advice network on which schools and colleges can draw to provide expert independent guidance to their students. These are important steps in creating equal opportunities for all.”