• How are different careers portrayed to children? What careers advice is available, who engages with it, and what difference does the best possible careers advice make to the career paths they choose? How does this vary for different groups (such as by age and background)?

Background

DfE research interests for this pillar of the Opportunity Mission include enabling learners to make decisions that are informed by understanding the opportunities and support available, especially participation in further and higher education, and how continuing education affects their future opportunities. We also need to explore how our sectors can best prepare learners to take advantage of those opportunities, including in secondary education. We are especially interested in practices in further and higher education that engage less researched groups, such as those with care experience, those with SEND, experience of Alternate Provision, and children with a history of offending. However, this topic is not specific to the further and higher education sectors; for example, how different occupations and opportunities are conveyed to children at pre-school and school will influence their willingness to consider those paths in later life. (For brevity, please read all references to children as encompassing both children and young people where appropriate.)

Full details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-education-areas-of-research-interest