Planning career education
Build a careers team
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How a careers team could look
Below is a model of how a careers team can be structured, with responsibilities divided between three teams – the careers lead team, the careers department team, and the careers delivery team. The key functions of each team are also outlined.
Overview of key responsibilities for each team
Careers lead team | Careers department team | Careers delivery team |
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Building a careers lead team
Evaluating situation and opportunities
People who are planning or managing the building of a careers lead team should consider the following questions:
- What governance decisions has the board of trustees made with reference to its vision for career education? How has the school gone about implementing these and what role might a careers lead team have in supporting the board’s intentions?
- Who in the senior management team has responsibility for implementing National Administration Guideline 1 (vi)? How will this person be connected to the careers lead team?
- Who does the senior management team see delivering the various elements of career education and guidance in the school? How does this fit with the approach of having a careers lead team?
- Who are the key influencers for review and improvement of career education and guidance? How could a careers lead team assist these "champions" to turn visions and opportunities into realities?
- To what extent is career education a whole school-responsibility, embedded in the school’s culture and integrated across curriculum areas and pastoral networks? How might a careers lead team promote and grow this?
- What are the obvious areas of new or emerging interest?
Working as a team
To be effective, a careers lead team needs:
- a shared understanding of its roles and responsibilities
- a focus on whole-school communication and relationship management
- an evidence-driven, planned approach
- authority and delegations to manage change
- reliable access to all relevant information
- time and resources (including budget), secretarial and administration systems
- reporting lines, times and deadlines.
Building a careers department team
- Engage subject teachers in the delivery of career education
Developing capacity and capability
Below is a suggested approach for schools planning a formal careers department team. (Whether or not a school has or needs a department team will depend on factors such as the size of the school, and the nature of the career education and guidance being provided.)
- Review the existing situation – who is doing what? Could include staff with formal responsibilities, for example, careers advisers, STAR and Gateway co-ordinators, and other staff who play a key role, such as deans.
- Identify existing skills and interests – who is doing what well?
- Consult with key staff – how do they see their current and prospective roles?
- Identify positions needed for the department team and the skills and experience needed for these. Develop position descriptions.
- Negotiate roles and responsibilities with existing staff and, if required, advertise positions and recruit. This could be a two-stage process, starting with appointing a careers leader, who can then participate in appointing team members.
- Meet with the team to confirm the team structure and functional relationships.*
- Identify, plan and implement required induction and professional development.*
- Implement regular team meetings to monitor delivery and the progress of team.*
- Develop and implement career department systems.*
* These tasks may be the responsibility of the careers leader.
Drawing together a team
A careers lead team need to be able to draw on the following range of skills to function well:
- strategic thinking and vision – developing the big picture
- engagement and relationship management – getting others on board
- planning and doing – getting things happening
- careers expertise – knowing what works
- systems and data management – keeping and maintaining records
- team leadership and facilitation – managing growth and change.
Building a careers delivery team
A careers delivery team includes all school staff who play a part in delivering defined, planned programmes of career education. The size and structure of a careers delivery team will differ between schools, and team members' tasks will vary. The diagram below shows only one possibility.
Building a delivery team involves engaging the most appropriate teaching staff at the most appropriate moments during the career-related events in students' lives. The delivery team must be given sustained professional development and support, and quality information systems that are easily accessible.
