In developing careers provision for your pupils, there are three aspects of quality assurance you may wish to take into consideration:
The quality of the school careers programme
If your school is looking to demonstrate the quality of your overall careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) programme to pupils, parents and the wider community, you may wish to consider the various quality awards which exist for CEIAG provision in schools and colleges. The national validation, the Quality in Careers Standard, will assist you to determine an appropriate quality award to pursue.
The quality of the independent careers provider
The matrix Standard is the Government’s badge of quality for information and advice about learning and work. To achieve the Standard, organisations will need to demonstrate that they provide a high quality and impartial service. Your school can access an online register of organisations accredited to the matrix Standard.
The quality of careers professionals working with the school
The Careers Profession Alliance, an alliance of professional bodies for the careers sector, has led work to raise the professional status of careers advisers. They have developed a new set of professional standards for careers advisers, a register of advisers holding postgraduate qualifications and guidelines on how advisers can develop their own skills and gain higher qualifications.
The main qualifications for careers professionals are the Qualification in Career Guidance (QCG), which replaced the earlier Diploma in Careers Guidance, NVQ Level 4 in Advice and Guidance and the Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development. Your school can view registered careers professionals or search for a career development professional who can deliver a particular service or activity at the Careers Profession Alliance website.
