Championing Careers Derby: a city-wide strategy

Introduction

Derbyshire County Council in association with D2N2  commissioned a highly innovative research and development programme into impactful Careers Education and IAG (CEIAG). Its main purpose is to develop a leading edge CEIAG Strategy and Action Plan for Derby schools and Derby City College. This was informed by Headteachers, Governors, Teachers, Employers, Students, Parents/Carers and other key stakeholders. The final CEAIG Strategy an Action Plan will help inform and guide citywide strategic decisions and future investments in CEIAG. The final report and executive summary  were produced in December 2019. 

https://dmhassociates.org/championing-careers-derby-technical-report

https://dmhassociates.org/championing-careers-derby-a-new-city-wide-careers-strategy

Aim

To gather learning and research outcomes, cross referenced with wider employability data, to inform the creation and implementation of a long term citywide Careers and Employability strategy, supported by an Action Plan and key recommendations.

Objectives

• To support Gatsby benchmark performance; build consistency in the resourcing of Careers Education in Educational Institutions; define the model for a Derby Careers and Employability Strategy; identify cost implications; specify KPIs to measure progress; analyse destinations data linked to employment outcomes for young people at Ward level and NEET data; and provide mechanisms for sharing best practice and learning.
• Undertake desk research to identify the scale and consistency of CEIAG resource and activity in school; drawing on information gathered by the local Enterprise Coordinator and undertaking local analysis to map/audit careers and IAG provision in pre-and post-16 settings.
• Map/Audit the current links between schools, college and local employers (large and small) and consider how these could further be improved.
• Engage stakeholders and capture their opinions on the existing CEIAG offer locally and ideas for how this could be improved to ensure greater impact and outcomes.

 Timescale

6^th September 2019 – 3^rd December 2019.

 Meet the team

• Dr Deirdre Hughes OBE, Director of DMH Associates and a leading international career expert is overseeing the programme working closely with Chris Percy (Economist).
• Dan Gray, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Youth Studies at Nottingham Trent University[1] is leading on Headteacher and Governor telephone interviews, visits to schools and/or surveys, depending on what works best for individuals.
• Karen Adriaanse, ex-HMI Ofsted HMI for – FE and Skills, including National Lead for Careers Guidance (2012-2016), is undertaking desk research to inform her work on Careers Leader and other Stakeholder interviews and surveys, working closely with D2N2, Local Authority Councils, including Enterprise Co-ordinators (Schools and Employer Engagement) and Robert Hughes, DMH Associates’ data analyst.
• Charlotte Thurston, Head of Schools Engagement, Education and Employers is leading on employer engagement activities, including telephone interviews with large and small-medium sized companies.

[1] http://www4.ntu.ac.uk/soc/about/academic_departments/sociology_staff.html – see also: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-gray-9b837833/