- All key stages now matter – careers guidance must begin earlier, not just from Year 9.
- Decision-making takes centre stage – students should actively use labour market information (LMI) to inform their choices, not just receive it.
- Independent Training Providers (ITPs) are now included – this applies to learners aged 16–18, and up to 25 for those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
1. Make LMI meaningful by age group
It’s crucial to pitch LMI appropriately to each age group.
- KS3: Keep it visual, bite-sized, and spark curiosity. Use tools like short employer videos, interactive quizzes, or topical jobs from in the news. Encourage reflection, exploration, and play.
- KS4: Now it’s about choices. Use tools like the UCAS Hub and ‘LMI for All’ to explore local demand, salary comparisons, and job progression. Link it directly to GCSEs, college options and training routes.
- Post-16 / ITPs: Focus on decision-making. Support learners to compare apprenticeship vs. uni routes, sector growth, and future skills demand, using current LMI as evidence.
2. Make LMI interactive and bring it to life
Tools like the UCAS Hub is a goldmine of up-to-date, student-friendly LMI. As well as live apprenticeship vacancies, it offers job profiles, salary data, qualification routes, and sector insights.
Make it stick with simple, engaging activities:
- Reality check: Students pick a lifestyle (e.g. rent, car, travel) and use salary data to see which careers match, qualifications needed, and progression routes.
- Sector carousel: In groups, students research different industries using UCAS guides. Each presents 3 key facts: jobs in demand, skills needed, and future outlook.
- Guess the job: Share LMI clues (salary, skills, hours) from real job profiles. Students guess the role, then discuss if it suits their interests and strengths.
3. Make LMI part of the decision-making process
LMI isn’t about providing sterile data, it’s a tool to start good conversations. Build it into guidance, lessons, and group work to explore questions like: “Which jobs are on the rise?” “What skills are in demand?” “Which route fits your ambitions?” UCAS industry guides and careers quiz help these conversations, with information on future trends, helping keep students informed. The value of LMI lies in how students connect it to what it means for their own career choices.
4. Connect LMI to real voices
Match LMI data with lived experiences:
- Invite local employers, alumni, or apprenticeship providers to talk about real labour trends and career stories.
- Create case studies linking job stats with people students can relate to.
5. Widen the support network
- Train staff to weave careers and labour market references into curriculum.
- Involve parents and carers by sharing concise LMI updates through newsletters, evening events, or your website, empowering them to support their children’s career choices effectively.
- Track engagement: Keep simple logs and student reflections to show how LMI has shaped thinking. This will also support Benchmark 3, which we’ll look at it in more detail next time, when we explore tailoring programmes to address the needs of each pupil.
