New research reveals school teachers and parents are struggling to give appropriate careers guidance.  Parents and young people are invited to visit Ashton Sixth Form College and find out how we can help them.

Independent research by the Association of Colleges (AoC) released this week, finds that school teachers and parents admit they are struggling to give the right advice to prepare young people for the world of work. The research finds:

• One fifth of parents (20%) feel out of their depth advising their children about careers, whilst 32% say they only feel comfortable talking about jobs with which they are familiar
• Nearly one fifth (19%) of parents say they give their child the same jobs and careers advice they received from their parents
• 44% of school teachers admit to giving a pupil bad or uninformed advice in the past
• 82% of school teachers don’t feel they have the appropriate knowledge to advise pupils on careers
• 72% of parents think education should be more focused on preparing children for employment
• Indeed, 93% of school teachers and 94% of parents want pupils/their child to have more access to employers and businesses

Sarah Kerrigan, Marketing & Admissions Manager at Ashton Sixth Form College, explains: “This report highlights the need for colleges to assist further in making advice and information more accessible about options available after school, to both young people and their parents,. We are committed to enabling young people to develop their skills to realise their ambitions. With a strong focus on learning for success, the College offers a whole host of career pathways for young people.

“Studying with us can significantly improve your chances of finding a job, not just because of the outstanding learning and teaching facilities, but also because of the links forged with local employers, training agencies and universities.”

Ashton Sixth Form College is holding a Careers & Admissions drop-in on Tuesday 4th December 2012 between 4.00pm and 6.00pm. The drop-in is for anyone who is interested in studying with us but need further advice on careers or choice of courses and need help with making their college application. The deadline for applications to study at Ashton Sixth Form College in September 2013 is Sunday 6 January 2013.