Good career guidance prevents 6,000 young people becoming NEET each year
New research from The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) provides further evidence that sustained improvements in careers education across England’s schools and colleges are having a measurable impact on young people’s life chances.
Drawing on data from 4,863 schools and colleges, the study finds that high-quality careers guidance, structured around the Gatsby Benchmarks, is helping to prevent around 6,000 young people each year from becoming Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). This saves the government an estimated £300 million annually.
The findings underline how powerful good careers education can be. When schools and colleges make careers guidance a core part of their culture – led by a trained careers leader and supported by senior leadership – it not only helps students find their path but also boosts attendance, inclusion and achievement.
Lord David Sainsbury, founder of the Gatsby Foundation, welcomed the findings:
“This research confirms that a strong national system for careers education, built on the Gatsby Benchmarks, helps reduce the number of young people becoming NEET and strengthens our economy. The progress made in recent years shows the value of consistency. It is important now to build on this success and give schools and colleges the stability they need to continue improving.”
Progress and promise
The CEC’s recent Gatsby Benchmarks Results for 2024/25 reflects the dedication of careers practitioners and the sector. A record number of schools and colleges shared their progress last year, showing steady year-on-year growth in benchmark achievement. Together, they are helping to build a generation of informed, confident, and well-prepared education leavers.
Looking ahead
Given this trend, and the recent updates to the Gatsby Benchmarks, ongoing improvements in careers provision are expected to help even more young people get into and stay in education, training and employment in the years to come.
Refinements to the benchmarks, shaped by the latest evidence and best practice, put greater emphasis on leadership, inclusion, data use and high-quality experiences for every young person.
These updated benchmarks now form the core of revised statutory guidance, which took effect in September, and sets the government’s expectation that all schools, colleges and ITPs will use the updated Gatsby Benchmarks to shape and evolve their careers provision this academic year.
The CEC’s latest analysis shows the real-world impact of this work: each young person supported to continue in education, training or work represents an important step forward for themselves, their community, and the wider economy.
Further information and resources
Visit the Gatsby Benchmark champions hub to learn how educators are bringing the updates to the framework to life in their schools, colleges and ITPs.
Resources to support implementation of the updated benchmarks are available from The Careers & Enterprise Company.
