The Department for Education has confirmed that Independent Training Providers (ITPs) are now expected to adopt and implement the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance. While this isn’t a statutory requirement for ITPs, it has been confirmed that Ofsted will consider a provider’s implementation during an inspection, making it effectively mandatory in the eyes of many.
Previously, the benchmarks primarily focused on the school and college sectors. However, the new guidance extends this expectation to ITPs, acknowledging their crucial role in providing young people with high-quality vocational and technical pathways. This update aims to ensure a more consistent and comprehensive careers system for all learners across the UK.
The Positive Impact of Implementing the Benchmarks
Extending the benchmarks to ITPs has been widely welcomed within the sector for its numerous potential benefits. This framework provides a common language for quality careers provision, ensuring consistency across different educational settings. For young people, it means they are more likely to receive structured, high-quality guidance regardless of their chosen educational path.
The Gatsby Benchmarks can help ITPs strengthen their programmes by:
- Linking curriculum learning to careers, making lessons more relevant.
- Offering more meaningful encounters with employers, especially in Study programmes.
- Providing clearer, more up-to-date labour market information.
A significant positive impact of the Gatsby framework is the direct correlation between its full embrace in schools and colleges and a reduction in the number of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). With NEET levels rising, this intervention is a welcome step.
Navigating Key Challenges for Independent Training Providers
While there are clear benefits, implementing the Gatsby Benchmarks is not without its challenges. For many ITPs, this marks a new and significant requirement. It will necessitate a dedicated investment in resources, staff training, and time to develop and embed careers programmes that meet all eight benchmarks. This can be particularly demanding for smaller providers who may not have dedicated careers staff or substantial budgets.
Financial and Staffing Pressures
The financial cost is a notable concern for many ITPs. Implementing the benchmarks is not a simple box-ticking exercise; it requires a genuine commitment of funds. Staffing costs may be impacted, particularly when hiring or training a designated careers leader. This role comes with a high level of responsibility and requires significant time away from other duties, further straining budgets—especially since the cost is currently ineligible under existing funding rules.
The Inspection and Evidence Burden
These new expectations also bring an added inspection burden. Even providers with excellent outcomes may face challenges. ITPs are now required to produce a wealth of new evidence to demonstrate how they are meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks. Ofsted and other quality assurance bodies will expect to see:
- A clear, written careers programme.
- Detailed records of individual student guidance.
- Tangible evidence of employer encounters and workplace experiences.
This creates a significant administrative load, requiring robust data collection and meticulous record-keeping, which can divert resources away from front-line training.
Balancing Employer Relationships
A subtle but real challenge is the potential for friction with employers. Employers rightly invest in their apprentices’ growth and may become wary of impartial careers advice that could steer the conversation beyond the learner’s current employment. The person providing individualised careers guidance may need to navigate a fine line, ensuring the learner’s best interests are met without upsetting important business partners. This scenario highlights the delicate balance a provider must strike between managing the best interests of the employer, the learner, and their own organisation.
Is It a Cautiously Positive Step?
In short, the inclusion of ITPs in the Gatsby Benchmarks framework is a cautiously positive step. It acknowledges the vital role ITPs play and offers an opportunity to further elevate the quality of guidance young people receive.
This will be a collaborative journey that should ultimately create learners who are more aware, confident, and ambitious for the world of work. However, it is a journey that comes with a literal and figurative cost for providers.
By Craig Mincher, Managing Director at WBTC