About Us

Man talking with a microphone

The South Midlands Careers Hub is the strategic arm of the Department for Education (DfE) responsible for supporting schools and colleges to improve the careers provision in schools and colleges for all young people to find their ‘best next step’.

Our role is to support the education system to connect to the world of work and build an intelligence led careers provision that views school improvement through the lens of careers and builds a talent pipeline for industry.

This coordinated approach between education and industry leads to improved transition and retention rates post-16, a reduction in NEET rates and ultimately in unemployment rates. It is the best way to close local, regional and national skills gaps, and is a key for economic development both short and long term.

Our mission

Building career ready young people. Creating a brighter future for industry.

Our priorities

Our core strategic priorities are to:

  1. Raise the quality of careers provision in schools, special schools and colleges against the Gatsby Benchmarks through training for the education workforce, targeted support and quality assurance
  2. Drive more high-quality experiences with employers for students and teachers – with a focus on current ‘cold spots’
  3. Amplify apprenticeships, technical and vocational routes – including by supporting the implementation of the Provider Access Legislation (PAL)
  4. Focus on interventions for economically disadvantaged young people (FSM) and those who face most barriers – through identifying and addressing the needs of specific cohorts
  5. Connect careers provision in schools and colleges to the needs of local economies – as articulated through Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs).