Trevor Mallard Speech: New careers guide to help teenagers

Education Minister Trevor Mallard today launched “Career Education and Guidance in New Zealand” - a new guide aimed at helping teachers and schools to provide practical and comprehensive career information and advice for secondary students.

“A key goal for our government is to ensure all our young people are successful school leavers and get a chance to make a valuable contribution to both the economy and society as a whole,” Trevor Mallard said.

“A smooth transition from secondary school to further education and employment is incredibly important for this, and careers education plays a big role here too.

“Giving young people up-to-date information, advice and guidance helps them make positive and effective career decisions by matching their individual skills, knowledge and attitudes to the best opportunities available in work and further education.

“The ultimate goal of career education and guidance is to assist students in making positive career decisions throughout their lives.

“The people working in the career education field play a vital role in ensuring all today’s students can make the most of their opportunities and I am sure this publication will help them greatly with their work,” Trevor Mallard said.

“Career Education and Guidance in New Zealand” will be distributed in term four to all schools with students from years 7.

As well as looking at students’ needs, planning and professional development, the guide contains a series of useful suggestions for how teachers can successfully integrate career education into other parts of the curriculum to make more of an impact - for example interviewing scientists about their work, or visiting a relevant workplace, as part of the science curriculum.

Funding of $860,000 is also being provided for related professional development.
Careers Services (www.careers.govt.nz) provides careers advice on behalf of the government through: KiwiCareers (www.kiwicareers.govt.nz) a comprehensive source of careers, labour market and training information, 16 Career Centres (0800 109 901) providing face-to-face information and advice, and CareerPoint (0800 222 733), an 0800 contact centre designed to increase access to quality, impartial career information and advice.

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