College First In East Riding To Achieve New Careers Advice Award

East Riding College has become the first school or college in the area to secure a challenging new accreditation for advice and guidance.

East Riding College has been awarded the Humber Gold Standard for Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG), which is jointly funded by Deflog VQ and the Humber LEP.

The standard has been designed for 11 to 19 schools, academies, colleges and training providers in the Humber to ensure that young people have access to “good and realistic” information and guidance about the full range of career pathways available to them.

East Riding College is one of the first three achievers of this Gold award in the Humber region and the first in the East Riding.

It has also held the national Matrix Standard for advice and guidance for a number of years.

Helen Wooldridge, director of learner services, planning and diversity at East Riding College, said:

“We are fully committed to ensuring that young people and adults are provided with high quality information, advice and guidance that enables them to make well-informed decisions about their future.

“I am delighted that our highly experienced guidance team has passed the very rigorous assessment process and secured the Gold Standard once again for East Riding College.

“This achievement comes only weeks after the College was rated outstanding by Ofsted for students’ personal development, which includes the information, advice and guidance provided to them.”

To achieve the award, the College was assessed against eight criteria which together ensure the highest standards of impartial careers guidance to young people.

The Humber Gold Standard meets employer requirements and is aligned with national CEIAG guidelines and policy.

The project was developed following information received that regional careers advice was inconsistent.
Employers reported that potential future employees were not aware of the range of career choices available locally and that young people had often taken the wrong pathway in their skills and education developments, leading to a lack of funding when they eventually found the right pathway for them.

Andy Crossland, of the Humber LEP’s Employment and Skills Board, said:

“Information, advice and guidance (IAG) is essential in helping young people choose appropriate courses that lead to fulfilling careers.

“The Humber LEP congratulates East Riding College on gaining the prestigious Gold Standard, which signifies their commitment to delivering impartial and high quality IAG services.”