Key Voices

This week we speak to David Chapman, Vice Principal at Aston University Engineering Academy (AUEA) about his experiences running careers information advice and guidance at the longest-running University Technical College (UTC) in the country. We talk about how he met some of the challenges of running a careers programme during COVID-19 and the importance of contextualising learning and involving parents in the careers process.    We talk about:  The purpose of UTCs and the history and context of AUEA  David’s own career journey  The impact of the pandemic on delivery of careers information advice and guidance in schools  The remote offering that David developed at AUEA Whether the english system asks young people to specialise or decide about careers too early  How David is planning to compare what students think they might want to do on entry with their destination data to understand more about the impact of AUEA’s careers work Some of the challenges other UTCs have faced with regard to recruiting s