Careers chief to become the PM’s Expert Adviser on Education and Skills
Oli de Botton, CEO of The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) has been appointed the Prime Minister’s Expert Adviser on Education & Skills at N.10, starting on 22 April 2024.
De Botton leaves his position at CEC after four years at the helm of England’s national careers body, working with nearly all secondary schools and colleges and 1000s of employers, to deliver high quality, modern careers education. CEC oversees a network of 44 Careers Hubs across the country in partnership with Mayors and Local Authorities with a goal of strengthening the connection between education and business and helping students understand all pathways into jobs, emphasising apprenticeships and other technical routes.
Over that period, careers provision has improved, although there remains much more to do. The OECD found England to be at the forefront of structured provision internationally. The Education Committee’s careers inquiry in 2023 highlighted CEC’s role in helping to develop system-wide improvement. The Sutton Trust - amongst others - have identified increased awareness of apprenticeships.
De Botton joined CEC in 2021 from his position as a Headteacher in Stratford, East London. He began teaching in 2003 and has worked previously in education policy and strategy. He also co-founded the social mobility charity Voice 21.
John Yarham, CEC’s Deputy CEO, replaces de Botton as Interim CEO, and will take charge of the organisation’s next phase of work to help deliver the Government’s manifesto commitment of two weeks’ worth of high-quality work experience for every young person.
Oli de Botton, outgoing CEO of The Careers & Enterprise Company said:
“It has been an incredible privilege to be part of The Careers & Enterprise Company’s work, collaborating with partners across the country to build and sustain a careers system that helps more young people, particularly those who face barriers. In this shared endeavour, we can see progress, but there remains lots more to do.
“I am hugely grateful to the many formidable partners we work with: schools, colleges, employers and Local/Combined authorities – and not least the incredible careers professionals and volunteers from industry.
“Many thanks also to the Department for Education and all our local partners for their support and to the CEC board and team for their leadership and inspiration.
“I will continue my work in public service anchored in education and skills and will always champion the importance of helping every young person find their best next step.”
Nicky Morgan, Rt Hon Baroness Morgan of Cotes, Chair of The Careers & Enterprise Company said:
“Thank you to Oli for his incredible leadership of CEC over the last four years. He has been a great pleasure to work with.
“Under Oli’s leadership, we have been able to galvanise powerful collaboration between education, business and key local partners to deliver a dynamic careers system across England. It means schools, colleges, employers and careers providers can work together in a more coordinated and structured way to offer excellent careers support for all young people.
“In that time, we have seen careers education become a stronger focal point within the curriculum whilst strengthening our connections with employers to bring industry into the classroom.
“CEC will remain steadfast in our determination to accelerate progress in all parts of the country, including for those young people that need the most help, and by connecting careers provision to sector skills needs and local growth.
“We wish Oli every success in his new role at the heart of Government, which is a huge vote of confidence in the work of CEC and its mission and shows how important our work is to the growth of the economy.”
John Yarham, Interim CEO of The Careers & Enterprise Company said:
“Oli de Botton’s leadership has enabled CEC to be at the forefront of national effort to ensure young people in schools and colleges receive high-quality careers support.
“A lot of progress has been made in recent years, but there remains a lot more to do. I am delighted to take on the role as Interim CEO and will be focused on our important next steps.
“We will build on the much-needed consensus across education and business about what it takes to deliver brilliant careers support to help young people, especially those furthest away from opportunity. We will ensure our national and local partnerships continue to enable continuous improvement in securing young people’s best next steps.
“And we will be determined and ambitious, as the government’s partner, to help deliver the manifesto commitment of two weeks’ worth of high-quality work experience for every young person to connect with industry and to unlock the skills they will need for their future.”