Insight briefing 2: The promise of primary

Gender stereotypes reversed thanks to primary careers education

Insights from Wave 2 of our three-wave Start Small; Dream Big pilot show 89,000 children received employer encounters across over 400 schools nationwide, and a notable shift in career aspirations, particularly among girls. 

Key findings include: 

• A 30% increase in girls’ interest in careers in Business and Finance, with notable rises in Sport and Fitness (15%), Digital (14%), Law (13%), and Construction and Building (8%). 

• 87% of teachers reported fewer pupils limiting their career aspirations due to gender stereotypes. 

• 83% of teachers said their pupils had increased confidence about having equal access to jobs and careers  

By the age of six, children often hold assumptions about “appropriate” jobs for their gender. The pilot, which will run until March 2025, aims to directly address this, enabling children to explore diverse career options and challenge traditional biases. In Wave 2, schools saw a 20% improvement in girls’ career knowledge, alongside a 50% larger increase in their understanding of employer expectations and salary insights bringing them on a par with boys' knowledge levels. 

The wave empowered not just pupils but also the adults guiding them, mirroring initial findings from the first wave.  

• 91% of employers that participated were strongly committed to continuing to engage with local primary schools. 

• 76% of teachers said their senior leaders are now engaged in careers education. 

• 60% of schools incorporated careers education into their curriculum (up from 18%), and 54% established formal careers strategies (up from 10%).  

The initiative brings together primary schools across the country into CEC’s Careers Hubs, where they are provided with support to deliver employer encounters. Teachers are also provided with training delivered by education charity, Teach First to support them in developing and delivering careers programmes.  

We look forward to publishing the final phase of the project in summer 2025. 

Read more about Wave 1 of the pilot