Nicky Morgan to succeed Christine Hodgson as Chair of The Careers & Enterprise Company

Nicky Morgan, former Education Secretary, has been appointed Chair of The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC), succeeding Christine Hodgson, CBE, Chair of Severn Trent plc, who is to step down from her role as founding Chair after eight years.

Nicky Morgan, Rt Hon Baroness Morgan of Cotes, has been a CEC board member for the last two years and will step up to the role of Chair in December.

Hodgson has overseen a significant expansion of CEC’s role and impact since it was established in 2015. Including the extensive rollout of Careers Hubs to all state secondary schools after government expanded the CEC’s role in the 2020 Skills White Paper.

Currently nearly two thirds of all schools (65%) of all schools are part of a Careers Hubs, which bring together schools, colleges, employers, and apprenticeship providers in local areas across England to make it easier for schools and colleges to improve how they prepare young people for their next steps.

The impact of the model is now clear. Schools in well-established hubs achieve nearly twice the number of Gatsby Benchmarks (5.6) as opposed to those not engaged (2.9). The more benchmarks a school meets, the more likely young people are to be in a sustained destination post-16. This is particularly true for young people eligible for Free School Meals.

Hodgson will step down as CEC Chair in December and from the board in March 2023, to become a CEC lifetime patron.

Christine Hodgson said:

“Chairing The Careers & Enterprise Company, helping bridge the worlds of education and work, helping young people from all backgrounds make successful steps into work and being part of the collective mission to support meaningful futures for young people, has been a tremendous honour.

“We’ve made great progress in recent years. The nationally coordinated infrastructure of Careers Hubs underpinned by the consensus built around the Gatsby Benchmarks - which define what world class careers education looks like – means schools, colleges, employers and careers providers can work together in a more coordinated and structured way to deliver high-quality careers support.

“The result is improving careers education across the country, especially in disadvantaged areas and young people feeling more ready for work. I am indebted to all partners – schools, colleges, employers, local bodies, volunteers and careers professionals - for their support in making this possible. And to the Department for Education and all our local economic partners for their collaboration and funding support.

“I wish Nicky every success. She brings with her unparalleled experience which will prove invaluable in CEC’s unrelenting focus on supporting all young people to be inspired and prepared for working life when they leave education.”

Nicky Morgan said:

“I am relishing the opportunity this vital role plays in supporting young people. There are strong foundations in place and I am excited to build on the partnerships CEC has established with education and business, which have been so instrumental in our collective support for young people.

“There is more to do. We want more employers working with schools and colleges, creating meaningful opportunities for young people and also enriching their workforce. We want careers in the mainstream of school and college life, where the curriculum helps young people understand the real-world application of their learning as well as the opportunities available beyond the school gates. And we want to provide teachers with opportunities to engage with employers to help them understand the sectors, careers and pathways that their subject open up for young people.

“I want to pay tribute to Christine’s dedication and leadership of CEC. Under her stewardship, CEC has grown from start-up to a well-established national organisation. CEC’s ability to capture rich data, evidence, and practice on what good looks like in the careers space is enabling schools and colleges to provide high quality careers support to their students to help them find their best next step.”

 Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said:

“Congratulations to Nicky Morgan on her appointment as the new chair of The Careers & Enterprise Company and thank you to Christine Hodgson for her leadership over the past eight years.

“The CEC has an important role in ensuring that young people in schools and colleges receive high quality careers support. It is vital that our young people can make informed choices through good careers advice and can climb the ladder of opportunity.”

 Carl Ward, Chief Executive of the City Learning Trust said:

“Christine Hodgson has been an immense champion for careers guidance in our education system. The Careers & Enterprise Company under Christine’s leadership has created powerful engagement with educators across the country which has resulted in significant improvement in the way schools and colleges prioritise careers education and support their students. We now have much needed consensus and consistency across education about what it takes to deliver brilliant careers support to help young people transition successfully from education into work.

“We have seen the emergence of Careers Leaders who have become vital lynchpins for careers excellence within their schools and colleges. Schools and colleges like mine have access to Careers Hubs to draw on expertise and peer support, to heighten awareness of all careers pathways including apprenticeships, and crucially to make connections with employers linked strategically to sector skills needs and local growth. Those links to employers have not only increased touchpoints with our students to inspire career choices, but also to bring industry into classroom learning to enable relevance of the subjects learnt to the world of work and the skills employers value.

“I very much welcome the appointment of the experienced and inspirational Nicky Morgan as the new Chair of The Careers & Enterprise Company. Nicky brings a hugely successful track record in understanding the needs of education providers and how, through great careers education, young people from all walks of life can succeed in adult life.”

BAE Systems is a large early careers employer and works closely with The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC). Richard Hamer, Education and Skills Director at BAE Systems, said:

‘’High-quality careers education is essential for young people across the UK, helping to give them the best start in their lives. It is also key for us as employers who depend on a pipeline of diverse talent to meet our skills needs. BAE Systems has over 4,000 apprentices and graduates in training in the UK and values the important role that The Careers & Enterprise Company fulfils as well as the improvements in careers education it has made.

“As a CEC Cornerstone Employer, we thank Christine Hodgson for the leadership and major contribution that she has made at the CEC and look forward, with other employers, to supporting Baroness Nicky Morgan of Cotes in her new role as Chair.

 Gemma Marsh, Director of Education, Work and Skills, Greater Manchester Combined Authority said:

“Over the years, the work of CEC in partnership with Greater Manchester Combined Authority has combined to support and challenge system leaders across our region to take steps that focus on reducing inequalities so that the most disadvantaged of our young people can see a future for themselves and have the tools and connections to make their dreams a reality.

“Meeting the strategic ambition of national strategy required a high-performing workforce within schools and colleges focused on careers provision which has been delivered through the increased standing and upskilling of Careers Leaders nationally and this has certainly been the case for us in our region.

“We are delighted that Nicky Morgan can now take up this mantle in her new capacity as Chair of the Careers & Enterprise Company.”

 Notes to editors

• All figures available from CEC Impact 2021/22.
• Gatsby Benchmarks what world class careers provision in education looks like and provide a clear framework for organising the careers provision at your school or college.

About CEC & Careers Hubs

• The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) is the national body for careers education in England, supporting schools and colleges to deliver modern, 21st century careers education.
• Its work includes:
• Training and supporting Careers Leaders.
• Bringing employers, educators and providers together through its network of Careers Hubs.
• Sharing practical digital tools and resources.
• Baroness Morgan of Cotes announced the establishment of CEC during her time as Secretary of State for Education in 2014.
• The Government's Skills White Paper in 2020 expanded CEC's role, with a remit to deliver local Careers Hubs to all state secondary schools and colleges in the country. Careers Hubs enable schools, colleges, education, business and careers providers to work together locally and at a national scale. Over a number of years they are proven to be the highest performers on career provision.
• Find out more information on CEC’s work
• About Careers Hubs
• Careers Hubs bring together schools, colleges, employers, and apprenticeship providers in local areas across England. The goal is to make it easier for schools and colleges to improve how they prepare young people for their next steps.
• Careers Hubs drive progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks by enabling schools and colleges and their Careers Leaders to access training and support, and to collaborate in a focussed way, bringing together best practice and local labour market insight.
• Hubs offer schools and colleges dedicated support from the local hub team and facilitate partnerships with key employers committed to improving careers across an area.
• Careers Hubs drive progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks by enabling schools and colleges and their Careers Leaders to access training and support, and to collaborate in a focussed way, bringing together best practice and local labour market insight.
• Hubs offer schools and colleges dedicated support from the local hub team and facilitate partnerships with key employers committed to improving careers across an area.