Careers adviser/personal adviser : Employers and vacancy sources

From April 2008, Connexions ceased to operate as a national service. Personal advisers (PAs) are now employed directly by local authorities. Children's trusts, incorporating Children and Young People’s Services, have been established in each local authority area and the funding that went to each of the Connexions partnerships now goes directly to local authority departments, which have been given responsibility to plan and commission integrated youth services. Some local authorities have taken the Connexions service in house as a part of a broader children and young persons service, whilst in others the Connexions service structure remains, but is now delivered under contract to the local authority. Local authority delivery of Connexions will be under review in 2011 and so in some areas these are seen as interim measures, with some uncertainty as to how the PA role will change in the future. However, it is anticipated that the role will involve working more closely with or within youth services, and involve more work supporting young people with their personal development, whilst speculation remains as to whether the careers adviser role will become the responsibility of schools to ‘buy in’ under a separate budget. More details on these changes can be found in the New Arrangements for Connexions/Careers Services for young people in England report.

PAs may be employed to work in one main location or a variety of locations. For example, they may work in careers or Connexions centres, which are often based in high street locations. Some PAs work as part of an outreach service and work in a number of locations in the community. Others are based in, and employed by, schools or further education colleges.

Connexions Direct also employs advisers to advise and support young people over the phone and online.

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland careers advisers work for all-age guidance services. See Careers Scotland , Careers Wales  and Careers Service Northern Ireland  for more information.

Further education and sixth form colleges often employ their own careers advisers as staff members.

With experience it may be possible to work for the Independent Schools Careers Organisation (ISCO) , which provides a careers service predominantly for 14-19 year olds in independent schools.

Sources of vacancies

• Search graduate jobs on this site.
• Portico  - the Institute of Career Guidance job site.
• Connexions Direct  
• Times Educational Supplement (TES)  
• Guardian Jobs
• Triangle Staffing   
• Regional and local press.

Recruitment agencies rarely handle vacancies.

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