Evaluation of Post 19 Benchmarks

Hartlepool Learning and Skills Service (HLSS) identified a need to support organisations that provide career advice and guidance to adults to help them to better understand their provision, identify gaps and improve the quality of their offer. To address this, they adapted the Gatsby Benchmarks for schools and colleges (Gatsby Charitable Foundation, 2014), utilising the original format of the eight benchmarks but amended to reflect the specific needs of adult learners. The Post-19 Careers Benchmarks include additions that focus on employability skills and digital skills. The Benchmarks were perceived as a mechanism for establishing minimum standards and measurements for adult career guidance services. It was felt the diversity and range of organisations that provide adult careers support was broad and variously funded, which presented key challenges in the standardisation of provision.