Publication of Careers Advice and Guidance and University 2019 statistical factsheet

The Department for the Economy has today published a statistical factsheet presenting key findings from the Young Persons’ Behaviour and Attitudes Survey (YPBAS) 2019 in relation to careers advice and guidance to year 11 and 12 pupils in Northern Ireland and their university aspirations.

Looking for advice after exams? The Northern Ireland Careers Service is here to help you

The statistics presented in this factsheet cover the confidence of year 11 and 12 pupils in making career decisions, the support they require to achieve their career goals, their awareness of the all-age Careers Service, their knowledge of how to contact a Careers Adviser outside school and their university aspirations.

Key points:

• Just over two thirds (67%) of year 11 and 12 pupils reported they feel confident (54%) or very confident (13%) about making decisions about their career.
   
• The majority (96%) of year 11 and 12 pupils indicated information on the qualifications needed to progress their career plans is very important/quite important to help them to achieve their career goals.
   
• The majority (84%) of year 11 and 12 pupils said they are not aware of the Government’s/ Department for the Economy’s all-age Careers Service.
   
• The majority (83%) of year 11 and 12 pupils said they do not know how to contact a Careers Adviser outside school.
   
• Just over two thirds (68%) of year 11 and 12 pupils agreed their family encourage them to go to university and two thirds (66%) agreed they want to go to university.

This full statistical factsheet and related information is available to download on the DfE website: https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/articles/careers-and-university-research

Notes to editors: 

1. The statistics presented in this factsheet are based on data gathered from the Young Persons’ Behaviour and Attitudes Survey (YPBAS), a school based survey conducted among 11-16 year-olds.
2. The 2019 YPBAS was conducted between September 2019 and February 2020 by the Central Survey Unit (CSU) of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
3. The results in this factsheet are based on data which has been weighted by year group, gender and religion in order to reflect the composition of the Northern Ireland post-primary population.
4. Further notes and details are available in the factsheet on the Department’s website.
5. Follow us on Twitter @Economy_NI  
6. For media enquiries contact the Department for the Economy Press Office at pressoffice@economy-ni.gov.uk 
7. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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