The Challenge: A Generation at Risk
The UK is experiencing a considerable skills and employment readiness gap among young people. According to the Department for Education, ‘837,000 16-24-year-olds were not in education, employment or training (NEET) between October and December 2024, which is an increase of 103,600.’
Research from the Careers & Enterprise Company (2023–24) revealed that students from disadvantaged backgrounds begin with lower career readiness and limited employer interactions.
This disparity between education and employment-readiness highlights the demand for effective frameworks and collaborations to better equip young people for their future.
The Gatsby Benchmarks: A Framework for Careers Excellence
Created by the Gatsby Foundation, the Gatsby Benchmarks are a set of eight principals intended to define what world-class careers education looks like. First introduced in 2014 and updated in 2025 to reflect labour market changes and sustainability priorities, they are now a statutory careers guidance tool for schools and colleges to follow, as enforced by the DfE in their ‘Careers Guidance and Access for Education and Training Providers guidance, May 2025.’
These benchmarks promote consistent, high-quality careers education, especially important in equipping young people for a workforce increasingly shaped by sustainability, environmental awareness, and digital innovation.
E.ON’s New Energy Academy: A Case Study in Real-World Education
One company leading the way in aligning educational resources with these benchmarks is E.ON, through its New Energy Academy.
The New Energy Academy is an educational initiative offering free, curriculum-aligned resources designed to develop essential skills and introduce young people to inspiring careers in the energy and sustainability sectors.
With a variety of topics, from developing essential communication skills to creative problem solving to critical thinking, the New Energy Academy provides engaging, future focussed learning experiences that help young people to build the skills and mindsets necessary for their future.
Accessibility and Integration
All resources are:
- Freely available for download from E.ON’s platform
- Designed for KS3–KS5, with adaptable lesson plans
- Ready to integrate into your curriculum
Take a look
Preparing for a Net-Zero Future
Preparing young people for the future demands a conscious effort to equip them with practical skills, career understanding and resilience in the face of our fast-paced economic and environmental challenges.
The Gatsby Benchmarks provide a valuable structure for this, and organisations such as E.ON, through the New Energy Academy, are demonstrating how the private sector can enhance the delivery of meaningful, benchmark-aligned careers education.
By embedding sustainability, employer interaction, and real-world hands-on learning into the curriculum, we can ensure students are not only informed, but empowered to thrive and contribute to a more sustainable future.
References
Date created: May 2025
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