Careers Adviser Review

In my day‑to‑day role as a careers adviser working with NEET young people across West Sussex, I focus on building positive, trusting relationships through one‑to‑one meetings and outreach. I spend time listening to each young person’s situation, understanding their interests, strengths and aspirations, and identifying any barriers they are facing, such as low confidence, mental health needs, SEND, housing issues or past negative experiences of education or work.
I provide impartial careers guidance, helping young people explore suitable options in education, training, apprenticeships, employment or volunteering. I support them to set realistic goals, develop action plans, and build employability skills such as CV writing, applications and interview preparation, encouraging them to take manageable steps forward.
Alongside this direct work, I liaise with training providers, employers and partner services to secure opportunities and support. I track progress, maintain accurate records, manage safeguarding responsibilities and regularly review plans, persistently encouraging and re‑engaging young people to help them move towards positive, sustained outcomes.

I’ve found the programme to be well‑organised and clearly structured, with a strong framework that supports professional development alongside practice. There have been some challenges in managing the programme alongside my role, particularly during a period of change in my responsibilities at work, which temporarily impacted how manageable the workload felt.
However, these challenges have now been resolved, and having the clear structure, guidance and pacing of the apprenticeship has helped me to regain balance. This has allowed me to fully re‑engage with the programme and continue my learning in a focused and supported way.

My employer has been very supportive throughout my apprenticeship. My line manager has consistently been encouraging and understanding, particularly in balancing the demands of my role with the requirements of the programme. When I reached out to the apprenticeships team during periods when the workload felt challenging, they listened carefully and responded in a sympathetic and reassuring way.

My training provider has been extremely supportive and consistently goes above and beyond. They provide clear guidance, regular reassurance and are always approachable when I need advice or clarification. I feel genuinely supported in my learning, and their commitment to my development has helped me stay motivated and confident throughout the apprenticeship.

I feel that the qualification through my training provider supports me very well in performing my role more effectively. The learning is directly relevant to my day‑to‑day practice and has strengthened my knowledge, confidence and professionalism as a careers adviser. It has helped me better understand guidance theory, ethical practice and reflective approaches, which I can apply immediately when working with young people. Overall, the qualification has enhanced both the quality of my guidance and my ability to respond thoughtfully to the complex needs of NEET young people.

Yes

I would recommend West Sussex County Council as an employer because it is a values‑driven organisation that genuinely invests in its staff. I’ve felt supported, listened to and encouraged to develop, particularly through access to high‑quality training and apprenticeship opportunities. There is a strong commitment to staff wellbeing, flexible working and professional development, alongside meaningful work that makes a real difference to local communities. In my role I am trusted to work autonomously while knowing support is there when needed - this makes it a positive and rewarding place to work.