Careers: role of the link governor

Be clear on your role as the careers link governor. Find out how to make sure your careers provision is effective, and use our example questions to support and challenge the careers lead.

Updated
on 30 June 2025
See updates
School types: AllSchool phases: Secondary, 16 PlusRef: 4739
Contents
  1. Expectations of your board
  2. Your role
  3. How to monitor careers provision
  4. Questions to ask the careers leader
  5. Where to find further training
  6. Ofsted and careers

Expectations of your board

From September 2025, if your school provides secondary education, your board is expected to be "actively engaged" in setting the direction of your school's approach to careers guidance. All members should give your school's careers programme their "explicit backing". 

You can find this in the Department for Education's (DfE's) statutory careers guidance, which applies to maintained schools and academies (see under 'Benchmark 1: a stable careers programme').

You should also have a member of your governing board who takes a strategic interest in careers education and guidance, and encourages employer engagement.

This is also explained in the DfE's guidance under 'What the governing body is expected to do'.

Make sure you're clear on the statutory requirements for careers guidance.

Your role

You should:

Work closely with the relevant member of staff

Set up regular meetings with the careers leader so you can monitor what your school is doing.

Your job is to act as