New Cross-sector Lab podcast episode: John Yarham on building confidence, agency and opportunity through careers education

ASDAN has released a new episode of the Cross-sector Lab podcast: reimagine education together, featuring a conversation between ASDAN CEO Melissa Farnham and John Yarham, Chief Executive Officer of The Careers & Enterprise Company.

In this episode, Melissa and John explore how careers education can support young people to build confidence, agency and a stronger sense of belonging as they prepare for their next steps in learning, work and life.

The conversation considers why awareness of pathways, sectors and occupations is important, but not enough on its own. Melissa and John discuss the need to start early, broaden horizons, challenge stereotypes and connect careers education with wider enrichment, practical experiences and skills development.

They also explore the uneven access many young people still face when it comes to meaningful employer encounters and work experience. John reflects on how careers education can move beyond one-off placements towards a more progressive approach, helping young people build a richer understanding of the world of work over time.

A key theme throughout the episode is confidence. Melissa and John discuss how schools, colleges, employers and partners can work together to better support young people’s agency, listen to their voices and help them take their best next step.

The episode also looks at equity in careers education, the importance of contextualised support and the role of teachers and careers leaders in helping young people connect their interests, strengths and aspirations with future opportunities.

The episode, John Yarham: building confidence, agency and opportunity through careers education, is available to listen to on Spotify and a video of the discussion can be viewed on YouTube.

About the series

Cross-sector Lab: reimagine education together is ASDAN’s podcast series, hosted by CEO Melissa Farnham. The series brings together leaders, educators and changemakers from across education, policy, research and practice to explore how we can build a more inclusive and future-focused learning system.