INVESTOR IN CAREERS

About

Since developing the very first careers education quality award in 1996, Investor in Careers has helped many hundreds of education providers achieve and continuously improve the quality of their careers education programmes.

As a proud Licensed Awarding Body for the national Quality in Careers Standard, we continue to work with hundreds of schools, colleges and work-based learning providers across the UK, from the Isles of Scilly, Channel Islands, London to Yorkshire and Northern Ireland; directly or through our network of approved regional sub-licence holders.

These sub-licence holders are part of our national network. They are all committed to the Quality in Careers Standard and are on hand to offer advice and consultancy. There may be a sub-licence holder in your area but please contact us direct initially and we will put you in touch.

We do have Licence holder opportunities across the country. If you are interested in becoming a licence holder please contact us on info@investorincareers.com

Why choose IIC

Why Choose IIC

  • DfE statutory guidance (May 2025) ‘strongly recommends’ schools achieve the Quality in Careers Standard to demonstrate the quality of their CEIAG provision
  • We are the leading Licensed Award Body across the country with excellent feedback from those who achieve the Standard through our approach
  • We offer a clear framework that is suitable for secondary schools, special and alternative provision schools, colleges and work-based learning providers and use a unique 4 step structure
  • Support your preparation for Ofsted inspections and demonstrate how you are meeting the duty placed on learning providers.
  • Benefit from 24/7 access to our online portfolio, support resources and templates
  • Learn from our experienced and occupationally competent assessors and a developmental approach to meeting the Standard
  • A dedicated team are on the end of a phone to offer support throughout the award
  • Enjoy free additional support through our masterclasses and webinars.
Enquire

Meet The Team

Sam is Director of Investor in Careers and has spent the last 25 years working in the Careers Guidance sector as practitioner, manager, careers education consultant, trainer and assessor. Currently studying for her L7 Chartered Manager qualification. Lives in Devon with her family and black lab Toby. Lover of musical theatre, chocolate and a good book!

Rachel is a qualified science teacher who began her career in the West Midlands before relocating to Cornwall. After some years teaching science, she joined Cornwall Council’s Elective Home Education team, where she supported families and reviewed home education provision across the county. She later moved into education recruitment before joining CSW Group, working with young people who were NEET or at risk of becoming NEET.
During her time at CSW Group, Rachel completed her Level 6 Diploma in Careers Guidance and Development and progressed into the role of STEM Development Consultant, bringing together her scientific background, teaching experience, and careers expertise. Following the organisation’s closure in 2025, Rachel took time out to be with her young baby and is now excited to return to a role supporting the careers sector.
Sue has over 30 years’ experience working within the CEIAG sector. A qualified teacher, she taught maths for 7 years at a secondary school in the north-east of England. She then retrained to become a qualified Careers Adviser and achieved the Diploma in Careers Guidance after studying a full-time course at Newcastle-upon-Tyne Polytechnic (now Northumbria University). She worked as a Careers with Newcastle Careers Service, before joining the Senior Management Team as a TVEI (Technical and Vocational Initiative) specialist. Sue then moved south to take up a number of positions with Careers Services across the south coast of England. Working mainly as a Careers Education Manager/Consultant she provided training, advice and consultancy to teachers working in a range of schools and further education colleges to assist them with their careers education and work-related learning programmes. Since going freelance in 2010, as a Careers Education Consultant and Quality in Careers Standard Assessor, Sue has carried out assessments with many schools and colleges. In addition to her assessment work, she has delivered training in her local area (East Sussex) and also works with the Education Business Partnership to plan and deliver an annual careers and employability fair (the Big Futures Show) for schools across the region.
Nicki is fully qualified Careers Adviser, working in a Coastal Devon Secondary School since 2004, in 2020 she completed a Level 7 Postgraduate award in Careers Leadership with distinction from Warwick University.
 
She manages the careers provision for a secondary school and has led the school through the Quality in Careers Standard 4 times so far! Nicki enjoys networking and is involved in many local groups which has supported the development of the careers activities within her school.
 
As a member of the CDI she mentors Careers Advisers to support their development and improve standards of careers work in schools.
Gill is a qualified teacher and Careers Guidance practitioner. Teaching in a secondary school her first full time job, then retraining as a Careers Adviser, working at first in the Medway Towns in Kent in the early ‘80s. They were challenging times for young people, but it was such a privilege to help them think about and plan their futures, and Gill has been committed to the careers sector ever since. She became Training Manager for the Kent Careers Service in the late 80’s. With Canterbury Christ Church University Gill designed the first on-the-job training programme for Careers Advisers, which solved the recruitment dilemmas almost overnight. In training and subsequently in locality management roles, Gill particularly enjoyed helping practitioners develop their skills and competences. The advent of Connexions brought new and interesting challenges in refocusing and expanding the service, until around 2010 when the political climate changed again, and Gill left to start her own company. Working freelance for over 10 years as an adviser and assessor, Gill has worked with a range of clients including National Careers Service providers in the community, schools and prisons, various schools and colleges, the OU and has been a Quality in Careers Standard assessor for many years.
A fully qualified careers professional with over 25 years’ experience working in the careers sector. Andy has worked as a careers adviser in a number of schools in the Bristol and Teesside area before taking up a role as Training and Quality Manager providing support to over 60 trainee advisers working towards their professional qualifications. This role also involved auditing CEAIG delivery and provision in over 40 schools in the North of England. As Assistant Director for a large careers guidance company Andy was responsible for all aspects of careers delivery in 22 schools across the North East and operationally overseeing the successful DfE “One Vision” pilot. Andy had also previously worked in the initial setting up of the Careers and Enterprise Company in the Tees Valley region. Andy has spoken at several conferences and events on the importance of CEAIG and the value of working towards the Quality in Careers Standard. Based in the North East of England, he has been a freelance careers consultant for many years providing support for schools and undertaking assessments for the Quality in Careers Standard.
Julia commenced her career as a secondary school business studies teacher and held a number of posts of responsibility in FE & HE, latterly as a Senior Lecturer teaching on the PGCE and B.ED programmes at the University of Greenwich. She was an External Mentor for beginning teachers supporting them to achieve the Masters in Educational Practice for Cardiff University. She worked for five years as a Technical and Vocational. Initiative Adviser in Islington, and as a member of the Education Business Partnership, supported secondary and special schools to develop their work-related curriculum and increase employer engagement. Julia has worked as an assessor in multiple settings including for the Graduate Teacher Programme in England and Wales and was also a PSHE Education regional advisor for London and the SW regions. Now running her own company, Seaforth Learning Services and based in Wales, she has been an independent assessor for the Quality in Careers Standard for many years. Julia also has a Masters Degree in Economics Education and has recently qualified as a psychotherapist and works as a school based counsellor one day per week.

Mark works part time for Writtle University College as a Careers Guidance Practitioner alongside his freelance work. He has a great deal of experience as an assessor, moderator and IQA for the learners undertaking Careers Guidance qualifications for the CDI and Suffolk County Council as well assessing for the Quality in Careers Standard for a number of years.

After graduating from the University of Leeds, I worked in recruitment and HR roles within Financial Services, FMCG and the public sector for 13 years before joining the University of Gloucestershire, working in student support roles during which time I completed my Masters in Career Guidance through Coventry University, graduating with a Distinction. I then moved to Malaysia for 3 years where I published several articles on careers and a children's book about dealing with change alongside a role as a global careers lead  for an International Schools group. Returning to UK in 2022, I joined another International Schools group as Head of Careers and HE. I work across a Secondary school, International school and Sixth Form in Oxford on a part time basis alongside my freelance work. I enjoy the challenge of managing and improving whole school careers programmes and have recently undertaken the Quality in Careers Standard myself. 

Ryan is a qualified and highly experienced careers, education and employability specialist in the career, and employment and skills sectors. He now works freelance supporting schools and colleges in the East Sussex area with careers guidance and education support. He has a passion for designing and delivering programmes and services that support vulnerable people with careers advice, pre-employment training, mentoring and work experience.
Amy is a fully qualified careers professional with over 16 years worth of experience, mostly based in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. Amy has experience of working in schools, colleges, and Higher Education.
 
Amy has a professional interest in careers education in developing countries and trains career professionals in Kenya as well as being an assessor to support trainee advisers.
 
Amy has developed careers services in schools and colleges and works as a Faculty Employability Adviser within University. 
 
Amy is very excited to join the assessor team for Investor in Careers and is looking forward to seeing some great practice that is taking place.

An experienced CEIAG and supported employment manager and consultant, passionate about enabling social mobility and justice. Extensive background in project management, developing services in line with corporate priorities and achieving quality kite marks.

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