Get careers advice

Careers advice in Hackney

Hackney has lots of places to get advice on careers, education and training. All the services below can offer advice on improving your CV and interview techniques. Schools, and Hackney Careers Service, offer services for under 19s (up to 25 for those with additional needs). Job Centre Plus and Hackney Works mainly support those aged 18+ but have a limited service for those aged 16-18. Hackney Education’s Adult Learning Service offers a range of advice to those over 19. The National Careers Service offers online, phone and webchat support to those over 12.

Careers advice in schools

All secondary schools provide their pupils with careers advice. Many employ qualified careers advisers who can offer advice about course options, careers and employment, some will have an adviser who visits the school to provide advice. 

School careers programmes will include events and activities to help pupils find out more about the world of work and provide their pupils with information about out of school resources and events. Your Head of Year will be able to introduce you to the careers staff in your school.

Hackney 16-19 NEET Pathways Team

The Hackney 16-19 NEET Pathways Team is a new service that supports young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) and offers a drop-in service for young people aged between 16 and 19 (up to 25 years old with special educational needs). Careers Advisers can provide advice on college courses, what to study, careers pathways, training opportunities, CV advice and job-searching.

Careers advice sessions are available face to face, online or via telephone to young people aged 16-25 who are not in education, employment or training.

Please call Bryan Taylor on 07922 575603 to book an appointment or find out more about drop in sessions in Hackney.

For enquiries relating to students with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP), contact Bryan Taylor on 07922 575603 or Bryan.Taylor@hackney.gov.uk

Employment and skills

Skills and courses 

Do you want to improve your English, maths, or digital skills, gain a qualification to enhance your career, or develop your personal and wellbeing skills?

We offer:

• Free courses for adults and families in Hackney to learn new skills
• Group learning where online and in-person courses are taught in classes with other people
• Community-based classes run by experienced tutors and organisations who know Hackney well.
• Family-friendly courses where you and your kids can learn new skills together

Find a course.

Work experience and work placements

Hackney Council can connect you with incredible work experiences. We collaborate with a range of employers and partners across the borough to offer both paid and unpaid placements for those who live or study in Hackney.

Explore all available paid and unpaid placements on our opportunities page. 

Useful contacts

For further support, please contact our community partners:

Hackney Works: 020 8356 5700 for employment advice and job search skills
Volunteer Centre Hackney: 020 7241 4443
Hackney CVS: 020 7923 1962

National Careers Service

The National Careers Service offers online careers information and advice to people over the age of 12. The website contains lots of useful careers related information.

It also offers online real time webchat between 8am and 10pm seven days a week, or free telephone advice on 0800 100 900. Please note that mobile calls may not be free of charge. If you call from your mobile, tell the adviser your number and they will call you back. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech difficulties you can also call the textphone number 08000 968 336.

The focus of this service is careers and learning, although advisers can suggest suitable alternative sources of information for non-careers issues. All advisers are trained to offer impartial and confidential careers advice and practical help.

Job Centre Plus

There are three job centres in Hackney. Most of the careers advice they offer is aimed at those over 18 but they can also arrange a careers interviews for those aged 13-19 or provide information about local employment opportunities.

• Hackney Job Centre Plus
  271 Mare Street, E8 1EE
• Hoxton Job Centre Plus
  30 Drysdale Street, N1 6LT 
• Dalston Job Centre Plus
  Playle House, Tottenham Rd, N1 4BY

Find your nearest Job Centre Plus

Hackney Opportunities

Hackney Opportunities is the London Borough of Hackney’s employment service. They have information on current and future local vacancies and can also provide advice on how to improve your CV or increase your chances of getting a job at the interview stage.

• Find out more about Hackney Opportunities and register for the service

Hackney Council’s Supported Employment Service 

This service can help people with disabilities who live in Hackney find work matched to their individual needs and interests.

Supported employment is an evidence-based and personalised approach to working with people who have significant disabilities including:

• learning disabilities
• autism and/or
• mental health difficulties

Although largely work focused they can help young people find training programmes such as Supported Internships. The majority of their clients are over 18.

Find out more about Supported Employment Service