The National Careers Leaders' Conference

Thursday 25 June 2026 | The Eastside Rooms, Birmingham | Book Now


Overview

The National Careers Leaders' Conference 2026 will take place on Thursday 25 June. Jointly organised by the CDI and iCeGS (University of Derby), this year’s event will be hosted at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham.

Theme: Work experience and beyond

The conference will explore upcoming government policy and its implications for work experience provision, while examining how work-based learning can be embedded throughout the whole school and college programmes. It will highlight resources to support careers teams in setting up and delivering effective programmes, alongside strategies to influence leadership teams to secure the staffing and curriculum integration needed for high‑quality careers provision. 

We’re delighted to share that Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister of State in the Department for Education and Department for Work and Pensions, will open the event with a video message. Nicola Hall, Director of Education, The Careers & Enterprise Company will deliver the afternoon keynote speech.

Designed for Careers Leaders, Careers Advisers, Hub Leads and Enterprise Coordinators, the conference provides an opportunity to stay informed about the latest developments in careers education and gain practical insight to enhance careers programmes across primary, secondary and SEND schools, as well as colleges.

View the latest agenda and book your ticket now.


With thanks to our 2026 supporters


2026 Workshops announced

We’re excited to bring you a standout programme of workshops this year, packed with fresh ideas, practical takeaways and opportunities to deepen your expertise.

Take a look at just a few of the inspiring sessions lined up for the day:

  • Practical ways to embed high-quality work experience across the curriculum with Kelly Dillon
  • Work experience for SEMH learners: Flexible models for inclusive practice with Philippa Huggins
  • From placement to progression: Reimagining work experience through virtual innovation with Jo Bishop
  • Building effective employer engagement partnerships with Tariq Sadiq
  • From presence to proficiency: Transforming work experience into skill mastery with Daniel Langford

The full conference programme and workshops will be announced soon. Book your place today.

Keynote speaker

We are pleased to have Nicola Hall as our keynote speaker at the Conference. 


Careers Education Awards 2026 - entries now closed

The CDI Careers Education Awards are a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on the incredible achievements of professionals delivering high‑quality careers education across England.

Launched this year, and proudly sponsored by the Careers & Enterprise Company, these awards form a key part of the National Careers Leaders’ Conference, celebrating outstanding practice and the people who make a real difference to young people’s futures.

Awards categories

  • Careers Leadership
  • Careers Education Programme
  • Experiences of the Workplace

Awards entries have now closed and the awards winners will be announced at the Conference.

Why attend NCLC?

The conference will help you set quality aspirations for your programme, learn how to overcome barriers to delivering high quality careers services using impact evidence, and engage you wider stakeholders so they become a supportive and meaningful part of your careers eco-system.

•    Gain insights from The Gatsby Foundation who will give a review of the Gatsby Benchmarks to help you anticipate any changes required to your careers programme

•    Gaining an understanding of different quality approaches from practitioners (matrix, Quality in careers Standard, Careers Impact System) to help you start building a roadmap to gain quality accreditation suitable to your organisation

•    Develop a greater understanding and best practice in creating careers programmes that go beyond next steps and develop career management skills so young people are prepared for working life and are able to overcome barriers in their career

•    Learn best practice on integrating work experience and personal career guidance sessions into a careers programme to offer greater value to young people

Audience

This year’s conference offered valuable learning for a wide range of careers providers for young people. From Careers Leaders and Career Advisers to Enterprise Co-ordinators and Careers Hub leads, the conference covered careers provision in primary and secondary schools, SEND schools, alternative provision, sixth forms, colleges and training providers.

Cost


National Careers Leaders' Conference

Member: £135

Non Member: £175

Student Rate: £80

Enhance your event experience with our app



We have launched an event app in place of a printed programme as part of our commitment to going greener.

Designed to make your event experience smarter and more seamless, our attendee app brings everything you need into one convenient place.

Stay informed, organised and engaged from your mobile device, with quick access to key event information and features. Explore its benefits and learn how to download it here.

Call for workshops - closed

We welcome proposals from colleagues across the sector that align with the conference theme. Session topics may be broad or niche as we aim to offer a varied and engaging programme across the agenda. Each workshop session is 40 minutes which should include at least 15 minutes for Q&A. Proposals should align with one of the following themes:

Core theme:
Work experience and beyond: Creating opportunities for young people with employers and in the workplace from primary and secondary school, through to further education. 

Sub-themes:

  • Employer engagement from primary to post-16: Building sustained, age-appropriate partnerships 
  • Integrating careers across the curriculum: Embedding real-world learning beyond the careers programme  
  • Adapting work experience for diverse contexts: Rethinking work placements for inclusive and under-resourced settings
  • Digital tools for work experience: Managing programmes and expanding online opportunities
  • Beyond work experience: Embedding, reinforcing and reflecting to maximise the impact of work experience undertaken


Submit your proposal here

Submissions will be selected based on how well they reflect the conference theme and the value they will bring to delegates. The deadline for submissions is Friday 20 March at 5 pm.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr Hannah Blake, Senior Researcher, iCeGS.

Join the panel - closed

This year, we’re pleased to invite expressions of interest from careers practitioners who would like to join the opening panel at the conference. The panel will focus on 'Embedding work experience requirements', exploring how different settings are navigating expectations around work experience and creating meaningful opportunities for young people.

We are keen to hear from panellists with a wide range of experiences. Whether you have benefited from strong institutional support or have developed creative and resourceful approaches in challenging circumstances, your perspective could add real value to the discussion. If you have insights, examples or reflections to share, we would love to hear from you.

Joining the panel offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to sector‑wide dialogue and showcase your expertise to colleagues across the profession. 

Submit your interest here

Please submit your expression of interest by Friday 13 March, 5 pm.

Commercial opportunities

Explore sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities to amplify your brand and connect with professionals across the career development sector. Download the brochure for details on how to get involved.

To discuss these opportunities, please contact Jen Ellin (Events & Commercial Manager) at: [email protected]

Having any trouble?

Having any trouble?

Do not hesitate to reach out to us anytime.

01384 376464