Boston College Achieves Prestigious Quality in Careers Standard Award
14th July 2026
Boston College is delighted to announce that it has been awarded the Quality in Careers Standard, provided by Licensed Awarding Body Complete-Careers using the Career Mark approach.
The award recognises the quality and breadth of the College’s careers provision and its commitment to supporting students from all backgrounds to make successful transitions through education and into their future careers.
Following a comprehensive assessment, Boston College was praised for its robust and inclusive careers programme, strong focus on preparing students for their futures and extensive work experience opportunities available across all courses and year groups. The assessor identified work experience as a particular strength, highlighting the valuable opportunities students have to develop workplace skills, including those working in the College’s publicly accessible café and restaurant.
The assessment also recognised the College’s commitment to achieving all Gatsby Benchmarks and the positive impact of careers education, information, advice and guidance on students’ aspirations and progression.
The award reflects the positive impact the College’s careers programme has on students, with students sharing with the assessor the wide range of skills they have developed through their careers education and experiences at Boston College. Students highlighted skills including:
- “Understanding and supporting others, patience, public speaking, time management, independence, and presentation skills.”
- “Interview skills, CV writing skills, communication, teamwork and networking.”
- “I have acted as a guide for visitors to the College, helping to develop my confidence and communication skills.”
Students also praised the personalised careers support they had received, with one learner commenting, “My careers interview was really useful – it made me think about my options and career pathways,” while another said, “My career meeting was really useful to help think about the future.”
Students also spoke enthusiastically about their aspirations, demonstrating a clear understanding of the opportunities available to them. One student explained, “I hope this will lead to a career in the Navy,” while another said, “I want to carry on with Catering and Hospitality and use my background and experiences to develop my own style.” Another student commented, “I want to work with children and hope to find an apprenticeship soon.”
Students nearing the end of their studies also demonstrated a strong understanding of the skills they have gained, identifying strengths such as leadership, collaboration, communication, problem-solving, confidence and reliability.
Jill Pickwell, Careers Leader at Boston College, said:
"We are absolutely delighted to have achieved the Quality in Careers Standard. This award recognises our commitment to delivering outstanding careers education, information, advice and guidance for every student. As a Careers team, we are incredibly proud of this recognition. Most importantly, this achievement reflects the positive impact we have on helping our students make informed choices, raise their aspirations and prepare confidently for their futures."
The assessor also recognised the College’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, including plans to expand digital skills provision, develop students’ understanding of online platforms and employability, and continue the rollout of its Skills and Employability Passport.
This achievement is a testament to the dedication of the Careers Team, teaching staff, employer partners and, most importantly, the students themselves. Boston College remains committed to ensuring every student has access to high-quality careers support, enabling them to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to succeed in their chosen pathways.