Teach First is calling on coordinated effort across society to boost careers education in schools, arguing that teachers "need to be at the heart" of this.

In a major new report, the social enterprise explains more needs to be done to ensure that young people feel confident about their ability to succeed in further education and the world of work.

The paper, entitled Careers education in the classroom: The role of teachers in making young people work ready, said that presently there far too many students receiving inadequate guidance.

This is especially the case for pupils from disadvantaged families, with Department for Education data showing that they are five times more likely to be classed as NEET (not in education, employment, education or training), compared to their better-off peers.

"Work-literacy" is therefore a pressing issue, one that needs to be addressed to close the gap between the rich and the poor. As the report notes, boosting careers education will go a long way in boosting opportunities for those who will ultimately slip under the radar.

Teach First recommends that every school invests in a "high quality careers leader", who would be charged with managing career and employability plans in schools. They would also be responsible for setting up links with employers and universities.

"Teachers are crucial in ensuring that pupils get the careers education they need to progress into employment and further learning," said professor Tristram Hooley, from the University of Derby and lead researcher for the study.

"We need to increase the focus on career and employability learning in both initial teacher education and teachers’ professional development.

"Government has an important role in signalling the importance of this area and needs to spell this out far more clearly in new statutory guidance. Leading careers work in a school is a critical role which requires the upskilling and recognition of teachers who take it on."