Career Guidance Conference May, Brno, Czech Republic Career Guidance What works and why it matters Tristram Hooley, Professor of Career Education, University of Derby Career Guidance What works and why it matters Tristram Hooley, Professor of Career Education, University of Derby
OECD definition Career guidance refers to services and activities intended to assist individuals, of any age and at any point throughout their lives, to make educational, training and occupational choices and to manage their careers… The activities may take place on an individual or group basis, and may be face-to-face or at a distance (including help lines and web-based services). (OECD, 2004)
Overview A note of caution What works Why it matters
Overview A note of caution What works Why it matters
Impacts for individuals Improves engagement with education Enhances performance in the education system (increases motivation) Support transitions between education and work (and other life stages) Contributes to lifelong wellbeing and success
Public policy rationales Active ageing Economic development. Efficient investment in education and training. European mobility for learning and work. Labour market efficiency. Lifelong learning. Social equity. Social inclusion. Youth employment.
Does it work?
Economic benefits
Overview A note of caution What works Why it matters
Lifelong guidance is most effective where it 1.Is lifelong and progressive. 2.Connects meaningfully to the wider experience and lives of the individuals who participate in it. 3.Recognises the diversity of individuals and provides services relevant to their needs. 4.Combines a range of interventions (e.g. one-to-one and online support). 5.Encourages the acquisition of career management skills. 6.Is holistic and well-integrated into other support services. 7.Involves employers and working people, and provide active experiences of workplaces. 8.Is delivered by skilled, well-trained and motivated practitioners. 9.Draws on good-quality career information. 10.Is quality-assured and evaluated.
Good career guidance (Gatsby) A stable careers programme Learning from career and labour market information Addressing the needs of each pupil Linking curriculum learning to careers Encounters with employers and employees Experienced of workplaces Encounters with further and higher education Personal guidance
Overview A note of caution What works Why it matters
Policy is not the same as morality. Just because polititicians think something is a good idea doesn’t make it the right thing to do.
Evidence can’t tell you what to do. It can only tell you if what you are doing does what you think it should be doing.
What are we doing?
References Gatsby Charitable Foundation (2014). Good Career Guidance. London: Gatsby. Hooley, T. (2014). The Evidence Base on Lifelong Guidance. Jyväskylä, Finland: European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network (ELGPN). Hooley, T. and Dodd, V. (2015). The Economic Benefits of Career Guidance. Careers England. Hooley, T., Marriott, J., Watts, A.G. and Coiffait, L. (2012). Careers 2020: Options for Future Careers Work in English Schools. London: Pearson. Law, B. (2012). The uses of narrative: Three scene storyboarding – learning for living,
Summary Career guidance serves a range of public policy goals. We need to get better at articulating these to policy makers. There is an extensive evidence base that suggests that career guidance can be effective and lead to a number of impacts. The evidence base can also provide insights on how best to organise career guidance activities. We should be think carefully about what we are trying to achieve. Politics and evidence can only take us so far…
Tristram Hooley Professor of Career Education International Centre for Guidance Studies University of Derby Blog at