Career Guidance and Public Policy Presentation at the Inspiring Futures Throughout Life conference, Barcelona, 6 March 2017, by Dr John McCarthy, Director, International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy Email: jmc@iccdpp.org www.iccdpp.org

Starting Points……… Career guidance: a public good as well as a private good; a ‘public service of general interest’ International recognition of public interest value: European Social Charter; ILO Recommendations on HRD; EU Council and Parliament Resolutions; international policy reviews of OECD, WB, ETF, CEDEFOP A policy instrument for the achievement of educational, employment, social and economic goals for individuals, groups and society A specialised knowledge area and a specialised teaching and learning activity within education, training, employment and social inclusion policy areas

Public policy goals and outcomes to which career guidance contributes….. Education and training: participation, engagement, retention, performance, progression, efficient investment of tax payer money Employment: participation, employability, retention, engagement, performance, progression, skills matching labour market needs Social inclusion: social and economic integration, gender and social equity, active citizenship Economic development: benefits to the economy from increased workforce participation, performance and productivity; addressing skills mismatches

Where would you find career guidance in existing public policies in Catalonia? Education policy? VET policy? Adult learning policy? Higher Education policy? Youth policy? A law related to any of the above? A curriculum or programme of learning? Early school leaving policy? Employment policy? Economic policy? Workforce preparation policy? Workforce development policy? Human Resource Development strategy? A law related to any of the above? Some or all of the preceding separately or in combination?

Problems of complexity and breadth Career guidance: a shared policy responsibility – a child with many parents Consequence: diluted responsibility, especially where the parents do not talk to each other!

Who are the stakeholders in policy development? 1. The general public or groups of the public for whom a policy is designed are the major stakeholders ….rarely if ever consulted during the development phase, and are only sometimes consulted in the policy implementation evaluation. 2. The structures, organisations, and professionals involved in policy implementation …..more likely to be consulted in both the policy development and implementation phases. 3. The most powerful stakeholders: the government and administrative structures who act as stakeholders on behalf of the taxpayers ….are as they provide the funding for policy development, implementation and evaluation. Policy lobby groups (2 above and maybe 1 above)

Lifelong guidance systems: Two approaches/models Segmented Age Service All Age Service One national agency responsible for ensuring access for all citizens to lifelong guidance services over their lifetime Examples: Skills Development Scotland; Careers Wales; Careers New Zealand; ……but all of these work with subsystems (schools, employment centres, higher education, VET, and adult learning centres etc.) A set of sub-systems linked together by a common policy and policy guidelines; common reference tools e.g. quality assurance mechanisms and common information tools; a national coordination committee/forum/council; a national coordination unit Examples: many EU countries e.g. France, have bits of these but not all of these

Lifelong guidance systems: Model 1: Segmented Subsystems Tools for better outcomes Schools VET Youth at risk Adult learning Higher education Employed Unemployed Older workers Disadvantaged groups Common vision, policy, strategy, action plan National coordination council National coordination unit Common quality assurance standards (training, information, user feedback) Common data collection format Common ICT platform and service Common training Common and integrated careers information Funding Projects linked to common agreed national strategy

Lifelong guidance systems: Model 2 – All Age National Agency for Lifelong Guidance Annual Plan and Targets Annual Report National ICT based service (telephone, web, chat, email, careers information) Face to face when required or necessary National Standards (training, careers information, user feedback) Comprehensive and integrated careers information system Particular interventions for particular groups (e.g. early school leavers, migrants etc.) Data collection Works with subsystems where they exist (e.g. schools, VET, HE, adult, employment etc.) Social marketing of services – coherent message)

Historical accidents: career guidance subsystems development Subsystems have developed historically without reference to each other Not a rational or planned process…..a set of historical accidents Is the present collection of subsystems and its current relationships fit for purpose for the year 2017 and beyond? Is it fit for purpose to deliver a citizen’s right to career guidance (Vocational Training Law 10/2015) throughout their lives? What needs to be done?

So what needs to be done to ensure the maximum and optimal access of citizens to career guidance services, tools and resources in a lifelong guidance system? Review (external/internal) of existing career guidance provision against international benchmarks for policies for a lifelong guidance system Choice of international benchmarks: OECD (2004); EU Guidelines for Policies and Systems for Lifelong Guidance (ELGPN, 2015); or a combination of these Identification of strengths and challenges The responses to the review will help to shape a public policy and national strategy for career guidance

OECD Benchmarks (2004) 1. Transparency of services and ease of access over the lifespan, including capacity to meet the needs of a diverse range of citizens 2. Particular attention to key transition points over the lifespan 3. Flexibility and innovation in the modalities of service delivery to ensure equity of access 4. Programmes to develop citizens’ career management skills 5. Access to comprehensive and integrated educational, occupational and labour market information 6. Access to individual guidance by appropriately trained and qualified practitioners for those who need such help, at times when they need it 7. Quality assured services that are independent of the interests of particular institutions or enterprises 8. Involvement of relevant stakeholders 9. Processes to stimulate regular review and planning 10. Opportunities for experiential learning for education, training and work prior to committing to them

EU Guidelines for Policies and Systems Development for Lifelong Guidance (2015): Transversal Guidelines 1. Career Management Skills 2. Access to Lifelong Guidance Services 3. Assuring the Quality of Lifelong Guidance Provision 4. Assessing the Effectiveness of Lifelong Guidance Provision 5. Strategic Leadership: Co- operation and Co-ordination 6. Improving Careers Information 7. The Training and Qualifications of Practitioners 8. Funding Lifelong Guidance Services 9. Information and Communications Technology in Lifelong Guidance

Principles and values underpinning lifelong guidance service provision: Citizen centred Social inclusion Ease and equity of access Transparency Efficiency and effectiveness Individual and group differences in Career Management Skills Stakeholder participation and openness Integrated policy approach Evidenced-based policy development Outcome focused Professionalisation of services and tools From: Guidelines for Policies and Systems for Lifelong Guidance: A Reference Framework for the EU and for the Commission (ELGPN, 2015)

What does ‘citizen- centred’ mean? ‘Publicly funded lifelong guidance services and products exist to serve citizens.’ ‘Such services and products are accessible, without discrimination, in a flexible and secure manner allowing for the personalisation of services.’ ‘Citizens have a key role in their design and evaluation.’ Guidelines for Policies and Systems for Lifelong Guidance: A Reference Framework for the EU and for the Commission (ELGPN, 2015)

Lifelong guidance systems cannot fix other types of systems problems…… Education, VET, higher education, and public employment systems can be very inflexible/rigid when it comes to providing career learning solutions for individuals…… Early school leaving….. Example of flexibility :Scotland – schools, VET, higher education….and the key role of Skills Development Scotland

Modern approaches to lifelong guidance provision Countries Features Denmark Scotland New Zealand England E-guidance (web, telephone, skype, chat, email, social media) Face to face as required Annual plan and targets Annual reports Data collection and tracking (Scotland) Support to existing subsystems Particular interventions for particular groups e.g. ESL

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