Symposium: Devolution and Diversification University of Derby Friday 17 th March 2006 (St. Patrick’s Day)

Career guidance in Northern Ireland: retrospect and prospect Moira McCarthy & Rob Millar University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Londonderry

The Careers Service

Careers Service Early Years: Education / Employment 1948 Belfast Youth Employment Service 1951 Youth Advisory Service Result 2 Interviews: Guidance & Placement 1962 Youth Employment Service (Ministry for Labour & National Insurance) 1965 Ministry for Education NI (1975)

Careers Service 1974 Re-organisation of Vocational Guidance Administration support service For Schools & FEC Training Careers Teachers, room space Careers Education Advisors (in ELBs) Appointment of Careers Inspectors 1975 Employment Service Careers Service

Supporting Labour Market Late 70s Early 80s High Unemployment Introduction Youth Training Guarantee Department of Manpower Services Careers Central Lubricant Criticism Careers Officer Focus? Client, Programme, Vacancy? Remains dominated School Work GAIN ENTRY?

Supporting Labour Market 1990s YTP not a major success Introduction of Jobskills in 1995 Increase skills for knowledge-based economy Shift emphasis from vacancy to education, training to secure future job! Introduction of NVQs, New Deal GAIN ENTRY

Jobskills 2004 National Audit Office Report Retention, achievement, mismatch skills Careers Adviser focus? Difficulties in Careers Service Retention, recruitment, training, CPD Change agents; peace, devolution, New Labour focusing agenda, labour market

Careers Service 2002 NI reports high rates unemployment Economy significantly improved! New Taskforce set up Guidance identified with key role to play Careers Service requires single focus Fulton Report Restructuring

Careers Service Corporate identity Dedicated management structure 3 key responsibilities; IAG policy Operational Management, Procurement IAG Adults Universal / focused Service Dedicate services according to need! New developments

Careers Education in Schools

Careers education in schools: The Northern Ireland Curriculum Core areas of study: religious education, creative & expressive arts, English, environment & society, mathematics, language studies, science and technology Six cross-curricular themes: cultural heritage, economic awareness, education for mutual understanding, health education, ICT, & careers education

Effective careers education provision Six core components (DENI, 1996) –Timetabled lessons –Cross-curricular provision –Individual careers guidance –Careers information –Experiences of work –Personal career planning

Impact & progress Progress towards including & strengthening the six core components has been variable Responsibility for ensuring the calibre of programmes rests with the school Providing all the requirements requires partnership arrangements between schools and the Careers Service, formalised through Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Adult Guidance Services

Adult Guidance Evolution 1967 Not-for-profit organisation Funding from DEL & DENI Community-based, progressive; non- traditional learners Lifelong learning agenda Learn Direct

Adult Guidance EGSA very prominent FEC HEC Formulation of a coherent IAG strategy for Northern Ireland

Issues and challenges

Staffing issues Absolute quantity Continuity of staff Sufficiently qualified staff & implications for the provision of recognised professional training for all levels of service delivery

Evaluation and effectiveness Conspicuous by its absence Mainly survey type reports Lack of empirically designed research Reliance on soft rather than hard evidence Low profile of research in careers guidance within departments’ published research agenda

Targeting and meeting need Why? How? Who gets what? Who delivers it? Negotiated integration of service delivery between key providers

The positioning of the Careers Service Stability, continuity, & standardisation of service delivery Professional identity Civil service policies & public access

Conflicts of interest & accountability Departmental targets or client-focused services Professional principles or bureaucratic convenience?