Why e-guidance? Gareth Dent

Structure  Guidance Demand Drivers  Policy Focus  A Market in Guidance  Challenges

Demand Drivers (1)  More complex learning choices  Greater understanding of opportunities  Greater understanding of self  Greater potential for customised/personalised learning programmes

Example: Learning Italian  1964: Local Evening Class  2004: 6 ‘OCN accredited courses’  Also  Television led course on BBC  Shelf of packages in local Waterstones  Hundreds of web-based resources  Learning Holidays

Demand Drivers (2)  More difficult labour market choices  Greater up-front, and personal investment  Risks associated with technological change  Need for longer careers to finance longevity  Risks of sustained mid-career unemployment

Demand Drivers (3)  Risks of getting it wrong are increasingly personal risks  Possibly limited understanding of this

Policy Focus  Level 2 qualifications  Basic skills  Inactive benefit claimants  Little resource for preventative career health measures

Macro Policy Focus  ‘Fundamental…is the re-castingof the relationship between the citizen and the state…It implies that the individual has responsibilities as well as rights; they have to do as well as receive.’ Tony Blair (Italics my emphasis)

A market in guidance?  Potential for pay as you go guidance – uncertain.  Possibilities for insurance or alumni models

Challenges  Develop services which are:  Attractive  Challenge pre-conceptions  Are supportive  Are cost-effective  Can e-guidance meet these challenges?  Can we afford to ignore e-guidance?