Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling
Much has changed in the career development sector since the launch of the Careers Profession Task... more Much has changed in the career development sector since the launch of the Careers Profession Task Force report, 'Towards a Strong Careers Profession' in 20 IO. The report made recommendations for enhancing the professionalism of the career sector including the establishment of an overarching professional body, new qualification levels and common professional standards. The Careers Profession Alliance (CPA) and then the Career Development Institute (COl), launched in April 2013 have striven to facilitate the sector to be stronger and more cohesive by addressing these recommendations. This article explores what was needed, what has been achievedand plans for the future.
This is a practical book intended for career practitioners working with young people in schools a... more This is a practical book intended for career practitioners working with young people in schools and other institutions providing career guidance and counselling. The aim is to offer practitioners support so that they can feel empowered in their roles as career counsellors, and are able to take care of themselves and gain new ideas for their practice. The book is one output of an Erasmus funded project which invovled partners from the UK, Denmark, Greece, Spain and the Czech Republic.The research is sponsored by the Erasmus + programme of the European Unio
This paper reports on the findings from a review of the literature relating to customer satisfact... more This paper reports on the findings from a review of the literature relating to customer satisfaction with career guidance services. The review finds that reported levels of satisfaction with career guidance are typically high (ranging between 70-89%). However, it also reveals that there are challenges in measuring customer satisfaction in a consistent way and questions around the extent to which customer satisfaction correlates with other desirable outcomes of career guidance, such as career management skills and progression to further learning and work. The review sets out a model of factors that influence customer satisfaction which includes the individual and their expectations, the context in which the service is delivered, how the service is delivered and how the interaction is followed up. At present, there is little hard evidence suggesting a clear link between customer satisfaction and the other two outcomes that the National Careers Service is interested in (career management skills and progression).Skills Funding Agenc
The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute ... more The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Lifelong guidance has received significant attention at the European Level. The Council of the Eu... more Lifelong guidance has received significant attention at the European Level. The Council of the European Union Resolutions passed in 2004 and 2008, highlight the need for strong guidance services throughout the life course to equip citizens with the skills to manage their learning, their careers and their transitions between and within education, training and work. The Resolutions position the acquisition of the skills that are needed to manage a career (career management skills) as an important priority of guidance services. The Learning And Decision making Resources (LEADER) project has been developed in response to this imperative to establish career management skills (CMS). It aims to support participating countries to engage with CMS. This is the first report from the LEADER project. It presents an analysis of the data collected as part of the first phase of the project and explores the concept of CMS from the perspectives of the partner countries which include, Italy, Spain, Ro...
This report presents the findings of a four year (2016-2019) formative and summative evaluation o... more This report presents the findings of a four year (2016-2019) formative and summative evaluation of the North East of England pilot of the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance. It uses quantitative and qualitative data collected from school and college staff, learners and stakeholders, as well as Gatsby Benchmark self-audit data, financial data and data pertaining to learner attendance, attainment and destinations. It describes the progress made by the sixteen pilot education providers in achieving the eight Benchmarks of good career guidance, explores the approaches they took to achieving the Benchmarks and considers the barriers and enablers they faced. The impacts of their work in delivering the Gatsby Benchmarks on learners, staff, local stakeholders and national policy and practice are presented. The findings indicate that significant progress in achieving all eight Benchmarks can be made by all kinds of education providers within two years and that this has a significant and observable effect on learners with respect to their career readiness, their interactions with teaching staff and employers, their engagement in the classroom and on attainment.The Gatsby Charitable Foundatio
1. The contemporary education system and labour market present individuals with a series of chall... more 1. The contemporary education system and labour market present individuals with a series of challenges in terms of choice and navigating complex career pathways. Individuals who struggle to understand and thrive within such a complex and dynamic system may seek or require advice. In response to this international bodies such as the OECD and Cedefop have set out a vision for a lifelong guidance system which acts to increase individuals’ understanding of the systems that they inhabit and provide them with support during periods of crisis and transition.3
This report explores employers' experience and understanding of Higher Apprenticeships. Theme... more This report explores employers' experience and understanding of Higher Apprenticeships. Themes addressed were employers' perceptions about: skills gaps in companies; recruitment challenges; retention and progression of apprentices, and issues about embedding Higher Apprenticeships in companies. The report is based on a survey of almost 200 employers and follow-up interviews with 11 companies. The findings suggest that there is strong support for Higher Apprenticeships amongst employers although there are many employers who have yet to engage with the programme. Employers that have implemented Higher Apprenticeships report a range of business benefits.
Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling, 2020
Amid growing precarity and zero hour contracts, the ‘gig economy’ represents a new way of working... more Amid growing precarity and zero hour contracts, the ‘gig economy’ represents a new way of working mediated by web technology. Workers can sign up to a work platform – a website or smartphone program that manages the work automatically – and take on work at the tap of a button. Some platforms manage labour, such as driving for Uber or delivering food for Deliveroo, while others manage retail activity, such as Ebay or Etsy. Recent research has shown that a significant number of people are using platform work to earn money, with over half being young people aged 16-34. While there are some data regarding satisfaction levels and attractors, there is little research examining specific age segments of workers, or the relationship between platform work and career. Using data from focus group interviews with school and Further Education college students, this paper will discuss findings from research investigating how young people in England aged 16-19 perceive the gig economy and whether t...
Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling
Much has changed in the career development sector since the launch of the Careers Profession Task... more Much has changed in the career development sector since the launch of the Careers Profession Task Force report, 'Towards a Strong Careers Profession' in 20 IO. The report made recommendations for enhancing the professionalism of the career sector including the establishment of an overarching professional body, new qualification levels and common professional standards. The Careers Profession Alliance (CPA) and then the Career Development Institute (COl), launched in April 2013 have striven to facilitate the sector to be stronger and more cohesive by addressing these recommendations. This article explores what was needed, what has been achievedand plans for the future.
This is a practical book intended for career practitioners working with young people in schools a... more This is a practical book intended for career practitioners working with young people in schools and other institutions providing career guidance and counselling. The aim is to offer practitioners support so that they can feel empowered in their roles as career counsellors, and are able to take care of themselves and gain new ideas for their practice. The book is one output of an Erasmus funded project which invovled partners from the UK, Denmark, Greece, Spain and the Czech Republic.The research is sponsored by the Erasmus + programme of the European Unio
This paper reports on the findings from a review of the literature relating to customer satisfact... more This paper reports on the findings from a review of the literature relating to customer satisfaction with career guidance services. The review finds that reported levels of satisfaction with career guidance are typically high (ranging between 70-89%). However, it also reveals that there are challenges in measuring customer satisfaction in a consistent way and questions around the extent to which customer satisfaction correlates with other desirable outcomes of career guidance, such as career management skills and progression to further learning and work. The review sets out a model of factors that influence customer satisfaction which includes the individual and their expectations, the context in which the service is delivered, how the service is delivered and how the interaction is followed up. At present, there is little hard evidence suggesting a clear link between customer satisfaction and the other two outcomes that the National Careers Service is interested in (career management skills and progression).Skills Funding Agenc
The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute ... more The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Lifelong guidance has received significant attention at the European Level. The Council of the Eu... more Lifelong guidance has received significant attention at the European Level. The Council of the European Union Resolutions passed in 2004 and 2008, highlight the need for strong guidance services throughout the life course to equip citizens with the skills to manage their learning, their careers and their transitions between and within education, training and work. The Resolutions position the acquisition of the skills that are needed to manage a career (career management skills) as an important priority of guidance services. The Learning And Decision making Resources (LEADER) project has been developed in response to this imperative to establish career management skills (CMS). It aims to support participating countries to engage with CMS. This is the first report from the LEADER project. It presents an analysis of the data collected as part of the first phase of the project and explores the concept of CMS from the perspectives of the partner countries which include, Italy, Spain, Ro...
This report presents the findings of a four year (2016-2019) formative and summative evaluation o... more This report presents the findings of a four year (2016-2019) formative and summative evaluation of the North East of England pilot of the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance. It uses quantitative and qualitative data collected from school and college staff, learners and stakeholders, as well as Gatsby Benchmark self-audit data, financial data and data pertaining to learner attendance, attainment and destinations. It describes the progress made by the sixteen pilot education providers in achieving the eight Benchmarks of good career guidance, explores the approaches they took to achieving the Benchmarks and considers the barriers and enablers they faced. The impacts of their work in delivering the Gatsby Benchmarks on learners, staff, local stakeholders and national policy and practice are presented. The findings indicate that significant progress in achieving all eight Benchmarks can be made by all kinds of education providers within two years and that this has a significant and observable effect on learners with respect to their career readiness, their interactions with teaching staff and employers, their engagement in the classroom and on attainment.The Gatsby Charitable Foundatio
1. The contemporary education system and labour market present individuals with a series of chall... more 1. The contemporary education system and labour market present individuals with a series of challenges in terms of choice and navigating complex career pathways. Individuals who struggle to understand and thrive within such a complex and dynamic system may seek or require advice. In response to this international bodies such as the OECD and Cedefop have set out a vision for a lifelong guidance system which acts to increase individuals’ understanding of the systems that they inhabit and provide them with support during periods of crisis and transition.3
This report explores employers' experience and understanding of Higher Apprenticeships. Theme... more This report explores employers' experience and understanding of Higher Apprenticeships. Themes addressed were employers' perceptions about: skills gaps in companies; recruitment challenges; retention and progression of apprentices, and issues about embedding Higher Apprenticeships in companies. The report is based on a survey of almost 200 employers and follow-up interviews with 11 companies. The findings suggest that there is strong support for Higher Apprenticeships amongst employers although there are many employers who have yet to engage with the programme. Employers that have implemented Higher Apprenticeships report a range of business benefits.
Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling, 2020
Amid growing precarity and zero hour contracts, the ‘gig economy’ represents a new way of working... more Amid growing precarity and zero hour contracts, the ‘gig economy’ represents a new way of working mediated by web technology. Workers can sign up to a work platform – a website or smartphone program that manages the work automatically – and take on work at the tap of a button. Some platforms manage labour, such as driving for Uber or delivering food for Deliveroo, while others manage retail activity, such as Ebay or Etsy. Recent research has shown that a significant number of people are using platform work to earn money, with over half being young people aged 16-34. While there are some data regarding satisfaction levels and attractors, there is little research examining specific age segments of workers, or the relationship between platform work and career. Using data from focus group interviews with school and Further Education college students, this paper will discuss findings from research investigating how young people in England aged 16-19 perceive the gig economy and whether t...
Uploads
Papers by Siobhan Neary