bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Fate of Career Dreams: A Test of Levinson's Theory
Authors: Kinnier Richard T. , Fisher Teresa A. , Darcy Maria U. , Skinner Tad
Published: March 2013

The ‘dream’, as defined by Levinson et al. (1979), is an individual's vision about his/her important future accomplishment or special role in life. In this study, several predictions derived from Levinson's theory of dreams are tested. A questionnaire asking respondents to predict the probability that their dream will come true and to rate their disappointment if their dream does not come true was collected from 368 adults (265 women and 103 men). In support of Levinson's theory, women's dreams more often than men's included references to their family. Older adults believed that their original dreams were less likely to come true and the older adults also reported less disappointment than younger adults that their dreams would not be realised. Women were more hopeful than men that their dreams would be realised. Those who were more educated said that they would be less disappointed if their dreams did not come true.
Enhancing Vocational Psychology Practice through Narrative Inquiry
Authors: Chen Charles P.
Published: March 2013

One of the new directions in vocational psychology is the trend of integrating the emerging social constructivist worldview into research and practice. Narrative inquiry echoes this trend. The narrative approach facilitates the holistic construction of personal meanings within their particular life career contexts. It validates the importance of subjective career and human action in the career construction process. In elaborating the interrelationship between the notions of life, career and narrative, this paper discusses ways of conceptualising career narratives. It also proposes some guidelines for constructing life career narratives in vocational psychology and career development practice.
The Relationship between Rothwell-Miller Interest Categories and Abilities
Authors: Carless Sally A. , Fallon Barry
Published: March 2013

This study examined the relationship between vocational interests and abilities. The Rothwell-Miller Interest Blank (Miller, 1958), a self-report instrument that measures 12 career interests (outdoor, mechanical, computational, scientific, personal contact, aesthetic, literary, musical, social service, clerical, practical and medical) was used to assess vocational interests. Abilities were assessed by two group-administered objective tests of ability: the Standard Progressive Matrices (Raven, Court & Raven, 1992) and the ML-MQ (Australian Council for Educational Research, 1981). The sample consisted of 3446 individuals (880 females and 2566 males). A weak to modest relationship between interests and abilities was found. The pattern of relationships was consistent with our predictions. Although ability assessment has not traditionally been an important part of vocational assessment, it was concluded that objective ability assessment, together with vocational assessment, assists the development of self-knowledge and realistic career decision-making.
Gender Differences in Career Self-Efficacy in Singapore
Authors: Chew Irene Keng-Howe , Halim Hendrik , Matsui Tamao
Published: March 2013

This study explores the gender differences in career self-efficacy and self-efficacy expectations in Holland's six model environments, in the context of Singapore. It also assesses the underlying dimensions for gender differences in career self-efficacy, by investigating whether gender differences in career self-efficacy would be predicted by self-efficacy in domains corresponding to the three-letter codes associated with the occupations. Men were found to be significantly higher than women in self-efficacy for the enterprising and realistic domains, while women were significantly higher than men for self-efficacy scores in the artistic, investigative and social domains. Gender differences in career self-efficacy were predicted by self-efficacy in the three-letter code domains for 22 occupations, that is, 73% of the occupations.
University Female Students' Motives in Enrolling for Non-Traditional Degrees
Authors: Aluede Oyaziwo Omon , Imahe Caroline Izehi , Imahe John
Published: March 2013

The study investigated the motivational factors that influence female undergraduates to enrol for a non-traditional degree. The sample for this study was made up of 280 participants drawn from the three technical/technological faculties of Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Nigeria. From the analysis of data, it was found that all the four factors — vocational self-efficacy, perceived social support, structure of opportunity and valence of occupation — influence female undergraduates' enrolment in non-traditional degrees, while perceived structure of opportunity has the least influence. The paper also advocated some ways counsellors could assist female undergraduates in furthering their enrolment in non-traditional degrees.
Fast Forward: Careers Research in New Zealand
Authors: Inkson Kerr , Furbish Dale , Parker Polly
Published: March 2013

This article describes and discusses developments in careers research in the past few years in New Zealand. While detailing some important mainstream research in the ‘career development’ tradition, it focuses on research conducted largely in New Zealand business schools, which may have been prompted by the country's rapid deregulation in the 1980s and 1990s. Particular attention is paid to the destabilisation of careers and the development of ‘boundaryless’ and other new forms of career. This work provides a framework enabling us to understand career adaptation, and ‘mobile career’ phenomena such as careers based on project work and the role of overseas experience in career development.
Career Theory Building in AJCD during its Inaugural 10 Years
Authors: Prideaux Lee-Ann , Creed Peter
Published: March 2013

This paper reviews the inaugural 10 volumes of the Australian Journal of Career Development to examine the journal's contribution to the advancement of career development theory. Twenty-six articles that met sound scientific methodological and reporting criteria were selected for review. These articles were strongly represented by cross-sectional analyses, and included survey, qualitative and combination designs. There was a clear preference for Holland's model; studies examining gender differences were strongly represented; and there was a focus on career counselling and guidance research. The authors call for a more Australian-centred research agenda, including one related to indigenous and ethnic minorities.
Career Development of People with Disabilities: Some New and Not-So-New Challenges
Authors: Szymanski Edna Mora , Vancollins Jeff
Published: March 2013

Changes in the world of work present new challenges for people with disability. Using relevant literature, we review some changes in the world of work, provide an overview of an ecological model of vocational behaviour, identify possible challenges for people with disabilities, and provide suggestions for career counsellors.

Work is different today from what it was just ten years ago, and these differences affect people with disabilities. In this manuscript, we will examine some of the changes and their implications through the following topics: (a) an ecological model of vocational behaviour; (b) changes in the world of work; (c) challenges for people with disabilities; (d) implications for career counsellors.
Self-Employment for People with Disabilities in the United States: A Recommended Process for Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies
Authors: Arnold Nancy , Seekins Tom , Ipsen Catherine , Colling Kyle
Published: March 2013

Self-employment is an important employment option for people with disabilities. It provides flexibility, the ability to work non-traditional hours and to address issues associated with an illness or disability. It particularly addresses accessibility, communication, or transportation barriers for people with disabilities. It is especially useful in rural areas where there are few employers and consequently few employment opportunities. But self-employment is not for everyone, not every business idea is sensible, and not every proposed business is feasible. Rehabilitation agencies and counsellors that work with people with disabilities wishing to start a business usually are operating in unfamiliar territory. For the most part, rehabilitation counsellors are counsellors, not business developers. This article presents a process developed to assist rehabilitation agencies and counsellors to work with a client who wants to start a business. The process was developed after extensive research with rehabilitation agencies and counsellors who indicated they would be more willing to work with a client to start a business if they had guidance from their agency. The following process addresses that need by blending rehabilitation agency policies and procedures with best practice for developing a business.
Acquired Brain Injury and Return to Work in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Athanasou James A.
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this paper is to review the return-to-work rates following acquired brain injury in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). The reported return-to-work rates for the nine ANZ studies varied from 29% to 64% with a median of 46% and for 23 international studies the return-to-work rates varied from 19% to 88% (median also 46%). When the results of all ANZ studies were combined to form a total of 1010 subjects then the overall return-to-work rate was 44%. A number of methodological concerns were raised and it was estimated that only about 7–10% of persons with an acquired brain injury are likely to return to the same job.
An Investigation of Singaporeans' Use of Formal and Informal Job Sources
Authors: Hoi Andrew Poh Sui , Keng-Howe Irene Chew , Fie Albert Liau Kien
Published: March 2013

This study attempts to explore the job-seeking behaviour of young Singaporeans, in particular their use of formal or informal job resources, and the role that self-esteem and cultural values play in influencing their job-seeking behaviour. Participants were 899 students from three tertiary level institutions in Singapore. The results showed that self-esteem was not related to the use of informal job sources but there were significant associations between self-esteem and use of formal job sources. Perceived Asian values were found to be a powerful predictor of participants' reliance on informal job sources. The implications of the results are discussed in light of the ongoing economic crisis.
Positive Compromise: A New Perpective for Career Psychology
Authors: Chen Charles P.
Published: March 2013

One of the main challenges in the current world of work is the constant change and adjustment individuals encounter. To deal with such uncertainty, a person often has to give up something less feasible and achievable in order to accomplish career goals and projects that are more practical and obtainable. As a result, compromise becomes an inevitable vital construct in a person's career. This article explores the importance of maintaining an open stance in your work life—paying particular attention to the role of compromise in the career development process. It reviews the meaning of compromise in the current career theories; expands on the existing conceptualisation of compromise; and proposes a new perspective—positive compromise—to redefine the role and function of compromise in vocational and career psychology. Following this new conceptual framework, implications for career development intervention and career counselling are illustrated.
Creating Career Stories through Reflection: An Application of the Systems Theory Framework of Career Development
Authors: McMahon Mary , Patton Wendy , Watson Mark
Published: March 2013

The Systems Theory Framework (STF) of career development represents a metatheoretical account of career development that is consistent with the constructivist worldview. Presented as a framework of influences, the STF clearly illustrates the content and process of career development. The STF has provided the stimulus for the development of a qualitative career assessment process, a guided reflection titled ‘My System of Career Influences’ (MSCI) (McMahon, Patton, & Watson, 2003a). Using the content subsystems as aspects in a process of guided reflection, clients engage in the construction of their own career stories by reflecting on their system of career influences. A series of questions guide reflection on the meaning of these influences. The MSCI reflection activity may be completed individually, in groups, or with the assistance of a career counsellor or career teacher. The development and trialling of the MSCI will be outlined in this paper.
How Employees Remain Happy: Explaining a Paradox
Authors: Hutton Dorothy M. , Atkinson Barbara , Judd Priya , Darling Julie , Tran Linh , Cummins Robert A.
Published: March 2013

This paper draws on subjective quality of life theory to explain findings from three studies of quality of work life. The studies were conducted with 346 regional process workers, metropolitan employment officers and nurses. The results support the adoption of the theory of homeostasis as an explanation for findings on subjective wellbeing at work surveys. This research goes some way in explaining the paradox that perceived job and work satisfaction remain stable over time, while working conditions may vary widely.
Facilitating Post-Modern Career Counselling in the Limpopo Province of South Africa: A Rocky Ride to Hope
Authors: Maree Jacobus G. , Molepo Jacob M.
Published: March 2013

With little or no effort to test underlying assumptions in the South African context, South African career counsellors have traditionally depended on ‘proven’ assessment methods. Career counselling needs to move away from the almost sole use of psychometric tests to an approach that recognises an individual's social and historical background. Our research in Limpopo demonstrates the need for multiple approaches to the collection of comprehensive data in assisting students to make appropriate career choices. Whether traditionally advantaged or disadvantaged, all students need comprehensive information, both objective and subjective, to allow for appropriate career decision making. Therefore, the focus in career counselling in South Africa should be on the collection and utilisation of comprehensive information to assist all students to make successful career choices.
Facilitating Transition from Rural Schools to University
Authors: McIlveen Peter , Ford Tanya , Everton Bradley
Published: March 2013

This case study describes a career education program that has engaged rural secondary school students with the experience of university. The residential experience program included learning exercises for career exploration, attending university, and social experiences related to living in a city. Evaluation indicated that rural schools and students have engaged with the program, and that there was tentative evidence indicative of a positive impact on the participants' career aspirations and decision making.
Individualism and Collectivism: A Framework for Examining Career Programs through a Cultural Lens
Authors: Hughes Cathy , Thomas Trang
Published: March 2013

Cultural diversity and the cultural context of adolescent career development are explored through the lens of the cultural syndromes of individualism and collectivism. The individualist cultural value orientation of some of the main theoretical perspectives that underpin career education and counselling practice in schools is highlighted. In particular; the self-concept and career maturity segments of Super's (1990) lifespan, lifespace theory, career interests, career decision making and the career counselling process are examined with reference to the cultural syndromes of individualism and collectivism. Also discussed is the potential inappropriateness of theoretical perspectives that reflect an individualist cultural value orientation for the career development of all students. Finally, Leong and Serafica's (2001) cultural accommodation approach to enhancing the cultural relevance of existing career theories and models is outlined. Some examples of strategies are presented that might fill cultural gaps, which may exist in career education and counselling practices in schools.
Career Decision Making for Young Elite Athletes: Are We Ahead on Points?
Authors: Albion Majella J. , Fogarty Gerard J.
Published: March 2013

A comparison is made between the career decision making of secondary school students who are also elite athletes and a sample of non-athlete students. The 226 athletes (111 females, 115 males) in the study were on sporting scholarships with the Australian Institute of Sport or state/territory institutions. Measures used included the Career Decision Difficulties Questionnaire and the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale. The non-athlete data were obtained from 272 secondary school students (149 females, 123 males). Only three athletes indicated a singular focus on a career in professional sport. There were significant relationships between athletic identity and career decision difficulties, especially in relation to dysfunctional myths, and there was only one difference between the difficulties reported by athletes and non-athletes. Tentative conclusions are drawn about the factors that impact on career decision making among elite athletes and possible directions for future research.
Putting the Wheel into Motion: Designing a Career Development Program for University Students
Authors: Mackie Barbara , Thomas Jan
Published: March 2013

This case study outlines an approach to design a career development program for university students using an adaptation of ‘the wheel” (Amundson & Poehnell, 2004). Ten elements of the model are listed and some of the key questions, tools and strategies that support each element of the model are highlighted. Its application in a variety of group settings, as well as in individual student consultation, is described.
Gender Differences in the Impact of the ‘Work for the Dole’ Program on Wellbeing and Access to Latent Benefits
Authors: Muller Juanita J. , Goddard Richard , Creed Peter A. , Johnson Kate , Waters Lea
Published: March 2013

The aim of this study is to examine gender differences in the impact of the Work for the Dole program on wellbeing and access to latent benefits. Previous studies have shown gender differences in coping and responding to stressful situations, and the vocational interests and psychological responses to participation in personal development programs in the unemployed. The research proposes that participation in Work for the Dole programs will decrease psychological distress in males but not females, but that access to latent and manifest benefits will increase for both. Participants were 45 (20 females, 25 males) unemployed participants surveyed at Time 1 (commencement of the Work for the Dole program) and at Time 2 (sixweeks later) using the GHQ-12 and the LAMB scale. Results showed a significant decrease in psychological distress for males but not for females. It is argued that the Work for the Dole program does not provide valuable work experiences for females and therefore may be discriminatory.
Accuracy in Self-Assessment: The Role of Ability, Feedback, Self-Efficacy and Goal Orientation
Authors: Ng Jodie R. , Earl Joanne K.
Published: March 2013

Self-estimates of ability have been shown to be generally inaccurate but still continue to be used in career decision-making. The present study investigates the role of feedback and individual differences in goal orientation and self-efficacy in determining accuracy of self-estimates. A total sample of 94 high school-aged students gave self-estimates of their ability and completed questionnaires regarding self-efficacy, goal orientation and feedback. Participants were categorised as over-estimators, under-estimators or accurate estimators according to the difference between their self-estimate of ability and an objective measure. Results indicated four main areas of feedback sources, and a positive relationship between ability and accuracy of self-estimates. Learning goal orientation and use of feedback were positively related; however their effects on accuracy of self-assessment were contrary to those hypothesised. Practical implications of these findings for career decision-making, as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.
An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Adult Clients' Experience of My Career Chapter
Authors: McIlveen Peter , Patton Wendy , Hoare P. Nancey
Published: March 2013

This paper reports a study of adult clients' experience of My Career Chapter, which is a theoretically-informed, qualitative career assessment and counselling procedure. My Career Chapter engenders personal exploration through a client's writing and reading aloud a career-related autobiography, which is formulated on the basis of structured steps and a sentence-completion process. In a predominantly qualitative, mixed method design (i.e., QUAL+quan), interpretative phenomenological analysis of six interview transcripts constructed three major clusters representative of clients' experiences: implications for instructions and guidelines; induction of personal contemplation and self-reflection; and positive emotional experience. Secondary quantitative data aligned with the primary qualitative results. The results of this study were consistent with and extend upon previous research; and were indicative of the safety and potential of My Career Chapter as a narrative career assessment and counselling procedure for adults.
Locating Social Justice in Career Education: What can a Small-Scale Study from New Zealand Tell Us?
Authors: Irving Barrie A.
Published: March 2013

Career education occupies a pivotal position, relating school to the wider social, political and economic world. Yet it remains an under-researched curriculum area, with little attention given to issues of social justice. In this article I discuss the findings from a small-scale qualitative study, which consisted of an hour-long semi-structured interview with a secondary school careers teacher in a New Zealand provincial city. While acknowledging the limitations of this research, the findings do provide a degree of illumination when considered alongside the literature, thus contributing to the debate about the concept of career education, the role of career educators, and where social justice fits. Bridging the gap between theory and practice, the findings explore how social justice is understood and located within this particular setting, providing the reader with an opportunity to critically reflect on the conclusions reached, and consider these within the context of their own localised programs and practice(s).
Influence of Gender on Career Readiness among Malaysian Undergraduates
Authors: Mansor Abu T. , Tan Kit A.
Published: March 2013

This study aimed to investigate the influence of gender on career readiness among Malaysian undergraduate students at Malaysian universities. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire of 1229 Malaysian undergraduate students from four public universities. Respondents were identified through the multistage stratified sampling method. Findings of the study indicate that a majority of the respondents reported low level of career readiness. When compared to male undergraduates, female undergraduates were found to have lower career readiness as manifested by the higher need for career information, and by being more anxious and indecisive when having to make career decisions. An understanding of the factors which contribute to career readiness among male and female university students will help to provide insights for educators in improving students' career developmental process.
Social Inclusion and Critical Consciousness in Australia
Authors: Diemer Matthew A. , Ortega Lilyana
Published: March 2013

Australia's Indigenous population is excluded from a range of opportunities, experiences and amenities that facilitate wellbeing, self-determination and social inclusion. This social exclusion constrains the career development and occupational attainment of Indigenous youth, which represent key routes to societal inclusion. Critical consciousness—the awareness of sociopolitical inequality and motivation to participate in social action to change social structures and practices that foster social exclusion—is examined here as a precursor to social inclusion for Indigenous Australian youth. Critical consciousness appears to facilitate the career development and occupational attainment of socially excluded youth and augment career interventions for socially excluded people in North America. Given similarities in the social structures and practices that foster social exclusion in North America and Australia, critical consciousness may augment Australian educational policy and practice, as well as career counselling and interventions, complementing macro-level policies aiming to redress the social structures that cause social exclusion in Australia.
Mature-Aged Job Seekers' Experiences of Centrelink and the Job Network Services in an Australian Regional Centre
Authors: Kossen Chris , Hammer Sara
Published: March 2013

Unemployment may be considered a normal, if not likely, experience of a person's lifelong career. This paper is based on a primary, qualitative study that focused on the way mature-aged unemployed citizens experience government unemployment and employment agencies: Centrelink and the Job Network in a large regional city. It contributes to existing research that examines the experiences of particular unemployed groups as they negotiate their journey through these systems. Three themes emerged from the research, which was based on multiple in-depth interviews of 21 participants: the first was participants' experiences of disregard, disrespect and discrimination; the second was the restrictiveness of job information; the third was inappropriate job matching and inadequate employability training. We conclude that the experience of our participants supports criticisms made in other research about the restrictiveness and inadequacy of Job Network services, particularly for disadvantaged job seekers.
Part-Time Work of High School Students: Impact on Employability, Employment Outcomes and Career Development
Authors: Patton Wendy , Smith Erica
Published: March 2013

With the large number of high school students engaging in part-time work, very little is known about the impact of this activity on employability, employment outcomes and career development. This paper outlines the context of this phenomenon in Australia, and reviews the body of empirical work that has been published in recent years, noting the methodological limitations of this field of research.
Making a Difference? Developing Career Education as a Socially Just Practice
Authors: Irving Barrie A.
Published: March 2013

Career education plays a crucial role during compulsory secondary schooling by providing students with opportunities to gain diverse insights into the multiple ways in which social, political and economic discourses shape and position concepts of self, career, opportunity and justice. It hence has the potential to make a difference to how young people construct their career(s), make sense of their lives and critically engage with the world but the current career development focus on skills acquisition, competencies and self-management may be limiting opportunities for wider critical educational learning, leading to a restricted conceptualisation of career(s). In this article I draw on the work of Young (1990) to explore the concepts of social injustice and injustice, to consider how these intersect with career education and to outline ways in which career education might engage in anti-oppressive practice. While the examples presented and the issues are from New Zealand, they are applicable elsewhere.
Is Adult Reading a Guide to Educational — Vocational Achievement?
Authors: Athanasou James A.
Published: March 2013

Reading is theorised as a key aspect of one's educational and vocational adjustment. The reading scores on the Wide-Range Achievement Test 3 of 465 adult vocational assessment clients were examined. Reading varied across a range of social factors and the overall results were consistent with earlier studies, especially the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey. More than 50% of the sample had a US reading grade equivalent of Year 7 or below. While the median reading scores increased with educational level, there was substantial variation within groups. The results emphasised that people with widely varying skill levels can constitute an occupation. This variation has implications for the provision of any career guidance based on trait-factor concepts. Reading scores showed a small but statistically significant relationship with the return to work after injury. It is proposed that reading could be conceived as a foundation for career development.
The Influence of Professional Standards on New Zealand Career Development Practice
Authors: Furbish Dale
Published: March 2013

This study used professional standards developed by the Career Industry Council of Australia and the Career Development Association of New Zealand to create a questionnaire that was distributed to New Zealand career practitioners. The questionnaire asked respondents to rate the relevance of each standard to their career practice and also to rate their ability to apply the standard in their practice. Results indicated that the relevance of most standards was accepted, but that respondents felt less able to apply the standards. Practice setting was identified as an influence on the ratings. The findings have implications for the use of standards by career practitioners and career industry stakeholders.
The Significance of Career Narrative in Examining a High-Achieving Woman's Career
Authors: Elley-Brown Margaret J.
Published: March 2013

In this qualitative study, the career journey of one New Zealand woman was analysed. Three key findings emerged: the power of narrative as a vehicle for this woman's story, her movement towards greater authenticity and spiritual fulfilment as a mature woman, and the ongoing struggle for concurrent fulfilment from communal and agentic perspectives. The study demonstrates ways in which life themes impose meaning on vocational behaviour and how work can be seen to be a means of fostering self-completion.
The Effects of Using a Model-Reinforced Video on Information-Seeking Behaviour
Authors: McHugh Elizabeth A. , Lenz Janet G. , Reardon Robert C. , Peterson Gary W.
Published: March 2013

This study examined the effects of viewing a ten-minute model-reinforced video on careers information-seeking behaviour of 280 students in ten sections of a university careers course randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions. The video portrayed an undergraduate student seeking careers counselling services and a counsellor using modelling, as well as verbal and non-verbal reinforcement, to encourage the student to use information resources (such as books, websites, informational interviews). Participants who viewed the video (the treatment group) reported using a significantly wider variety of information-seeking strategies (reinforced in the video) and using more varied careers resources in completing a research assignment than students in a regular classroom presentation who did not view the video (the control group). They also spent less time seeking information than students in the control group. Implications for the use of the video in future research and practice are discussed.
A Review of the Latent and Manifest Benefits (LAMB) Scale
Authors: Muller Juanita , Waters Lea
Published: March 2013

The latent and manifest benefits (LAMB) scale (Muller, Creed, Waters & Machin, 2005) was designed to measure the latent and manifest benefits of employment and provide a single scale to test lahoda's (1981) and Fryer's (1986) theories of unemployment. Since its publication in 2005 there have been 13 studies that have used the scale with 5692 participants in Australian and German samples. This article reviews the use and findings of the LAMB scale and recommends future directions in LAMB research.
Examining the Context of Adolescent Career Decision Making
Authors: McMahon Mary L.
Published: March 2013

Adolescents are involved in career decision making at various times during their secondary education. Career education programs provided to assist with this process tend to be school specific and vary in content and depth according to the time allocated and the expertise and training of school personnel. Insufficient time or insufficient training can cause career education to be oversimplified. However, to underestimate the complexity of career decision making and treat it simplistically using a reductionist approach is to disadvantage both adolescents and school personnel. It is essential to consider career decision making in context — not to disregard the reductionist approach but to place it in a contextual frame where the impact of contextual elements on career decision making can be examined. Thus career education and career counselling can be challenging and satisfying for both adolescents and school personnel as they explore the complex issues related to career decision making.
Implementation Issues in a Pastoral Care and Career Guidance Program
Authors: Chin Ong Teck
Published: March 2013

Anglo-Chinese School founded in 1886, was selected by the Ministry of Education in 1988 to be one of the 17 pilot schools in Singapore to evolve and implement its own Pastoral Care and Career Guidance (PCCG) system, incorporating both structure and program. A horizontal PCCG structure was formulated and a whole school approach was adopted. The school believes that young people in our society need to be better educated, trained for adult life and provided with a range of opportunities, information and guidance to enable them to make sound, considered decisions upon leaving school. Detailed lesson plans on PCCG topics covering five key areas — self awareness, personal skills, interpersonal relationships, health and hygiene and career guidance were written and used during formal classroom time. Additional out-of-school programs called co-curricular activities reinforced the formal contact time. This article explores issues associated with rationale, implementation, organisation, program, integration of PCCG, resources, staff training and the manner in which PCCG successfully supports the total school.
Research Digest
Authors: Shears Meredith
Published: March 2013

This section of the journal includes abstracts of research. Research reported is at varying stages from early development of ideas to completion. Authors of abstracts would like to hear from anyone else working in their area. Please contact authors if you are interested, either through the Editor or direct.
Seeing is Believing
Authors: Harrigan Neil , Taubman Marion , Bureau Youth
Published: March 2013

Veritable libraries of career information appear on shelves each year. Well-intentioned influencers, particularly parents and teachers, make use of this material as do career information seekers themselves. Decisions are made on the content, yet the industry of Career Information still remains highly deregulated. Any person/organisation with any motive can produce quite influential career information.

The Department of Employment Education and Training (DEET) is one of the largest agencies responsible for provision of career information. It is the major Australian provider of national and local occupational information data and products with an overall expenditure of approximately $15 million per annum (DEET, 1991). It was afforded an opportunity during the deliberations of an Australian Education Council Working Party on Career Education (McCowan, 1992) to take the first step in the development of standards for career information. This article explores these issues, as well as presenting a checklist of standards for career information providers.
Returning from the Wilderness
Authors: Pryor Robert G.L.
Published: March 2013

The study of personality has been plagued by a series of major disputes which has led many career development practitioners to conclude that it has little to offer them. However, more recently a striking consensus has emerged about the underlying dimensions of human trait ratings. This consensus has been designated ‘the Big Five’ and comprises Extroversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness. An impressive range of data has been marshalled in support of these dimensions including that derived from self ratings, peer ratings, existing questionnaires, research across languages, culture, gender, and age, and reanalysis of other theoretical frameworks. Some limitations of ‘the Big Five’ are outlined along with their practical application to education and work. Some further ways in which these dimensions may be usefully applied to the career development field are also adumbrated. It is concluded that it is now appropriate to incorporate personality research and assessment into both the theory and practice of career development.
Young Women's Career Choices
Authors: Wheelahan Helen , Knowles Ann
Published: March 2013

This study investigated the career choices of young women attending a single-sex church school using both longitudinal and cross-sectional data. Ninety-nine Year 12 students completed Holland's Self-directed Search (SDS) in 1985. In 1991, 40 of these respondents again completed the SDS and provided demographic and employment information. Also in 1991, the school's Year 12 students (n = 87) completed the SDS and provided demographic data. SDS scores for the longitudinal group (students retested in 1991) showed that their vocational preferences changed with Realistic, Artistic, Enterprising and Conventional scores increasing and Social scores remaining the same. Comparisons between the longitudinal group's 1985 and 1991 SDS scores and the type of course and employment they pursued lent support to developmental theories of career choice. Cross-sectional results indicated that there were very few differences in the vocational preferences of the 1985 and 1991 Year 12 students. Thus results also suggested that current efforts to encourage girls to have broader career aspirations have had little effect. Implications of these findings for career counselling were discussed.
Vocational Preparation
Authors: Sweet Richard
Published: March 2013

National targets for growth in vocational preparation are unlikely to be met by relying upon wage-based models such as apprenticeships and traineeships. Full-time programs in TAFE, like full-time school courses, cannot provide the rich contextual and applied learning needed for high quality vocational education. A strategy that combines general and vocational education, workplace and classroom learning, school and industry training standards as well as links to post-school training is advocated. The Australian Student Traineeship Foundation, launched by the Prime Minister in 1994, is designed to promote and disseminate this strategy.
Career Development of Teacher Education Students
Authors: Hill Doug , Hepworth Tony , Hemmings Brian , Braggett Eddie , Petts Ray , Wallace Andrew , Barton Bridget
Published: March 2013

There is little known about the way in which individuals develop as they progress through university-based teacher education courses and the particular experiences students perceive as critical in their courses. Data were gathered for three year Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) students using questionnaires, small group discussions and inspection of student records. The three stages in the career development of the students were similar to those identified in the literature but also reflected particular features of the course.
Career Education and Educating for Social Justice
Authors: Hughes Cathy
Published: March 2013

Current themes in career education in Australia are in danger of unquestioningly supporting the existing social structure and its inherent inequalities. This article describes past and current career education themes that serve to highlight the desirability of forging links between education for social justice and career education. The nature of the relationship between career education and social justice education is clarified and the significance of pursuing social justice outcomes in schools, particularly in relatively advantaged schools, is elaborated using the example of a career education unit developed and implemented at a Tasmanian private secondary school.
Paths to Success
Authors: VandenHeuvel Audrey , Robertson Frances
Published: March 2013

The Class of ′71 is a longitudinal study following the educational and career paths of a group of Australians over the years from secondary school to mid-adulthood. This article is the second of a two-part series detailing the results of this study. In Part 1, which appeared in the Spring 1995 edition of this journal, factors associated with career outcomes, measured 20 years after secondary school, were detailed. In this article, findings that relate to intergenerational mobility, the association of unemployment with career outcomes, the match between occupational aspirations and achievements, and factors the respondents believed were influential regarding career outcomes are reported.
Career Guidance with the Long-Term Unemployed
Authors: Patton Wendy
Published: March 2013

This paper addresses the issue of career guidance with the unemployed, noting the limited literature in existence. It includes a review of overseas and Australian research, and policy and practice documents. Various models of case management are presented, and the real or potential place for career guidance in these models is discussed. The paper argues for the inclusion of career guidance in interventions with the long-term unemployed, while acknowledging concerns and issues with this strategy.

CONCLUSION
A University Career Planning Course for Academic Credit
Authors: Crozier Sharon D.
Published: March 2013

Career decision-making and preparation for job-seeking are major tasks that students face during their university years. A credit course that focuses on understanding higher education, planning a career, learning job search strategies and managing transitions, assists students to successfully deal with their career development process. An outline for this course will be given, course evaluations will be reviewed, and the process used for obtaining academic credit will be discussed.
Cross-Sectoral Approaches Combining Career and Vocational Education in Schools in Western Australia
Authors: Barnett Chris
Published: March 2013

“Programs for lower secondary students supporting their access to vocational education and training in the senior years: a cross-sectoral approach including school and industry profession development” is a project funded by the Career Education Association of Western Australia and the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. The project objectives, findings and recommendations from the preliminary research and other project developments are described. The Internet address for regular updated information is also provided.
Focus on the Future
Authors: Moon Michèle
Published: March 2013

This case study describes an interesting approach to focusing on careers. The culmination of the work of Year 10 students in researching a career area of interest was a two day conference. In addition to a program of guest speakers, student groups presented information on their career area of interest in an informative and interesting manner.
Predictors of Employment Destinations for University Graduates
Authors: Fan Cynthia , Antoine Ernest
Published: March 2013

The aim of the present study was to find out the characteristics related to employment destinations, including ethnicity, confidence in employment skills and personal skills. The participants included 537 graduates from a university in Melbourne and the results indicated that graduates from a non-English-speaking background were less likely to be employed full-time or part-time, and less confident of their personal and presentation skills, compared with those from an English-speaking background. Furthermore, graduates who were not employed were less confident of their employment skills than those who were employed. The implications of the above findings for career counselling are also discussed.
Modeling and inverse compensation of dynamics of base-excited ionic polymer–metal composite sensors
Authors: Lei Hong , Lim Chaiyong , Tan Xiaobo
Published: March 2013

Motivated by their structural monitoring and energy harvesting applications, in this article, we study the modeling and inverse compensation of cantilevered ionic polymer–metal composite sensors that are excited at base. The proposed dynamic model is physics based, combines the vibration dynamics of a flexible beam under base excitation and the ion transport dynamics within an ionic polymer–metal composite, and incorporates the effect of a tip mass. Excellent agreement is demonstrated between the model prediction and experimental measurement in both the magnitude and the phase of the frequency response, for the frequency range of 10–150 Hz. For the purpose of real-time signal processing, we further reduce the model to finite dimension by combining techniques of Padé approximation and Taylor series expansion. For the reconstruction of the base excitation signal given the sensor output, we present an inverse compensation scheme for the reduced sensor model, where stable but noncausal inversion and leaky integration are introduced to deal with zeros that are unstable and on the imaginary axis, respectively. The effectiveness of the scheme as well as the underlying model is validated experimentally in the reconstruction of structural vibration signals, when the structure to which the ionic polymer–metal composite is attached is subjected both to periodic vibrations and to an impact.
Amplifying damage signature in periodic structures using enhanced piezoelectric networking with negative resistance elements
Authors: Zhao Ji , Tang Jiong
Published: March 2013

Spatially periodic structures, such as bladed disks, are widely used as components in rotating machines. The recent advent of blade-tip-timing sensing technique has allowed the extraction of vibratory response information of blades during rotation for damage detection purposes. The decision making in damage detection of a periodic structure based on such measurement, however, is difficult primarily because of the clustered natural frequencies and high modal density, which is further complicated by inevitable structural uncertainty/variation. Our underlying idea is to integrate piezoelectric transducers together with circuitry elements onto the periodic structure to alter its dynamic characteristics during the inspection stage to improve the sensitivity and robustness of vibration-based damage detection. In particular, it has been identified that a properly designed piezoelectric inductive circuitry can amplify the response anomaly under external excitation. Such amplification nevertheless diminishes as the mechanical damping in the periodic structure increases. In this research, it is shown that the adverse effect of mechanical damping to anomaly amplification can be effectively reduced, by incorporating negative resistance elements into the piezoelectric circuitry network. The negative resistance elements are synthesized using operational amplifier circuits and can offset the mechanical damping through the dynamic interaction between the piezoelectric circuitry and the host structure. The stability boundary of the negative resistance integration is identified, where the frequency-dependent inherent resistance of the piezoelectric transducer is taken into consideration explicitly. The effectiveness of the enhanced circuitry network for amplifying damage signature in periodic structures under large damping is illustrated with detailed case studies.