bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Counsellor Practices and Student Perspectives: Perceptions of Career Counselling in Australian Secondary Schools
Authors: Walker Karen , Alloway Nola , Dalley-Trim Leanne , Patterson Annette
Published: March 2013

The voices of secondary school students describing their experiences of school-based career counselling services are reported and discussed. Arising from the students' narratives and school-based career counsellors' descriptions of their services, a continuum of service delivery is conceptualised that highlights features of career service delivery models valued by students. Consistent with international research, the valued school career counsellors were those reported by students to spend the majority of their time with individuals and small groups.
Career Development and the Skills Shortage: A Lesson from Charles Dickens
Authors: McIlveen Peter
Published: March 2013

This paper presents a critical argument to the profession of career development for the purpose of stimulating reflexive consideration on the myriad influences that impinge upon practitioners. The paper suggests that given the current skills agenda in the Australian economy, it may be timely to reflexively consider career development practice. The paper uses Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times and the character Mr Thomas Gradgrind, who was a dedicated educator in a small industrial town set in the Victorian era, to exemplify how the influence of prevailing social philosophies and economic conditions imbue the practice of professionals. It is suggested that there are potential parallels between the practices of Mr Gradgrind and contemporary career development practitioners. Career development practitioners are asked to consider their position in and amongst high-level political, economic and educational influences and to reflect upon if and how these influences manifest in their practices.
Vocational Education and Training in Schools: Career Advisers' Perceptions and Advising Practices
Authors: Dalley-Trim Leanne , Alloway Nola , Patterson Annette , Walker Karen
Published: March 2013

This paper explores the currently highly topical issue of Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS). Specifically, it focuses upon career advisers' perceptions of VETiS, their advising practices as pertaining to this program and their views of others' perceptions of VETiS. It draws upon a national research project and data derived from interviews conducted with career advisers during the course of the project. The paper demonstrates that career advisers perceive VETiS in a favourable light on the whole, and that they advocate the practice of advising all students to do VETiS if students desire to do so. That said, the paper goes on to highlight tensions apparent in the career advisers' perceptions of, and subsequent advicegiving practices regarding VETiS-particularly in terms of the potential benefits it affords all students. It becomes clear that career advisers have different agendas for advising different students—academic and non—academic students—to undertake VETiS as a course of study. Finally, the paper demonstrates the ways in which career advisers become complicit in the marginalisation of VETiS programs and the status of VET.
Occupational Aspirations and Expectations of Australian Adolescents
Authors: Patton Wendy , Creed Peter
Published: March 2013

Adolescents across the five years of high school (169 females and 164 males) completed a survey that identified occupational status aspirations and expectations coded into six types—realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, or conventional—according to the RIASEC model (Holland, 1997). As the focus of the study was to explore relationships between these traditional constructs and key career development constructs, measures of career maturity, career indecision, self-esteem, career goals and school achievement were also completed. Discrepancies between occupational aspirations and expectations were reported and the relevance of including career development constructs into these investigations was validated. Occupational status aspirations were associated with school achievement, self-esteem, and career maturity. Students who reported achieving well at school, who were more career mature, who had more career knowledge and who had higher self-esteem were more likely to aspire to professional status occupations. Students who did not report high academic achievement, who had less career knowledge and who had lower self-esteem were more likely to aspire to skilled or semi-professional status occupations.
Counsellors' Personal Experience and Appraisal of My Career Chapter
Authors: McIlveen Peter
Published: March 2013

This study investigated a qualitative career assessment and counselling procedure that was founded upon a constructivist, narrative approach to career counselling, My Career Chapter: A Dialogical Autobiography(McIlveen, 2006). Counsellors were trained in the use of the procedure and then applied it to themselves in an intensive workshop format. Intepretative phenomenological analysis was used for the research methodology. Counsellors were then interviewed to determine (a) their personal experience of My Career Chapter and (b) their appraisal of its alignment with a set of recommendations for the design and use of qualitative assessment procedures. Four superordinate clusters were derived from the data and these included my career chapter's relationship to theory, its administrative process, the counselling process, and the counselling relationship. The results indicated that My Career Chapter satisfied the recommendations for qualitative procedures. Possible amendments to the procedure were discussed.
Styles of Career Decision-Making
Authors: Bimrose Jenny , Barnes Sally-Anne
Published: March 2013

Distinctive styles of client decision-making have emerged from case study research into the effectiveness of career guidance. This paper explores some findings from the third year of a longitudinal study currently underway in England, which relate to the ways clients approach transitionpoints in their careers and make the decisions that move them on. Data analysis reveals four career decision-making styles: evaluative, strategic, aspirational and opportunistic. Overall, it is evident that the choices and decisions made as individuals progress towards longer-term career destinations are multi-dimensional, complex, sometimes being implemented over an extended time frame and not always rational. For practice, implications of these findings include the need for practitioners to place less emphasis on planning for certainty and more tolerance of undecidedness.
The Vicissitudes of Life: Some Effects of Injuries on Career Development
Authors: Athanasou James A.
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this paper is to examine four case studies on the effects of injuries on adult career development. The four cases are taken from published judgements in the New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory Supreme Courts. Each case is analysed in terms of the person's background, the key issues and the demonstrable impact on educational and vocational development. As expected, these selected cases highlight the catastrophic effects of injuries on expected career development. This was viewed as a function of the person's background and the type of accident and the associated injuries. Sometimes there is evidence of a return to work but it is qualitatively and quantitatively different from what might be expected had the accident not occurred.
The Career Development of Rural Queensland Children
Authors: McMahon Mary , Rixon Kylie
Published: March 2013

The present study examined the occupational aspirations and career development influences of children attending Years 6 and 7 at a sample of rural and remote primary schools in the central western region of Queensland. Data was collected by means of the Revised Career Awareness Survey (McMahon & Patton, 2001). Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) codes were used to analyse the participants' occupational aspirations and the Systems Theory Framework categories were used to analyse the influences on their career development. The children's occupational aspirations were compared with state and regional labour market information. Recommendations related to career development interventions in the context of the school, family and community and future research are made.
Development of a Brief Measure of Career Development Influences Based on the Systems Theory Framework
Authors: Bridgstock Ruth
Published: March 2013

This paper documents the initial development and validation of a brief quantitative measure of career development influences based on the Systems Theory Framework (STF) of career development (McMahon & Patton, 1995; Patton & McMahon, 1997, 1999, 2006). Initial exploratory factor analyses of pilot study data revealed a six-factor structure based on 20 of the 28 influences. A subsequent confirmatory factor analysis procedure using structural equation model (SEM) revealed a fundamentally stable factor structure across the two different populations tested, although some further modifications were made to the scale. The final 19-item scale identified five correlated factors, of which three were within the framework's individual system, one was within the social system, and one was within the environmental-societal system. In the final section of the paper, the theoretical implications of this factorial structure and the importance of the influence of world of work knowledge factor are addressed. The utility of the career development influences scale as a brief measure to contextualise more targeted measures in large-scale quantitative career development studies is discussed.
Migrants' Adjustment to Career: An Analysis in Relation to Nicholson's Theory
Authors: Tharmaseelan Nithiyaluxmy
Published: March 2013

This study addressed career transitions in view of new environments along with the mobility of individuals across cultural territories. It paid attention to various adjustments individuals can make in their career in relation to their new enviornment and analysed those adjustment modes in relation to Nicholson's theory of work role transitions. Different clusters of such adjustment modes were identified and their influences on different career outcomes were examined. The study suggested that individuals' adjustment towards their career plays an important role in determining career outcomes such as employment status and career satisfaction.
Gathering the Real Data from Creative Industries Graduates One Year Out
Authors: Oam Col Mccowan , Wyganowska Joanna
Published: March 2013

University student outcome data in Australia is collected via the Graduate Destination Survey component of the Australian Graduate Survey at the referent date three months post-graduation. This timeline gives consideration to graduates to enter directly into traditional vocations. For graduates from non-traditional areas and/or with non-traditional career structures, three months is insufficient to get a true picture of their portfolio, protean or boundaryless-style careers. The Careers and Employment service at the Queensland University of Technology collaborated with the Creative Industries Faculty to collect data from their graduates 12 months after graduation. The outcomes reflected a wide range of career structures entered into by Creative Industries students and was compared to general outcome data for graduates. The data was particularly useful for students, career counselors and faculty career programs. A further, more refined process will be extended to another non-traditional career group in the following year.
Autoethnography as a Method for Reflexive Research and Practice in Vocational Psychology
Authors: McIlveen Peter
Published: March 2013

This paper overviews the qualitative research method of autoethnography and its relevance to research in vocational psychology and practice in career development. Autoethnography is a reflexive means by which the researcher-practitioner consciously embeds himself or herself in theory and practice, and by way of intimate autobiographic account, explicates a phenomenon under investigation or intervention. Autoethnography is presented as a vehicle to operationalise social constructionist research and practice that aims to establish trustworthiness and authenticity. Furthermore, the method is presented as a means to operationalise the notion of critical consciousness within researchers and practitioners. It is concluded that autoethnography should be admitted to the methodological repertoire of vocational psychology research and practice.
Southern Theory Perspective and Career Development
Authors: Burns Edgar
Published: March 2013

This paper offers a preliminary exploration of Connell's idea of southern theory and its potential application to career development. Four assumptions of metropolitan (northern) social theory are described: (a) the claim of universality, (b) reading from the centre, (c) gestures of exclusion, and (d) grand erasure. These assumptions are challenged by reframing Super's long-standing career stages model, showing parallels between the model and social theories Connell critiques.
Career Transitions: The Experiences of Unemployed Women Managers
Authors: Sheridan Terry A.
Published: March 2013

A sample of 45 women managers was surveyed in a qualitative study to explore their experiences of being unemployed. The sample was purposeful, and the data were collected on a website-based survey. The experience of unemployment for female managers was far different from what was previously presumed from research largely drawn from male managers. In this sample, 40% of the women managers were bullied, harassed or victimised out of their employment. Jobs that were taken at below the respondent's level of competence had the most negative emotional outcomes for respondents. Explanatory models of affect (positive and negative) were developed and the paper explores implications for career counsellors faced with competent, mature women managers searching for employment.
Career Decision-Making and Corporate Responsibility
Authors: Sainty Rosemary
Published: March 2013

This paper seeks to investigate the extent of influence of corporate (or organisational) responsibility on university students' career decision-making. It reports on a pilot study conducted at the University of Sydney which aims to: explore students' ethical, professional and social understanding regarding corporate responsibility; determine the importance of these issues relevant to other career values in career decision-making and choice of employer; understand on what basis students currently judge employers on these issues and how these career decisions are arrived at, and finally identify gaps in current careers resources with the aim of using this information to develop relevant resources. Findings include a strong awareness of the elements of corporate responsibility regarding career decision-making with implications for employers, careers practitioners and theorists.
Social Justice and Career Development: Views and Experiences of Australian Career Development Practitioners
Authors: McMahon Mary , Arthur Nancy , Collins Sandra
Published: March 2013

Career development practice had its origins in social justice reform over 100 years ago. A social justice perspective requires practitioners to examine the environmental context of their work, including the social, economic and political systems that influence people's career development. Achieving socially just outcomes for clients may necessitate intervention in these systems. While social justice is receiving a resurgence of interest in the literature, little is known about career development practitioners' attitudes towards and knowledge of socially just practice. The present paper examines the views and experiences of Australian career development practitioners on social justice. Data was collected by means of an online survey. Participants offered descriptions of their understanding of social justice and also examples of critical incidents in which they had attempted social justice interventions. Findings related to how Australian career development practitioners describe and operationalise social justice in their work are presented, as well as recommendations for future research.
A Career and Learning Transitional Model for Those Experiencing Labour Market Disadvantage
Authors: Cameron Roslyn
Published: March 2013

Research investigating the learning and career transitions of those disadvantaged in the labour market has resulted in the development of a four-component model to enable dis-advantaged groups to navigate learning and career transitions. The four components of the model include: the self-concept; learning and recognition; career and life planning; and new literacies. The focus of this paper will be on the career and life planning component. The research utilised a sequential mixed model design, which consisted of two phases. Phase one of the research involved a Learning Survey of approximately 250 labour market program participants in which quantitative data analysis techniques were used. Phase two involved the development of the model and testing in the field. A formative evaluation of the model in the field was undertaken, utilising a combination of both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The field test was undertaken with a labour market program for women over 45 years of age wishing to re-enter the workforce. The research has resulted in the development of a model that offers career development researchers and practitioners an alternative holistic, group-based and community-based approach to career development for disadvantaged groups.
Medico-Legal Employability Assessment: Myths, Mistakes and Misconceptions
Authors: Pryor Robert G. L. , Hawkins Trevor K.
Published: March 2013

The onset of injury and disability can have a significant negative effect on individuals' social, interpersonal and vocational participation. This in turn impacts on individuals' current and future earning capacity. An objective assessment of post-injury work capacity is often sought through legal processes to determine the extent of this loss. Onset of disability does not necessarily mean lack of ability to work. Changes in employment potential are, however, commonplace post-injury. This paper canvasses a range of issues confronting professionals who assess employment potential following injury, especially in medico-legal settings. What needs to be assessed, what assumptions need to be avoided and what practices undermine reliable and valid vocational assessment are discussed. Recommendations and suggestions about how to perform employability assessment to meet the standards required by the court system of expert witnesses are also outlined.
The Rise and Fall of Vocational Psychology: A Personal Perspective
Authors: De Giovanni Vincent
Published: March 2013

Vocational psychology was one of the earliest forms of applied psychology. By tracing its development through the 20th century, I have examined how theoretical and technical developments have expanded its knowledge and expertise base while at the same time nurturing the development of associated areas of psychological inquiry and practice. I believe that the literature adequately supports the position that these later fields of practice and research have developed to the point where they have overtaken the specific applied area that first spawned them.
Interview with Professor Beryl Hesketh
Authors: McIlveen Peter
Published: March 2013

Professor Beryl Hesketh is an internationally regarded figure in the field of career development. Professor Hesketh's leadership is acknowledged in her being a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Australia. She is also a Fellow the Australian Psychological Society and the USA Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She received the Elton Mayo Award in 1997 for her contribution to research and teaching in organisational psychology. Currently, Professor Hesketh is the Executive Dean of the College of Health and Science at the University of Western Sydney.
How Time-Flow Shapes Three Meanings of Midcareer
Authors: Burns Edgar
Published: March 2013

This article reviews the theoretical notion of midcareer as it is described in career development literature. Three patterns of use of the term ‘midcareer’ are identified, and these differ in the time that authors either nominate or assume constitutes midcareer. These timeframes are: (1) a period some time after career commencement; (2) a variable period of time midway between start and end of career; or (3) a period beyond a midpoint in the second half of career. The discussion centres on findings that point to how midcareer theory can be reframed. Even so, career theory may still echo traditional unhelpful assumptions about midcareer that need continual questioning.
Older Academics and Career Management: An Interdisciplinary Discussion
Authors: Larkin Jacqui , Neumann Ruth
Published: March 2013

The academic workforce is among the oldest (Commonwealth of Australia, 2005) and arguably has the most highly qualified professionals within Australia. Yet career management for this group is seldom discussed. This paper considers Australia's ageing academic workforce and the human resource management challenges and implications this poses for Australian universities, through an interdisciplinary discussion of the literature from three key areas: higher education, psychology and career. The paper will argue that an ageing academic workforce raises crucial sustainability issues, and that universities need to be responsive to this phenomenon and to the complexity of the academic career. It will also draw attention to the lack of evidence to date of university career management policy and practice which incorporates both life and career stages, and which proactively addresses academic careers and ageing. Given an increasingly globalised and competitive labour market, it is in both the university's and the individual academic's best interests to work proactively and collaboratively in order to create a mutually beneficial future.
The Halcyon Days are Over. Or are They? Implications of the Global Financial Crisis for Managers' Careers
Authors: Marchant Teresa
Published: March 2013

This paper discusses the implications for managers' careers of the global financial crisis. It draws on empirical research during the last period of major job cuts. Evidence comes from a mail survey of over 1000 career histories of Australian managers, with a response rate of 44%. Changes to career satisfaction, job satisfaction, job security, expectations regarding future career moves and employability are reported for retrenched managers. The paper contributes a context for changes to managers' careers in terms of labour market structures and economic conditions. The main results are that following 1990s restructuring, job security was low and retrenched managers were less likely to have invested in their own employability, but paradoxically, exhibited more of the attitudes associated with employability. The paper is useful for careers practitioners to understand the impacts on managers experiencing job loss and to be aware of possible outcomes and actions required of individuals.
Some Implications of the Psychological Experience of Unemployment
Authors: Hoare P. Nancey , Machin M. Anthony
Published: March 2013

This paper presents a summary of some of the implications gleaned from a research project which investigated the psychological influences on the experience of unemployment. Drawing from deprivation theory and the stress and coping literature, the research project explored coping resources, cognitive appraisals, coping behaviours, mental health and re-employment. The results highlight the importance of considering a range of factors that could impact on the psychological wellbeing, job search behaviour and re-employment prospects for unemployed individuals. some of those factors include core self-evaluations, appraisals of deprivation or hardship, and activities that individuals pursue in their spare time. suggestions are made for intervention strategies that can be tailored to the specific need of the individual.
Career Counselling: A Mechanism to Address the Accumulation of Disadvantage
Authors: Arulmani Gideon
Published: March 2013

Discussions pertaining to social inclusion quickly arrive at the issues that surround work, employment and career. This paper presents data from a large Indian survey to describe the differential impact of socioeconomic status on career preparation self-efficacy, the perception of career development barriers and career beliefs. The psychosocial factors that are intertwined with the perpetuation of social exclusion are delineated and the role that career counselling could play to empower the socially excluded to engage with life chances is discussed.
Career Guidance and Social Inclusion: A Challenge for Europe
Authors: Sultana Ronald G.
Published: March 2013

This paper discusses the way career guidance is conceived across Europe as a policy instrument that can facilitate social inclusion. It locates current articulations of career guidance within the broader social-market aspirations of the European Union, providing an account of several reviews and analyses of the field that have been carried out at both member state and regional levels. The paper examines how the prevailing model of lifelong career guidance in Europe ties into strongly embedded notions of social welfare that, while increasingly challenged by neoliberal imperatives, nevertheless continue to strive to ensure solidarity towards all citizens, especially those most at risk of social exclusion. Within such an articulation, career guidance in Europe is keen not only to facilitate autonomy and self-sufficiency by equipping citizens with the life skills needed to manage educational and occupational pathways, but also to provide the support required throughout life, when and where it is needed. However, while much has been done in Europe to cater for the career guidance needs of vulnerable groups, it is clear that several challenges remain.
Social Exclusion and Career Development: A United Kingdom Perspective
Authors: Watts A. G.
Published: March 2013

Social exclusion can be defined in different ways, but a prominent definition—in relation to young people in particular—is exclusion from formal learning and paid employment. This ignores the role of informal learning and the informal economies. In England, career guidance services were remodelled to deal with the issue of social exclusion by reducing the size of the NEET (not in education, employment or training) group. The result was a significant erosion of mainstream career guidance provision for young people and of the professional status of careers advisers. It is concluded that career guidance services can certainly play a prominent role in policies designed to tackle social exclusion but that this should not be at the expense of their wider roles in policies relating to education and training and to the labour market.
Decent Work and its Implications for Careers
Authors: Athanasou James A.
Published: March 2013

The principle of decent work was first espoused in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Since 1999 the International Labour Organisation has operated according to a Decent Work Agenda and in recent times the movement towards the provision of decent work as a means of improving the quality of life has gathered momentum. Decent work is relevant to career development worldwide and embodies: a reasonable income; equal opportunities; safe working conditions; trade union representation; and a social safety net. Evidence is provided that decent work is not necessarily a feature of employment or career development across various countries. In a time of workplace fragmentation there are pay differentials in favour of workers under collective bargaining; working hours are longer than stipulated; overtime is not compensated; or there is work-related physical and mental stress. This paper explores the concept of decent work and its implications for career development.
Career Development and Social Inclusion at St Patrick's College: A Case Study
Authors: Hughes Cathy
Published: March 2013

Consistent with the Commonwealth government's social inclusion agenda, the mission statement of St Patrick's College advocates the development and delivery of career development services and programs that promote social justice and social inclusion. This case study describes the evolving career development program at St Patrick's College, which has an intentional focus on promoting social justice and achieving social inclusion outcomes. The St Patrick's College career development program offers some examples of practical ways in which schools can implement the Commonwealth government's social inclusion agenda.
Chinese-Born International Students' Transition Experiences from Study to Work in New Zealand
Authors: Dyer Suzette , Lu Fen
Published: March 2013

A growing number of Chinese-born international students are seeking permanent residency and paid employment in New Zealand after graduation. As yet, little is known about their post-study transitions to permanent residency and paid employment. This article reports on research investigating the transition experiences of 10 Chinese-born international students. The theoretical framing is provided by accounts of Chinese cultural values, experiences of Chinese-born skilled migrants and aspects of adult career development. Data were collected using a thematic interview guide focusing on occupational choice, organisational entry and early career experiences. The participants used a variety of techniques described in traditional career development models to find employment and to develop their early career. The students attributed their success in gaining employment to obtaining permanent residency before seeking work, language proficiency, networks developed during their study years, and having a recognised New Zealand qualification.
Sustaining the Self: Implications for the Development of Career Practitioners' Professional Identity
Authors: Douglas Fiona
Published: March 2013

Increasing interest by national and international agencies affects the environment career practitioners work in. Market-driven systems, deregulation and technological innovation change how people access services. This article examines some of the implications of these aspects on how career practitioners build their occupational identity, finding tensions exist between top-down professionalising actions such as building professional bodies to consolidate a fragmented occupation and the grassroots feelings practitioners have about their occupational identity. My focus is on how career practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand, construct their occupational identity. I find the work of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler helps me to understand the discomfort many experience. My findings, with which others may identify, are that such discomfort about occupational identity inhibits a coherent push for professionalisation.
Career Development Strategies for Japanese Immigrant Teachers
Authors: Okamura Yasuko , Miller Judi
Published: March 2013

Many career development theories recognise that the relationship between people and their environment constantly changes through historical and socio-political influences. Such theories emphasise the importance of systematic interpretations and general cultural influences on meaning-making. While such a view of meaning-making is important, we posit that practitioners with knowledge of their clients' cultural influences are better placed to encourage all clients to create their own meanings. This article explores the experiences of a group of immigrant native Japanese-speaking teachers to examine cultural influences on their career paths. It aims to help practitioners work with diverse populations.
Career Decision-Making: What Matters to Indigenous Australians?
Authors: Helme Sue
Published: March 2013

This article brings together and discusses three research projects that examined the vocational education and career-decision making of Indigenous Australians. These studies focused on the experiences of Indigenous people themselves, in order to provide an Indigenous perspective on vocational and career development. Four main barriers that limit the career opportunities of Indigenous people are identified, and the characteristics of education and training settings that promote effective career development are described. The article concludes by suggesting ways to respond to the career development needs of Indigenous people that may lead to improved educational and employment outcomes.
Australian Wine Tourism: Establishing a Career Path at the Cellar Door
Authors: Williams Kim Marianne
Published: March 2013

Wine tourism in Australia has grown substantially in recent years and contributes to employment opportunities in regional areas. To meet the requirements of this growing sector, workers need a considerable degree of skill-specific training; development of wine tourism personnel will be required. This article examines challenging human resource issues associated with the potential labour pool in wine regions in Australia. It raises issues about professional development through the implementation of training and assessment strategies to achieve a growth in the professionalism of cellar-door employees and thus provide a professional career pathway for Australian wine tourism personnel.
Occupational Engagement among University Students in Jordan: Adaptation to Careers in the Future
Authors: Khasawneh Samer
Published: March 2013

The main purpose of this study was to determine the level of occupational engagement among university students in one Jordanian university. The instrument used to collect data in this study was the Occupational Engagement scale-student (OES-S-14 items) developed by Cox (2008). The OES-S went through rigorous cross-cultural translation process to ensure its validity. The study surveyed 139 students who were enrolled in the vocational education courses and evaluation courses offered by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the Hashemite University. Results of the study indicated that participants have high level of occupational engagement. The study also indicated that students enrolled in the vocational course exhibited higher levels of occupational engagement than those enrolled in the evaluation course.
Are We Doing Ok? Developing a Generic Process to Benchmark Career Services in Educational Institutions
Authors: McCowan Col , McKenzie Malcolm
Published: March 2013

In 2007 the Career Industry Council of Australia developed the Guiding Principles for Career Development Services and Career Information Products as one part of its strategy to produce a national quality framework for career development activities in Australia. An Australian university career service undertook an assessment process against these principles but with minimal success. An alternative benchmarking process was developed, taking into account the work done in university career services in the UK and the USA, together with experienced career professionals in Australian university career services. This benchmarking process was further refined and piloted in another Australian university with great success. Only minor adjustments were needed to be made as a result of the learning from this pilot work. The process could be used by career services in other institutional settings.
Life-Career Re-Engagement: A New Conceptual Framework for Counselling People in Retirement Transition—Part I
Authors: Chen Charles P.
Published: March 2013

New ideas and perspectives are needed to form effective counselling strategies and approaches in an effort to promote and enhance the psychological well-being of individuals in retirement transition. This article suggests that counselling in this context can be considered a special helping intervention for life-career development aiming at helping clients to explore and to acquire a sense of renewed vocation in the retirement phase of their lives. In keeping with this intent, the article proposes the new conceptual framework of life-career re-engagement (LCRE) by expanding on the work of Donald Super (1957, 1990).
Life-Career Re-Engagement: Considerations and Implications for Counselling People in Retirement Transition—Part 2
Authors: Chen Charles P.
Published: March 2013

New ideas and perspectives are needed to form effective counselling strategies and approaches in an effort to promote and enhance the psychological well-being of individuals in retirement transition. This article is the second of two co-published articles. The first, ‘Life- career re-engagement: A new conceptual framework for counselling people in retirement transition’, proposed the new conceptual framework of life-career re-engagement (LCRE) by expanding on the work of Donald Super (1957, 1990). In this second article, counselling considerations that are guided by and supportive of the concept of LCRE are discussed, along with implications for helping intervention. Three essential factors of retirement transition are considered, the importance of contextualising the experiences of retirees is emphasised and issues around identity, personal interests and lifelong learning are explored.
The Perspectives of Students Undertaking Masters' Degrees by Coursework on Career Development Learning
Authors: Walsh Shari P. , Tucker Kelly
Published: March 2013

Master's degree by coursework students have been identified as a ‘forgotten’ cohort by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Careers and Employment service. Traditionally, these students have been included in undergraduate career development activities. Master's degree students are arguably a specialised group due to the advanced learning implicit in many of their degrees. A brief survey was designed to better understand how to assist QUT master's degree students with career development activities. Students were emailed an invitation to complete a brief online survey, asking for their assistance in planning appropriate career development activities for their cohort. Questions included reasons for undertaking a master's degree and preferred topics and times for career development activities. A total of 615 students completed the survey. This brief report presents the results of the survey and highlights suggestions for career development practitioners and services.
Career Development in Schools: Do Teachers Have the Skills?
Authors: Schloss Janelle
Published: March 2013

In 2010, Independent Schools Queensland funded 40 places in the Certificate IV in Career Development conducted by the Australian Trade Training College Ltd. Places were quickly filled by VET and senior schooling staff, 34 of whom completed the qualification. There is evidence that even very experienced teachers were prepared to undertake this qualification, even though it meant giving up eight days of their school holidays. This enthusiasm for gaining the qualification may be an indication that these teachers felt that they did not already have the skills for their career development roles with students in their schools.
The Perceived Role of Technology in Career Guidance among Practitioners Who are Experienced Internet Users
Authors: Vuorinen Raimo , Sampson James P , Kettunen Jaana
Published: March 2013

The increasing use of technology is placing new demands on career guidance practitioners. This article examines what changes, if any, have occurred in the perceptions of guidance practitioners regarding their role and the role of the internet in meeting guidance goals and delivering career guidance services. The data were collected in focus groups in 2001–2002 and a follow-up study in 2010. A total of seven focus groups were held. The data were analysed using combined methods. The results indicated that practitioners now observe that the need for differentiated service delivery modes is more explicit due to varied levels of readiness in decision-making and ICT literacy.
The Gender-Mediated Impact of a Career Development Intervention
Authors: Cassie Diana V.W. , Chen Charles P.
Published: March 2013

This study examined the differential impact of an educational intervention on high school students' career maturity based on gender. Dimensions of career maturity investigated include congruence, career certainty, career indecision, career decision-making self-efficacy and career exploration. Females were found to increase significantly in congruence and decrease significantly in career indecision as a result of the intervention. Males' career decision-making self-efficacy was positively and significantly affected by the intervention, and the extent of their career engagement was found to have been significantly and negatively affected. These gender differences suggest the development of career maturation occurs differentially for males and females.
A Longitudinal Study of the Experience of a Career Development Program for Rural School Students
Authors: McIlveen Peter , Morgan Tanya , Bimrose Jennifer
Published: March 2013

This study investigated students' experiences of a career development program that was established to foster interest in and aspirations for higher education within high school students residing in rural and isolated areas of Australia. Nine students who participated in the program were interviewed 18 months later to explore their recollections of the experience. Results of the study revealed three themes pertaining to the value of career planning: information, elaboration and confirmation of career thoughts and the social connectedness and positive experience the program provided. It was concluded that the program had a long-term positive impact and that there should be consideration given to exploring the cost-benefit of such programs in terms of university attrition rates.
Occupational Trend Predictions
Authors: Reeders Ern
Published: March 2013

A key issue in careers work is the extent to which practitioners can and should provide advice based on predictions about the workforce in the future. This article examines one major recent report on such predictions and considers how different ways of looking at the data lead to different conclusions.

It takes up the issue of the ‘clever society’ in the light of these predictions and debates about the nature of work and society.

The quality of occupational predictions and the implications of this for practice are also discussed.
Career-Related Information
Authors: Lokan Jan , Fleming Marianne , Tuck Bryan
Published: March 2013

The provision of comprehensive, well-organised information on educational courses, jobs and career opportunities has been recognised as a key component of careers services in schools since the inception of such services. Recent position papers on desirable career education programs and training programs for careers teachers/coordinators in Australia have reinforced the important role of adequate information resources. Some of the recommendations of these papers are summarised and recent Australian research on adolescents' life concerns and the perceived value of a range of potential sources of career-related information is reviewed. Findings related to information seeking by over 5000 high school students in some new research are described and discussed.
Employment Opportunities for Arts Graduates
Authors: Waugh Toni
Published: March 2013

It has been established that general transferable skills are the key requirements employers expect of graduates. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether the acquisition of these skills by Arts students translated into work opportunities. Employment opportunities for Arts graduates were compared to those for graduates from other disciplines.

A questionnaire based on the selection criteria used by employers, and graduates' performance on the job was administered to 50 employers. The survey, which achieved a response rate of 62 per cent, indicated that Arts students appeared to develop a higher level of transferable skills than other students but did not develop the professional/technical skills that employers required. Specifically, the ability to handle quantitative data and computer literacy were frequently mentioned as the areas in which Arts students were lacking in skills.

Although general transferable skills are claimed to be the most important in graduate recruitment, it was evident that these skills alone did not enable Arts graduates to find work. As expected, the survey also confirmed that the rate of employment for Arts graduates was lower than for other graduates.
Women as Mature-Aged Engineering Students
Authors: Driessen Danya
Published: March 2013

This study, based on female engineering students at the Moorabbin College of TAFE and Swinburne University of Technology, examined the influences on mature-aged women making non-traditional career choices. It was designed to investigate how these influences and the students' personal values had changed since making career choices as a high school student. Through the use of a survey and personal case study interviews, information regarding the problems and benefits of being a mature-aged female student of a non-traditional career was gathered. An insight into the personality type of the ‘non-traditional’ career student was also gained.
The Development of a Diagnostic Approach to Subject Selection Counselling
Authors: Dellar Graham
Published: March 2013

At regular intervals in their secondary schooling all Western Australian secondary students are required to select subjects or units that will form their course of study for the following semester or year. To assist students in making appropriate subject selections, schools provide counselling services as well as vocational courses. However, little is known about the basis on which individual students select subjects or the mechanism of the decision-making process involved. In 1987 research was conducted into the process of subject selection. Six Year 10 students were carefully tracked as they proceeded towards their selection decision. Specific attention was given to the manner in which students were influenced by information and other interventions. The subject selection process employed by each student in this study reflected the uniqueness of the individual in the perception of his or her own abilities, existing subject interests, intended post-secondary goal and the locus of control. Together these individual characteristics clearly affected the type of information search carried out and counselling sought. On the basis of data collected a typology of student subject selection was constructed.
Successful Career Strategies for Women
Authors: Wareing Imogen
Published: March 2013

Learning organisations are those which undertake continuous improvement in the what, how and why of product and service delivery. They are a new source of competitive edge and require different systems and different employee skills and behaviours. Organisations that can learn the most rapidly will be the ones which survive and thrive. In this context it is argued that organisations in Australia cannot afford to waste sectors of their workforce that demonstrate these changed behaviours and motivations, and urgently need to develop other sectors of their workforce that do not.

In this report, a survey of 270 women In New South Wales is described. The results suggest that women who are actively managing their careers and succeeding in them exhibit characteristics such as being educated, appropriately skilled, and motivated to learn. It is important that organisations provide structures to ensure that women's talents and skills are not underutilised. It is suggested that an effective learning-based career development system can be the vehicle to ensure growth and recognition of employee's talents and skills, and deployment of staff in a way that will allow maximum contribution and benefit to both employees and organisations. Ways in which effective career development systems can be designed and implemented are outlined.