Teacher/guidance counsellor career development competence (e.g. number of teachers and/or counsellors who hold professional credentials or training certificates in career development); Student career management competence as guided by a career development framework such as the Blueprint for Life-Work Designs; Student attainment levels and progression as well as school leaver User reported benefits and satisfaction reports (e.g. career and learning program fit, self-confidence, self-efficacy); Event and program attendance; Transition School-parent connections; School-community connections; School-employer relationships; Administrative support. Savickas et al. (2009) argued that career guidance and education systems need to stop seeking a singular outcome (students go to PSE) and to consider multiple outcomes validating the impact of career development services. New Brunswick’s and Newfoundland and Labrador’s graduate surveys (Grade 12 Exit Survey and Beyond High School, respectively) are excellent steps forward in this regard, but there is much to do to support better evaluation of career education in the Atlantic Provinces’ schools. Recommendations The Atlantic Provinces have clearly invested heavily in career education and is a wealth of good practice upon which to build. There is no shortage of programs, resources and tools or innovative approaches to their delivery. The Environmental Scan and SWOT analysis would suggest, however, that there is a lack of consistent commitment, appropriate training for career educators, integration and follow through to implementation, evaluation and accountability and, consequently, inconsistency with respect to engagement and commitment to career education among administrators, school staff, community and students. The recommendations contained herein seek to build upon strengths/opportunities and address weaknesses/threats gleaned from the Environmental Scan and SWOT analysis and to
Career field (broad) Classification based on National Occupation Coded Specific Examples Number % (n/388) Social services sector Professional occupations in education services School teacher 23 5.9% Professional occupations in law and social, community and government services Social Worker Psychologist Counsellor 28 7.2% Paraprofessional occupations in legal, social, community and education services Early Childhood Educator 10 2.6% Occupations in front-line public protection services Police Officer 8 2.1% Care providers and educational, legal and public protection support occupations Home support workers Residential care workers Youth care workers 26 6.7% Total 95 24.5% Business sector Start own business - not specific 9 2.3% Professional occupations in business and finance Accountants and marketing 38 9.8% Administrative and financial supervisors and administrative occupations Administrative assistant/secretary Office administrator 36 9.3% 83 21.4% Health care sector Medicine/health care - not specific 10 2.6% Professional occupations in nursing 17 4.4% Professional occupations in health (except nursing) Physician Dietician 14 3.6% Technical occupations in health Licenced Practical Nurse Speech Language Therapist Paramedics 23 5.9% Total 64 16.5%
Natural sciences sector Professional occupations in natural and applied sciences Power Engineer Mechanical Engineer Electrical Engineer Biologist 24 6.2% Technical occupations related to natural and applied sciences Environmental Tech technician. Wind Turbine Technician Architectural Technology 14 3.6% 38 9.8% Arts, culture and sector Professional occupations in art and culture Artist Musician Journalist 10 2.6% Technical occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport Fashion designer Interior decorator Photographer 24 6.2% Total 34 8.8% Service supervisors and specialized service occupations Service supervisors and specialized service occupations Chef Baker 14 3.6% Service representatives and other customer and personal services occupations Travel and tourism Food services Esthetics 13 3.4% 27 7.0% Computer related Professional occupations in natural and applied sciences IT Programmer 24 6.2% Total 24 6.2% Trades - not specific 3 0.8%
Skilled trades sector Industrial, electrical and construction trades Carpenter Welder Electrician 13 3.4% Maintenance and equipment trades Millwright equipment operator 5 1.3% 21 5.4% Workers in agriculture Farmer 2 0.5% Total 2 0.5%
Defined Develop the necessary skills In order to succeed in high school, students had to develop such skills as time management, study skills, note taking, working independently, setting deadlines, etc. These skills helped them during their post-secondary studies. Knowledge (derived from courses) prepared them The high school courses they completed helped prepare them for post-secondary (e.g. AP courses, academic level courses had similar content to first year post-secondary courses) Teachers/school environment Teachers prepared students by telling them about the different level of expectations and work load they will experience in In some cases, teachers delivered high school courses similar to post-secondary Non specific School helped but the response does not clearly show how (e.g. of these responses… because it’s like a job and I think of this transition as a promotion Hard work to get there. ) Prepared them for work HS prepared them for work (via co-op program, career fair, etc.) Other Some other way (b) Why not? n % Teachers did not prepare them/provide realistic view of PS 88 40.0% Did not learn the necessary skills (life skills, study skills, etc.) 38 17.3% Little/no career planning/teacher apathy 35 15.9% HS does not reflect the real world 20 9.1% Other 10 4.5% Answer does not apply 29 13.2% Total 220 100.0%