CIAG

LSIS resource Module 1: Introduction to career development. Overview

In this module you can find out more about career development, roles in career development and how your contribution fits in. You will have the opportunity to think about its scope and value and do a short activity to help you assess the career learning and development needs of your learners. The diagnostic activity in this module can also help you plan your route through the rest of the resource. To help your understanding, we have provided a glossary of terms for your reference throughout, which is located at the top right of your screen. elect !ne"t! to continue.

Terminology
Throughout this resource, the following terms are used# $roviders is used as a generic term for all types of providers in the learning and skills sector, including# further education %&'( colleges, si"th form, work)based learning %*+,(, adult and community learning %AC,(, offender learning, and specialist colleges. ,earners refers to adults and young people who are receiving education or training from the above provider types. Governors is used as a generic term for governors in &' colleges, directors and trustees in other organisations. -ow choose another unit title from the list at the top of the screen

Aims and Objectives o t!is Module

Aims To develop understanding of staff roles and responsibilities in relation to career development. To provide you with working definitions of career, career development and other useful terms. To enable you to plan how to use this resource. .b/ectives

+y the end of this module, you will be able to# define the meanings of !career!, !career patterns! and career development terminology identify benefits of career development to your learners outline roles0responsibilities of staff in making career development effective in a range of settings e"plain the importance of self)assessment for 1uality improvement in career development identify a range of sources for further information and select a resource route to meet your needs. "!at is #areer development$ .ne of the first things that you need to do is make sense of what career development is and why it is important for your learners and organisation. Career development in the learning and skills sector helps learners to release their potential by# ensuring placement on correct programmes raising aspirations and developing self)awareness addressing barriers to social mobility, inclusion, diversity and e1uality supporting them on programme to reach their learning goals increasing their employability facilitating ne"t steps and progression improving their ability to manage their career and pathway throughout life recognising strengths and development needs.

T!e bene its o !ig!%&uality career development Activity# Think about the benefits high)1uality career development has for# individuals communities learning organisations business0employers the economy.

.pen your online notepad and /ot down two or three benefits for each group, then select !ne"t! to see what we think. Individuals Through high-quality career development, Individuals may be able to obtain their dream jobs.

If so, these individuals will be able to achieve the highest goal possible, which is, selfactualization in their lives through work and hobbies, they will also be able to make great gains in self-esteem, they will be able to provide for their families, friends and wider communities, and enhance their status within these organisations. ven if high-quality career development does not translate into a dream job, it is highly likely that it will translate into a better job than one would normally have without such high-quality career development. This means that Individuals can use the resources they gain from work to gain or increase the security they have for themselves and their families ! and they can provide the basic physiological needs for themselves, families and friends. This definitely translates into a better standard of living. Communities The more individuals within a community that have access to high-quality career development, the more role models there will be within that community. "ince highquality career development, also translates into better jobs than the norm, individuals will have a better standard of living in that community than in others without access to the same or similar high-quality career development. # community with a higher standard of living attracts businesses, and with businesses more work and wealth is created, in a virtuous cycle. $onversely, a community with a low standard of living drives businesses away, creating joblessness and poverty ! a vicious cycle. # community with a low standard of living only attracts businesses with low priced goods and services, and therefore a low profit margin ! thereby creating low wage jobs. # community which has a higher standard of living attracts higher ta%es, therefore it can demand a higher standard of amenities and a wider range of amenities than a community with a lower standard of living, which can only demand whatever it is given, at whatever standard of quality it is given. # community with a lower standard of living has little or no bargaining power when dealing with central or local authority. Learning organisations &earning organisations which are staffed by individuals who have benefitted from access to high-quality career development usually end up providing high-quality career development for their learners. Those learning organisations end up being recognised quite quickly as being centres of high-quality career development, and attract highly motivated learners as well as funding and support from government and the private sector.

# learning organisation which delivers high-quality career development courses, soon becomes an e%cellent reference on its own cognisance for its alma mater, who at some point may be in a position to help the learning organisation in various ways ! such as providing internships, scholarships, financial and material assistance, mentoring etc. Businesses/Employers 'usinesses which are staffed by individuals who have benefitted from access to highquality career development, usually end up being at the top, or the best in their field, able to command higher prices for their goods and services and e%pertise ! which translates into higher profit margins than businesses without staff with access to high-quality career development. $onsequently, these businesses can afford to pay the higher wages needed to retain the services of staff who have benefitted from highquality career development. These businesses are much more robust, able to access a variety of difficult markets, because of the skills, confidence and motivation of their staff. #s a result, they will be more recession-proof. The Economy The economy relies heavily on the circulation of money through business activity, and the ta%ing of that business activity as well as the interest paid on the money borrowed to circulate in the economy. #n economy in which there is a large proportion of individuals who have benefitted from high-quality career development will be a healthy economy because of the sheer volume of business the businesses employing these individuals will do each year ! in a boom, rising revenues raised from corporation, income and sales ta%es will be able to help the government meet its obligations to its citizens of the country. In addition, the profits made from interest charged on the circulation of money during a boom can be reserved as a surplus, which can be used to support the economy whenever there is a downturn. #n economy which is healthy and booming will be able to attract foreign investment because of the profits to be made in it. It also encourages entrepreneurship. In contrast, an economy with low wages, low volume of sales(business will generate low levels of ta%es and profits from interest charged on money borrowed to circulate in the economy. These features will be the same for an economy in recession or depression. In these economies, foreign investment will fall dramatically or disappear completely. In addition, individuals with the skills gained from high-quality career development courses will emigrate and go elsewhere, where there are the jobs and the pay commensurate to their skills. Answers or T!e bene its o !ig!%&uality career development

Individuals 2aised aspirations and confidence Increased motivation Awareness of real opportunities 3nderstanding or relationship between own skills and labour market needs Improved labour management skills Improved ability to progress successfully between key transition points Improved financial literacy Improved entrepreneurship skills

#ommunities Increased participation0contribution ,ess dissatisfaction 4ore community cohesion 2educed crime and anti)social behaviour 4ore positive and creative communities +etter mental and physical health 2educed demand on community services 2educed number of Young people as -''T

Learning organisations Improved motivation Increased attainment +etter retention and completion of learning programmes ustainability

'usinesses()mployers 4ore motivated and engaged workforce Greater sense of corporate responsibility taff committed to training +etter skilled staff 4ore creative staff Increased productivity0competitiveness Improved recruitment0retention and succession planning ustainability

T!e )conomy 2educed staff turnover 4a"imising and capitalising on talent 5igher production and increased G6$ Agile, mobile and fle"ible workforce Increased entrepreneurship 4ore social enterprise Active retirement 7 dynamic Third Age 2educed social welfare cost ,everaged diversity Society 5elping individuals contribute to the well)being of others $romoting e1uality, diversity and inclusion Improving social mobility Giving people a stake in society upporting 8at risk9 individuals and groups

"!at does *#areer+ mean to your learners$ There is considerable debate over the definition of careers. 5ere are two definitions# A career can be seen as !the evolving se1uence of a person!s work e"periences over time! %Arthur, 5all and ,awrence, :;<;(. !*here !career! was once thought of as a single commitment to a lifelong occupational pursuit, it is now thought of as a lifelong /ourney whereby individuals participate in differing learning and roles! % avickas, =>>>(. "!ic! do you pre er$ #an you t!in, o a better de inition$ Activity# .n the ne"t screen is a word cloud, which shows common metaphors that people use to describe careers. 5over over a word to find out more about the ideas underpinning this way of thinking about careers. *hich of these ways of thinking about careers do you find helpful ) and why? elect !ne"t! to see the word cloud. Action

This is about the idea of self)help and self)determination and taking responsibility for managing your own career. Action re1uires deliberate planning but also enterprise and actively seeking out opportunities. *ithout action, learners feel helpless and that they can!t overcome obstacles such as high unemployment, blemishes in their personal histories %e.g. a prison sentence(, health problems and even discrimination by employers. #ompetition Associated with winning, being successful and the achievement of goals. As you are likely to face competition when you apply for a /ob or during your career so too will learners. Common metaphors for this include climbing to the top of a ladder or mountain but not everybody finds this association helpful. ,earners may be more interested in collaborating with a team to see the other side of the mountain, rather than aiming for the summit solo@ #ycles .ur lives pass through different stages or cycles and as we mature and grow older, our roles, career needs and priorities change. -it ometimes described as !round peg in round hole! thinking. If you know your skills, values and interests you will find it easier to match yourself to opportunities. Your learners may have access to a computer program that can do the matching for them. +ear in mind that some learners will make decisions based on e"trinsic rewards of work, such as status, money, pressure from families and the state of the labour market. .rowt! This associates careers with personal and professional development ) improving prospects and unlocking further potential. It can also be about finding a !calling! or vocation, so there is a link with the idea of a career as a /ourney. Growth is fundamentally about self)actualisation ) becoming everything that you can possibly become. In!eritance .ur genetic inheritance apart, careers can be strongly influenced by family work heritage %traceable in many surnames( or by an e"isting family business. *e also get our reserves of social and cultural capital from our families, which have a strong influence on our choices and chances.

/ourney A career can be depicted as a /ourney towards a certain or uncertain destination, sometimes following your dreams. The mode of transport we visualise on our /ourney %on foot, in a car, on a boat( reveals the e"perience we!ve had %bumpy, smooth or out of control(. 0etwor,s Careers are not /ust about individual effort. The infrastructure of support around you makes a big difference to your ability to make progress in life. This includes social relationships such as family and friends, as well as business contacts and networks that you can call on. -epotism is the uncomfortable side of this phenomenon, where an individual secures an unfair advantage from their contacts. 1esources *e can look at developing our resources, such as e"pertise and e"perience, to help enable us to have the career we want. .rganisations sometimes look at individuals in the same way and offer careers based on developing them into specialist areas as human resources. Story !Career as story! is the theory that knowing who we are and what we have done with our lives can help us make sense of our evolving e"periences of work in a personal story or narrative. -otice how we tell different versions of our story to different people including ourselves. ometimes, one of the best ways of motivating and building the confidence of learners is by helping them to improve their own story. "!at does *#areer+ mean to you and your learners$ Comments on the activity This activity is based on Aerr Inkson!s 3nderstanding Careers# The metaphors of working lives % age, =>>B(, which can be found under !2elated resources!. http#00www.uk.sagepub.com0books0+ook==C:==DtabviewEgoogle Inkson recognises that using multiple metaphors enriches our understanding of careers. It is possible for someone to have a way of thinking about careers that does not fit into any of the above categories.

This task should make you aware that your learners may have very different understandings of what career really means to them. You might find it useful to use this task with your learners to help them clarify their own thinking about careers.

3nderstanding Career $atterns The pattern of each person!s career is uni1ue. *e can identify four main patterns# single)track i.e. making progress in an industry or profession serial i.e. moving from one sector to another lifestyle i.e. aiming for a work)life balance portfolio i.e. /uggling different /obs at the same time You may find it useful to refer to +arrie 5opson!s paper&rom vocational guidance to professional careers which you can find in the 2elated resources. If you would like to e"plore your own career development, you may like to access the free , I online learning resource ! haping my future!. It is available on the , I ,eadership learning environment. You can find the link in the !2elated resources!. F:. *hat pattern has your career taken so far? ingle)track? erial? ,ifestyle? $ortfolio? 6oes it fit into one or more of the above patterns? 2ecord your thoughts. 4y career pattern is serial. F=. Can you think of someone whose pattern is very different from yours? *hat are the biggest differences? 2ecord your thoughts. FG. 5ow could a knowledge of Career patterns benefit your learners? 2ecord your thoughts. Comments on Activity

Fuestion : relates to that human need to want to find patterns in our lives. ome people!s careers have followed different career patterns at different stages of their lives as a result of their own changing circumstances as well as in response to changing labour market opportunities. $eople make different career choices, often based on their personal values. Fuestion = aims to help you recognise and respond positively to learners in your groups whose career preferences might be very different to your own. The purpose of 1uestion G is to make you aware that career development is about giving learners publicly)understood ideas and concepts that they can use to e"plain their needs, interests, values, etc. to the people around them who give them support. You can usefully discuss the availability and the pluses and minuses of these different careers patterns with your learners. Career development and your Career transitions $eople often need most help with their career development at times of transition in their lives. You can use this activity to reflect on your previous career transitions and to help you with your current and future ones. Activity# 3sing the career development timeline sheet, think about your own career and record key transitions e.g. age =H 7 left my /ob and took a year out to go travelling. If you can, work with a partner and discuss the prompt 1uestions together. *hen you have recorded your transitions, consider# *hat career development support did you receive at the time, and from whom? 5ow helpful was this? *hat career development would have been useful? If you are doing this as part of a group, you could also discuss# *ho had a good e"perience? *hy was it good? *ho had a bad e"perience? *hy was it bad? *ho had no interventions at all and how did they cope? The idea behind this activity is to use your own e"perience of career development to gain insights into your learners9 career development needs and how they can be met.

Timeline s!eet
3sing the career development timeline sheet, think about your own career and record key transitions e.g. age =H 7 left my /ob and took a year out to go travelling. If you can, work with a partner and discuss the prompt 1uestions together. *hen you have recorded your transitions, consider#

*hat career development did you receive at the time, and from whom? 5ow helpful was this? *hat career development would have been useful?

If you are doing this as part of a group, you could also discuss# *ho had a good e"perience? *hy was it good? *ho had a bad e"perience? *hy was it bad? *ho had no interventions at all and how did you cope?

The idea behind this activity is to use your own e"perience of career development to gain insights into your learners9 career development needs and how they can be met.

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#areer development needs o your learners

At different times in our lives we have different career development priorities. Think about the career development needs of your learners %or one of your learner groups(. &or e"ample, older learners may be re)appraising what they want and their options for changing their lives. Those with disabilities or mental health issues may need considerable help with work readiness and ad/ustment. Activity# The Career development needs survey in this resource will help you assess which career development tasks are priorities for your learners. .ver the ne"t four screens, you will start to think about the needs and priorities of your learners. You will then be provided with some feedback.

elect !ne"t! to begin the survey. Career 6evelopment -eeds urvey :. If any of the statements below describes an important career development need of many or most of your learners, click the button ne"t to it. 4any or some of my learners are# a. an"ious and confused about what they want from their careers. b. are ready to investigate suggested /ob ideas but need help to find useful and relevant sources of information. c. Are concerned about making the right decision for them. d. 5ave thought about how their career choice will affect important relationships in their lives. e. -eed to be thinking about their interests and skills and the types of /obs where they could make use of them.

=. 2epeat the e"ercise with these other statements. 4any or some of my learners# a. b. c. need help with thinking about their applications. are looking to achieve work)life balance. have unrealistic aspirations and e"pectations.

d. Are ready to make firm plans and work out the steps to achieve them. e. Are thinking about how they will cope in the first days of a new /ob0course.

G. 2epeat the e"ercise with these other statements. 4any or some of my learners# a. b. need advice with how to compare one /ob0course with another. lack confidence in their ability to take responsibility for managing their own

careers and achieving their goals. c. are having to think about the financial planning side of things.

d. Are thinking about how to get on and what training they need now that they have decided what they want to do. e. Are at the stage of needing help to compare /ob0course opportunities0offers.

I. 2epeat the e"ercise with these other statements. 4any or some of my learners# a. are unaware how to recognise and challenge stereotyped thinking about

careers and work. b. have not yet developed the self)presentation skills they need to make

successful presentations. c. need help to evaluate /ob and course offers

d. -eed to be thinking about how they will develop the ethics, values and standards that go with the role %employee, student, craft)worker( they have chosen. e. -eed support to help them challenge and overcome their own stereotypes. A- *'2

Sel %development 4aturing or self)development is a key dimension of career development. Young people, for e"ample, need a level of maturity before they can test the realism of their career ideas. Young people and adults may suffer from low self)esteem and self)belief that causes them to under)aspire and feel helpless. 8*omen returners9, for e"ample, seeking to re) enter the labour market after a period of time out to raise a family may feel particularly an"ious. Conversely, some individuals can have unrealistic e"pectations. This can be an issue for learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. ,earners may still need to clarify and deal with issues relating to personal identity %especially how they see themselves in relation to work(. +eing clear about your 1ualities, skills, interests and values is a pre)condition of effective decision)making and choice implementation. Matc!ing 4atching is a short)term process carried out at a point in time and repeated at subse1uent decision points. 4atching involves assessing an individual!s preferences and strengths and matching them to different kinds of work that might suit them. oftware has been developed so that learners can answer a 1uestionnaire and receive a list of /ob suggestions based on a range of personality factors. The value of this approach is in generating discussion rather than in providing black) and)white answers about what the learner should choose. Computer programs are not yet sophisticated enough to carry out matching of learners with additional needs such

as those with mental health problems, e")offender status or refugee0asylum)seeker issues. ,earners may be close to a decision point and need to be using careers and labour market information. 4atching is a pre)cursor to effective decision)making, but learners may be in a situation where a decision is re1uired, for e"ample, the course is coming to an end and you may need to find strategies to help those who are unready to make a decision to start0re)enter work. Ma,ing c!oices 4aking career decisions and carrying through these choices is an important and often urgent career development task for young people. Career decision points are less regular and fre1uent for adults and young adults who have left the formal education system, but their occurrence may be unpredictable and severe e.g. redeployment, redundancy, retirement and not forgetting promotion@ ,earners may be at the stage of marketing themselves, making applications, going for interviews, evaluating offers and preparing to make an important transition in their careers. Adjusting to wor, Ad/usting and adapting to work is a stage of career development that follows making a decision. If a successful work ad/ustment cannot be made, an individual will probably be plunged into a period of re)appraisal that will take them through other career development tasks such as !*ho am I?!, !*hat suits me?! !*hat will I do?! In the past, some staff in colleges could not see the point of career development for learners who had made vocational choices, but not all careers today are single)track and linearJ learners may still need help with planning their ne"t career move and they also will benefit from help to establish themselves in work. ,earners may continue to benefit from careers activities that promote positive attitudes to work and training and e1uip them for work readiness. This can mean developing their enterprise and employability skills, strengthening their work ethic,

helping them to fit in at work, showing them how to hold on to a /ob and helping them discover their sources of /ob satisfaction and career well)being.

2oles and 2esponsibilities in Career 6evelopment

A range of colleagues and partners have roles to play in ensuring the provision of effective career development for your learners, including professional career guidance specialists. This activity will help you understand how your contribution fits into the bigger picture.

Activity# .n the ne"t screen you will find a video wall of people working in the learning and skills sector.

+y hovering over each image you can see the individual!s /ob title. Choose three or four individuals whose roles are relevant to yours and watch their videos by selecting the images. As you watch the videos, open your notepad and keep a record of what they are saying about their roles and responsibilities.

-ow that you have watched the videos, open your notepad and write your response to these 1uestions#

*hat formal and informal career development roles does your organisation have?

*hat insights into your role has this task given you in relation to career development? 2eview

It is now worth taking a closer look at how the perspectives of people of different roles may apply in your organisation. .ver the ne"t few pages we will ask you to consider this further.

6epending on where you work in the sector, you probably identified individuals and0or teams who take on formal responsibilities at three levels#

strategic management roles day)to)day management roles delivery roles.

elect !ne"t! to consider this further.

'veryone in your organisation can contribute to promoting a career development culture amongst learners. -ote down key individuals in your organisation who could promote such a culture and what they can do this.

Governors and senior leaders to provide leadership, vision, strategy and resources, e"pected to secure independent, impartial career development ) contributing to social mobility0social /ustice.

Governors and senior leaders should recognise the value of career development and understand impact on recruitment, retention, achievement, progression, e1uality, diversity and .fsted outcomes. They should work to promote career development within their organisation and evaluate its effectiveness.

.perational leaders0managers, may0may not be career development specialists. Their role might include managing the career development curriculum, staff development and day)to)day liaison with e"ternal careers services, employers and schools.

pecialist delivery staff providing one)to)one support and group sessions.

Tutors0teachers and other staff providing the first level of career development ) knowing when0how to refer learners to more specialist sources of help.

2eview 6epending on your role, you have probably realised that the provision of career development is a team effort involving staff in your own organisation and in other agencies. You need to be aware of your role in the provision of career development and your responsibilities, as well as how this fits with other roles. This involves knowing when and how to refer learners on to more specialised sources of support internally and e"ternally %see 4odule I for more on referrals(.

#areer development2 sel %assessment and O-ST)3

6oes your organisation pay attention to career development when doing self) assessment?

Continuous improvement in career development is the key to improving outcomes for learners. .ne of the /udgements made by .fsted inspectors is the e"tent to which the provision meets the needs and ensures the achievement of all learners and helps them to progress into employment or further education and training. It is critical, therefore, to involve learners, staff and employers in identifying0setting priorities for career development, supporting its implementation and reviewing its impact. &rom time to time, .fsted carry out thematic surveys of career development for young people. !4oving through the system! %=>:>( can be found under !2elated resources!. A survey report on career guidance for young people is due to be published in Kuly =>:G.

NEXT STEPS
-ow you!ve had an opportunity to consider what career development is and why it is important as well as considering the needs of your learners, how has your understanding of the career development tasks that your learners should engage in changed? 5ow far does the current career development provision for your learners meet their needs? 5ow effective is the provision? 5ow does the provision need to be developed and improved? 3se the notepad feature to make notes about these and any other issues you!d like to return to later. In 4odule =, we will discuss the insights derived from career theory that will help you consider what kinds of practical steps you could take that would really make a difference to the career development of your learners. $lanning your learning from this resource Activity# You should now know enough about careers, the career development needs of your learners and the limits and potential of your current role to plan your learning from this course, so the ne"t activity will help you plan your route through this resource. The modules can be followed in four ways# hort course ) work through the core modules %:)C( and gain the certificate of completion. ,ong course ) work through the core modules %including the certificate of completion( plus the additional modules. A !pick and mi"! approach ) browse through the modules and focus on those that are of particular interest to you. A thematic approach ) work through some or all of the modules by following particular themes which determine the se1uence and order in which you look at them. elect the bo"es ne"t to your chosen options on the following screens to complete the diagnostic activity and help plan your route through the resource.

$age H ) :>

ummary In this module, you have#

learned about the resource and considered how you can make online learning work for you thought about the meaning of !career! and how different metaphors can illuminate what careers are all about reflected on the pattern of your own career and how talking about career patterns can benefit your learners completed a career development needs survey to focus your thinking on the career development tasks that are most relevant to your learners now heard people talking about their roles in C,IAG so that you are in a better position to understand the contributions that are re1uired from everyone to improve C,IAG for learners used the diagnostic to plan your route through the core and optional modules. In the ne"t module, you will# find out about the theories, models and frameworks that underpin effective C,IAG practice. To access another module, return to the tart screen by selecting the '"it activity link above, then select tart.

Module 4: T!eories and Models.

.verview ,ike teaching and learning, careers work is underpinned by theory. This module introduces you to five careers theories. They will help you choose interventions that will be most beneficial for your learners. *e will also introduce you to !the +lueprint! ) a framework of career development competencies ) which you can use to describe the outcomes that you are seeking for your learners. 4odule := is dedicated to the +lueprint and provides opportunities to use the +lueprint fully and consider ways of using it with learners. If you have a role in teaching or tutoring, we will also show you two models that will make it easier for you to embed career learning and development activities in your work. &inally, in this module you will e"plore theethical standards that apply to all practitioners when assisting learners with their career development. Aims and .b/ectives of this module Aim To develop your appreciation of theories, models and frameworks as the basis of effective practice in career development.

.b/ectives +y the end of this module, you will be able to# e"plain the thinking that underpins effective career development teaching approaches identify the theory)based and ethical practice needed in your organisation to provide effective career development identify the role of the +lueprint framework in supporting career development find further information from a range of sources identify effective practice models for embedding career development in your organisation. In 4odule :, you considered whether the career development needs of your learners are focused on# maturing matching making choices ad/usting to the workplace. Theories help us understand the dimensions of career development. .ne theory may suit a purpose better than another, but no single theory gives you the whole picture which is why we draw on different theories to make sense of our work in career development. Activity# *e have included information on five types of careers theories in this module. +efore you look at these we would like you to open your online notepad and /ot down two or three points about what you e"pect or want from a careers theory. elect !2elated 2esources! to read our comments on this activity. )hat I e%pect from a $areers theory* To be relevant and practical To point out the client+s weaknesses or barriers To point out strategies for helping the client overcome his weaknesses or barriers.

Answers to the Fuestion# As a busy practitioner, you probably want to know that thinking about theory is time well spent@ The aim of this activity is to help you see the point of engaging with theory, research and evidence)based practice. .ur commentary on careers theories is that they need to be# accessible i.e. easy to follow and without using obscure terminology

applicable to a wide range of people in the learning and skills sector empirically tested i.e. have the backing of research L in this resource we have focused on established theories supported by a considerable body of research and emerging theories where a growing number of studies have been published

relevant and practical L some theoretical approaches re1uire a heavy investment in staffing, training and time which makes them impractical for learning providers to use

persuasive and to have wide e"planatory value L theories that are most useful give us a new understanding of our learners and the career development process, and help to guide us to act in a concise and easy to follow way.

&ive Aey theories These H key theories will be useful to you in supporting your learner9s career learning and development. ocial Cognitive Career theory The emphasis is how individuals see their ability to get things done %known as 8self) efficacy9( and their view of future e"pectations. Constructivist Career theory In this theory, individuals are seen as active builders of their own careers. They do this with the support of other people who help them structure their career learning and make sense of their own careers. Career 4atching theory This approach takes the view that individuals have different work personalities which can be matched to /obs which suit them and so increase their career or /ob satisfaction. Careership decision)making theory This theory e"plains that the way that people actually make their career decisions is different from the way that they are supposed to make them. In practice, they do not make completely rational decisions with all the information they need at their fingertips@ 3nderstanding how decisions are really made is the way to help learners make better career decisions.

*ork ad/ustment theory This theory consists of a series of propositions about how people secure their /obs and make progress in them. ,ooking for the right careers theory The ne"t step is to find out more about each of these approaches. .n the following screens, you will find a comparison of the theories, under the headings# ummary +ig ideas ) what the theory!s !big ideas! are '"planations ) what the e"planatory value of the theory is $ractical implications ) how the theory can be applied in practice You can also download a chart containing this information in the !2elated resources! area.

Comparison chart
Name of theory S#mmary Social cogniti e career theory !SCCT" E&planation s Practical implications SCCT is based on the ideas of Albert Bandura by Lent, Brown and Hackett (1994 ! "t builds on de#elo$%ental, constructi#ist and %atchin& careers theory! Self'efficacy ( how well indi#iduals think they can deal with difficult tasks and the effect this has on their beha#iour! )utco%e e*$ectations ( what indi#iduals belie#e is likely to ha$$en to the%! +ersonal &oals ( indi#iduals chan&e their actions and beha#iour so that they can achie#e the &oals they ha#e set the%sel#es! Self'efficacy is %ore i%$ortant than interests, #alues and abilities in e*$lainin& career choice, and often %ore i%$ortant than outco%e e*$ectations! "ndi#iduals with a low sense of self'efficacy lack $ersistence and resilience! Success sha$es interest and stren&thens outco%e e*$ectations throu&h i%$ro#ed $erfor%ance! +ersonal and back&round factors (such as &ender, ethnicity, L-- and $arental influence affect learnin& and $erfor%ance! "nter#entions that hel$ indi#iduals raise the le#el of their belief in their own effecti#eness and stren&then $ersistence.resilience are worthwhile! "ndi#iduals need to be &i#en o$$ortunities to succeed! Actions.inter#entions to influence and control the i%$act of

$ig i%eas

Comments

back&round factors (such as en&a&in& with $arents.carers, challen&in& stereoty$es, raisin& as$irations will ha#e a $ositi#e i%$act on choice and $erfor%ance! /akin& e*$licit the $rocesses that are ha$$enin& (such as low self'efficacy beliefs, low outco%e e*$ectations and barriers in the o$$ortunity structure hel$s &rou$s such as wo%en and %inorities to challen&e and $ersist! Access to hi&h'0uality careers infor%ation can hel$ to re%o#e barriers to career e*$loration!

Name of theory S#mmary

Constr#cti ist career theory /ark Sa#ickas et al. (1212 ha#e de#elo$ed a new a$$roach that focuses on hel$in& $eo$le to use career constructs to desi&n their li#es! Constructs ( "ndi#iduals construct their own realities! +ersonal a&ency ( "ndi#iduals are acti#e a&ents in buildin& their careers! 3arrati#es.stories ( "ndi#iduals use their life stories, and es$ecially their early %e%ories, to understand and ad#ance their career narrati#e! Life desi&n ( Life desi&n is %ore i%$ortant than occu$ational choice! "ndi#iduals %ake $ro&ress in de#elo$in& their careers when teachers, ad#isers, trusted adults and $eers structure learnin& o$$ortunities for the% by %akin& it easier for indi#iduals to build on what they already know about careers (known as 4scaffoldin&5 and to assi%ilate new learnin&! Hel$in& indi#iduals to learn in this way is not about i%$osin& one $erson5s #iew$oint but about #alidatin& different world #iews! The $ur$ose of career de#elo$%ent is to hel$ indi#iduals understand their own careers! Co'o$erati#e, acti#e.e*$eriential and $roble%'sol#in& learnin& a$$roaches $ro#ide rich, o$en'ended acti#ities that $ro%ote dee$er career learnin&! Hel$in& learners to tell their own story is a $owerful way of hel$in& the% to think about the $lace of work in their li#es now and in the future!

$ig i%eas

E&planation s

Practical implications Comments

Name of theory S#mmary

'atching theory The classic #iew of %atchin& is fittin& round $e&s into round holes! Since +arsons (1929 first e*$lained his a$$roach to %atchin& indi#iduals to 6obs, %atchin& has beco%e %uch %ore so$histicated, es$ecially with the a$$lication of "CT! The %ost widely'de#elo$ed a$$roach is that of 7ohn Holland (1998 who identified a way of classifyin& $ersonality ty$es and the work en#iron%ents that would suit the%! /atchin& ( Ad#isers assess the needs, interests, #alues and $references of the indi#idual usin& a suitable 0uestionnaire or by inter#iew and %atch the $rofile a&ainst 6obs (or courses or leisure acti#ities that ha#e been coded a&ainst the factors! /atchin& indi#iduals to work en#iron%ents is likely to increase indi#iduals5 e*$erience of career satisfaction and success! 9sin& %atchin& $ro&ra%s with indi#iduals who lack %aturity and readiness is unreliable! /atchin& $ro&ra%s are useful for hel$in& indi#iduals with few ideas of their own or who are not able to articulate their own ideas clearly! "ndi#iduals chan&e as they &row, so it is best not to rely on old results.$rintouts but to carry out a fresh assess%ent! 7obs are chan&in& ra$idly so the assu%$tions built into the way 6obs are coded %ay not be entirely accurate! "ndi#iduals who ha#e had a lot of rele#ant e*$erience to infor% their res$onses will &et a better result! /atchin& is a one'off acti#ity and, therefore, not a suitable foundation for a de#elo$%ental careers $ro&ra%%e!

$ig i%eas

E&planation s Practical implications

Comments

Name of theory S#mmary $ig i%eas

Careership %ecision(ma)ing +hil Hodkinson et al.s theory of careershi$ (1229 is about career decision'%akin& and career $ro&ression! Hori:ons for action ( +eo$le5s decisions are bounded by what is $ossible for the%, i!e! what they know about, what is culturally $er%issible! Habitus (taken fro% Bourdieu ( +eo$le aren5t 6ust influenced by the labour %arket, they are dee$ly influenced by their own dis$ositions ( the habitus ( which

E&planation s

Practical implications

is dee$ly en&rained but can and does chan&e o#er ti%e! Social and cultural ca$ital ( These are the #aluable reser#es or resources that affect indi#iduals5 choices! Social ca$ital refers to the &rou$s that the indi#idual is connected to and their social networks! Cultural ca$ital refers to any fa%ily, educational or class ad#anta&es that benefit the indi#idual! Career decision'%akin& is neither co&niti#e nor rational in the way that is often assu%ed! "t is 4%essy5 and always 4$ra&%atically rational5! Career $ro&ression is not linear ( it is stron&ly influenced by actions, e#ents and circu%stances that lie beyond the indi#idual5s control! "ndi#iduals are acti#e a&ents in choosin& and constructin& their careers but they often do so in &endered and classed ways! "ndi#iduals e*ert a stron& influence on their own hori:ons for action by dint of their dis$ositions! -ecisions are based on $artial rather than full and i%$artial infor%ation! ;ou need knowled&e of the indi#idual and the indi#idual needs self'knowled&e to e*tend the indi#idual5s hori:ons for action! <*tendin& a $erson5s hori:ons for action is a lon&'ter% $ro6ect which cannot be acco%$lished o#erni&ht! 3ot hel$ed by turnin& career de#elo$%ent on and off! =e need to $ersonalise careers infor%ation and hel$ indi#iduals beco%e s%arter in their use of it! =e need to increase the indi#idual5s sense of $ersonal a&ency and their ability to construct their own career narrati#e! =e need to be aware of the li%itations of career de#elo$%ent while at the sa%e ti%e seekin& to e*tend its i%$act by creatin& syner&ies between career de#elo$%ent and other $ractical and learnin& inter#entions!

Comments

Name of theory S#mmary

*or) a%+#stment theory This theory identifies a series of #ariables that can be used to e*$lain and $redict the satisfaction of indi#iduals with their 6obs and the satisfactoriness of indi#iduals in their 6obs! -awis > Lof0uist (19?4 define si* key #alues which ha#e a bearin& on indi#idual satisfaction@ achie#e%ent, co%fort,

$ig i%eas

E&planation s

Practical implications

status, altruis%, safety and autono%y! =ork satisfaction and tenure will be &ood if the or&anisation su$$orts the $attern of #alues that the indi#idual holds! Satisfaction ( The indi#idual5s le#el of satisfaction de$ends on how well their needs are %et by the 6ob! Satisfactoriness ( How satisfactory an e%$loyee the indi#idual is de$ends on how well their abilities %eet the re0uire%ents of the 6ob! "ndi#iduals seek corres$ondence (i!e! a har%onious relationshi$ with their work en#iron%ent! "f the indi#idual5s abilities corres$ond to the ability re0uire%ents of the 6ob the indi#idual will be satisfied and satisfactory to the e%$loyer! Si%ilarly, if the needs and #alues of the indi#idual corres$ond with the $attern of rewards in the 6ob then the indi#idual will be satisfied! -issatisfaction or lack of corres$ondence between the indi#idual or the en#iron%ent tri&&ers work ad6ust%ent, e!&! $ro%otion, rede$loy%ent, redundancy! "ndi#iduals need to learn a ran&e of strate&ies to %aintain corres$ondence, e!&! how to chan&e the re0uire%ents of the work en#iron%ent, learn new work skills, rea$$raise their needs, show $ersistence.resilience! "ndi#iduals at the occu$ational choice sta&e should %atch the%sel#es to the ability re0uire%ents of the 6ob and the #alue $atterns in the 6ob to see if they are con&ruent with the abilities and #alues held by the indi#idual!

Comments

Activity# .ver the ne"t four screens, read about and compare the different aspects of the five theories. .pen your notepad and make notes about how useful and applicable you find the theories in your conte"t. Compare the summaries of the H career theories below. ocial Cognitive Career theory CCT is based on the ideas of Albert +andura by ,ent, +rown and 5ackett %:;;I(. It builds on developmental, constructivist and matching careers theory.

Constructivist Career theory 4ark avickas et al. %=>:>( have developed a new approach that focuses on helping people to use career constructs to design their lives.

Career 4atching theory The classic view of matching is fitting round pegs into round holes. ince $arsons %:;>;( first e"plained his approach to matching individuals to /obs, matching has become much more sophisticated, especially with the application of ICT. The most widely)developed approach is that of Kohn 5olland %:;;B( who identified a way of classifying personality types and the work environments that would suit them.

Careership decision)making theory $hil 5odkinson et al.+s theory of careership %=>>;( is about career decision) making and career progression.

*ork ad/ustment theory This theory identifies a series of variables that can be used to e"plain and predict the satisfaction of individuals with their /obs and the satisfactoriness of individuals in their /obs. 6awis M ,of1uist %:;<I( define si" key values which have a bearing on individual satisfaction# achievement, comfort, status, altruism, safety and autonomy. *ork satisfaction and tenure will be good if the organisation supports the pattern of values that the individual holds.

Compare the +ig Ideas of the H career theories below. ocial Cognitive Career theory elf)efficacy 7 how well individuals think they can deal with difficult tasks and the effect this has on their behaviour. .utcome e"pectations 7 what individuals believe is likely to happen to them. $ersonal goals 7 individuals change their actions and behaviour so that they can achieve the goals they have set themselves.

Constructivist Career theory Constructs 7 Individuals construct their own realities. $ersonal agency 7 Individuals are active agents in building their careers. -arratives0stories 7 Individuals use their life stories, and especially their early memories, to understand and advance their career narrative. ,ife design 7 ,ife design is more important than occupational choice. Career 4atching theory

4atching 7 Advisers assess the needs, interests, values and preferences of the individual using a suitable 1uestionnaire or by interview and match the profile against /obs %or courses or leisure activities( that have been coded against the factors.

Careership decision)making theory 5oriNons for action 7 $eople9s decisions are bounded by what is possible for them, i.e. what they know about, what is culturally permissible. 5abitus %taken from +ourdieu( 7 $eople aren9t /ust influenced by the labour market, they are deeply influenced by their own dispositions 7 the habitus 7 which is deeply engrained but can and does change over time. ocial and cultural capital 7 These are the valuable reserves or resources that affect individuals9 choices. ocial capital refers to the groups that the individual is connected to and their social networks. Cultural capital refers to any family, educational or class advantages that benefit the individual.

*ork ad/ustment theory atisfaction 7 The individual9s level of satisfaction depends on how well their needs are met by the /ob. atisfactoriness 7 5ow satisfactory an employee the individual is depends on how well their abilities meet the re1uirements of the /ob.

Compare the '"planations of the H career theories below. ocial Cognitive Career theory elf)efficacy is more important than interests, values and abilities in e"plaining career choiceJ and often more important than outcome e"pectations. Individuals with a low sense of self)efficacy lack persistence and resilience. uccess shapes interest and strengthens outcome e"pectations through improved performance. $ersonal and background factors %such as gender, ethnicity, ,66 and parental influence( affect learning and performance.

Constructivist Career theory Individuals make progress in developing their careers when teachers, advisers, trusted adults and peers structure learning opportunities for them by making it easier for individuals to build on what they already know about careers %known as 8scaffolding9( and to assimilate new learning. 5elping individuals to learn in this way is not about imposing one person9s viewpoint but about validating different world views.

The purpose of career development is to help individuals understand their own careers.

Career 4atching theory 4atching individuals to work environments is likely to increase individuals9 e"perience of career satisfaction and success.

Careership decision)making theory Career decision)making is neither cognitive nor rational in the way that is often assumed. It is 8messy9 and always 8pragmatically rational9. Career progression is not linear 7 it is strongly influenced by actions, events and circumstances that lie beyond the individual9s control. Individuals are active agents in choosing and constructing their careers but they often do so in gendered and classed ways. Individuals e"ert a strong influence on their own horiNons for action by dint of their dispositions. 6ecisions are based on partial rather than full and impartial information.

*ork ad/ustment theory Individuals seek correspondence %i.e. a harmonious relationship( with their work environment. If the individual9s abilities correspond to the ability re1uirements of the /ob the individual will be satisfied and satisfactory to the employer. imilarly, if the needs and values of the individual correspond with the pattern of rewards in the /ob then the individual will be satisfied. 6issatisfaction or lack of correspondence between the individual or the environment triggers work ad/ustment, e.g. promotion, redeployment, redundancy.

Compare the $ractical Implications of the H career theories below. ocial Cognitive Career theory Interventions that help individuals raise the level of their belief in their own effectiveness and strengthen persistence0resilience are worthwhile. Individuals need to be given opportunities to succeed. Actions0interventions to influence and control the impact of background factors %such as engaging with parents0carers, challenging stereotypes, raising aspirations( will have a positive impact on choice and performance. 4aking e"plicit the processes that are happening %such as low self)efficacy beliefs, low outcome e"pectations and barriers in the opportunity structure( helps groups such as women and minorities to challenge and persist. Access to high)1uality careers information can help to remove barriers to career e"ploration.

Constructivist Career theory Co)operative, active0e"periential and problem)solving learning approaches provide rich, open)ended activities that promote deeper career learning. 5elping learners to tell their own story is a powerful way of helping them to think about the place of work in their lives now and in the future.

Career 4atching theory 3sing matching programs with individuals who lack maturity and readiness is unreliable. 4atching programs are useful for helping individuals with few ideas of their own or who are not able to articulate their own ideas clearly. Individuals change as they grow, so it is best not to rely on old results0printouts but to carry out a fresh assessment. Kobs are changing rapidly so the assumptions built into the way /obs are coded may not be entirely accurate. Individuals who have had a lot of relevant e"perience to inform their responses will get a better result. 4atching is a one)off activity and, therefore, not a suitable foundation for a developmental careers programme.

Careership decision)making theory You need knowledge of the individual and the individual needs self) knowledge to e"tend the individual9s horiNons for action. '"tending a person9s horiNons for action is a long)term pro/ect which cannot be accomplished overnight. -ot helped by turning career development on and off. *e need to personalise careers information and help individuals become smarter in their use of it. *e need to increase the individual9s sense of personal agency and their ability to construct their own career narrative. *e need to be aware of the limitations of career development while at the same time seeking to e"tend its impact by creating synergies between career development and other practical and learning interventions.

*ork ad/ustment theory Individuals need to learn a range of strategies to maintain correspondence, e.g. how to change the re1uirements of the work environment, learn new work skills, reappraise their needs, show persistence0resilience. Individuals at the occupational choice stage should match themselves to the ability re1uirements of the /ob and the value patterns in the /ob to see if they are congruent with the abilities and values held by the individual.

Compare the various aspects of the H career theories below. ocial Cognitive Career theory Constructivist Career theory Career 4atching theory Careership decision)making theory

*ork ad/ustment theory Comments on the activity 4atching theory and work ad/ustment theory are similar in that they are both concerned with person)environment fitJ but whereas matching theory places a greater emphasis on vocational choice, work ad/ustment theory emphasises vocational ad/ustment. Constructivism, career decision)making theory and social cognitive career theory all focus on a person!s ability to make things happen for themselves, personal !constructions! and the influence of social interactions on how individuals see themselves. They have a holistic view of the individual so they place career decision) making within the conte"t of a person!s life as a whole. You will probably have noted differences of emphasis# constructivism emphasises lifelong career development, career decision)making theory attempts to e"plain how career decisions are really made and social cognitive career theory underlines the central importance of self)efficacy. .ther Theories You may well come across other careers theories as you discover more about career development. The same headings used to analyse the five main theories presented here can be used to evaluate their relevance. The following screens show you another two careers theories that you will encounter in your work# happenstance, or accident, theory ) This is the !dodgem car! theory of careers. You can be driving where you want to go and then someone bumps into you and sends you careering off in another direction@ opportunity structure theory ) This is a sociological theory that argues that individual career choice is constrained by social determinants based on gender, ethnicity and social class.

5ow helpful are these theories? They look at factors beyond an individual!s control such as chance events %happenstance( and social structures which strongly impact on what people can do %opportunity structures(. 5ow do these ideas affect your attachment to the previous group of theories we looked at? 5appenstance Theory ummary Individuals can create and benefit from accidental or chance events in their lives %8happenstance9 is a term that refers to 8things that /ust happen9(. Kohn ArumboltN is associated with this idea that unpredictable factors such as conditions in education and labour markets can influence people9s plan and decisions. +ig Ideas 2esponding to happenstance in a planned way supports purposeful career e"ploration. '"planation $ractical Implications .pportunity tructure Theory ummary +ig Ideas '"planation $ractical Implications