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Infusing Career Guidance into the Mainstream of Professional Thinking

William BorgenEducational and Counselling Psychology

& Special Education

Faculty of Education

University of British Columbia

Bryan HiebertDepartment of Educational Psychology

& Leadership Studies

Faculty of Education

University of Victoria

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Counselling and Guidance Within a Context of Uncertainty

PersonalSelf-

identity

Family

Societal Context

Career

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Traditional Assumptions

There are a series of individual attributes or traits that draw people to certain occupations.

These attributes or traits are pivotal to effective and desired decision-making.

Occupations that match the vocational interest of individuals are accessible to them.

Occupations are stable enough in their characteristics for assessment instruments that match the traits of individuals with occupational characteristics are useful over time.

Once secured individuals have the capability to stay involved in desired occupations or career trajectories.

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Revised Assumptions Several factors influence choice of occupations or career

paths, including individual attributes or traits, family perspectives, rapidly evolving cultural influences such as poverty, addiction, conflict, displacement and discrimination, along with internationalization and rapid change in labour market opportunities.

These factors are differentially important within and across cultural contexts.

Occupations of choice may not be accessible.

Many tasks and processes related to occupations are unstable.

People need the skills and attitudes required to successfully manage rapid and unpredictable changes that characterize many occupations and career trajectories.

Career Development is an emerging professional activity

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Some International Examples

Countries are looking for information and approaches that address the issues of individuals and also inform policies to serve the broader society (Kenya, Nigeria, Bhutan)

The context in which people are making occupational, vocational and career decisions is evolving rapidly and unpredictably (India, Africa, Eastern Europe/Asia, Argentina, North America)

Perceived status of occupations is a major issue

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The Need for Career/Life Planning

We guide our boys and girls to some extent through school, then drop them into this complex world to sink or swim as the case may be. Yet there is no part of life where the need for guidance is more emphatic than in the transition from school to work - the choice of a vocation, adequate preparation for it, and the attainment of efficiency and success. (Frank Parsons)

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What students are telling us…

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Older Adolescents in High School

Problems Identified

Schooling  Identity and Self-

Concept  Family  Employment

See: Borgen, W. A., & Hiebert, B. (2006). Youth counselling and career guidance: What adolescents and young adults are telling us. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 28, 389-400 .

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Coping Strategies of Adolescents

Individual Problem Solving 

Disengagement – distancing, avoidance

Resignation

Giving Up

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The Nature of Assistance Desired

Who – Friends, Family, Professional Helpers

Qualities – Good listeners, trustworthy and honest – Knowledge about the issues being discussed – Experience similar to theirs

What – Counselling, knowledge, advice and information – Comfort and reassurance

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The Challenge…

Career opportunities are a result of planned and unplanned developmental and environmental events.

Career decisions evolve over a life time. Career development services need to be

differentiated and available across the lifespan. A new paradigm is needed to depict how

people’s careers develop.

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Where to begin

Focused interview• Identify student need

Intervention designed to meet student need School wide, student focused game plan

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When students are involved as partners in their learning experiences …

Greater academic achievement Reduced drop-out rate & lower absenteeism Reduced student alienation Reduced bullying and harassment Reduced incidence of smoking and drinking More positive school climate Greater satisfaction with school Students report school experiences as more

relevant and better preparation for the future Students indicate that the quality of their

education is better

Results from studies in the USA

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Services Related to Career Development

Advice or Advising  If I give general information regarding external requirements, I am doing

vocational or career advising (Implies general information is sufficient for the issue presented)

Guidance If I make a judgment about what information is being sought and

provide it I am providing vocational or career guidance. (Implies tailored information is sufficient).

Counselling If I explore the other person’s perspective, tentatively offer other

perspective to be considered (including information based on the initial exploration) and jointly discuss possible action planning, I am providing vocational or career counselling. (Implies that a counselling process is needed to consider the utility of different insights, feelings, and information and the applicability of different possible actions regarding the issue.)

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Constructs Central to Career Development

Occupational Occupational refers to an activity that is focused on

considering a particular type of job.

Vocational Vocational refers to a focus on an individual’s talents,

passions and interests in considering areas of work.

Career Career refers to broader issues, such life development,

work-adjustment, work-dysfunction, and integration of life roles with other life roles over time that may or may not be directly related to work.

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Professional Development: A Multi-Layered Approach

Preparation for career practitioners Orientation workshop

• Philosophical underpinnings• theoretical foundations• For all professionals

Stakeholder involvement• Individual consultation• Group consultation

In-depth training for key service providers• Guidance practitioners• Counsellors

Training for trainers• For capacity building

Career Guidance: Roles and Responsibilities

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Role

Consulting & Coaching

Coordinating

Counselling

DevelopmentalPreventive Remedial

Teaching &Facilitating

Classroomactivities

Classroomprograms

High needsstudents

Classroomprogramcontent

Classroomprograms

All studentsas required

Teacherinservice

Classroomactivities

Classroomteachers

High needsstudents

Classroomvisits asneeded

Teachershaving

difficulty

Cou

nsel

lor

Rol

es

Teacher Roles

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Staff TrainingExample from the Field

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Career Guidance and Counselling Orientation Workshop:

Implementing a Vision for Your Life

5-day interactive workshop• foundational career development theory• contemporary approaches for implementing career

guidance programs in educational settings• Key resources available• knowledge and skill practice in appropriate

instructional methods for career education

Designed to help teachers and counsellors work more effectively

with their school and college communities

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Guidance & Counseling Planner

Day 1: Context• Preparation, philosophy,

theory

Day 2: Taking Stock• Tools and resources

Day 3: Providing services• Communication

& collaboration

Day 4: Building support• Policy makers, service

providers, clients working together

Day 5: Consolidation• Implementing, maintaining,

sustaining

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Orientation Workshop Plan

Day 1: Context What is career development

• Career-life planning• Vision for your life• Foundational theories

Who are we serving• Labour market context• Voices of youth

Learn about career-life planning by examining your own career path

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Orientation Workshop Plan

Day 2: Taking Stock

Nature of services• Advising, Guidance, Counselling• Occupational, Vocational, Career• Meeting the whole person needs of students

Nature of training • Skills needed• Resources available

Tools and resources (for services + for training)

Understanding my own career path• How will I incorporate this in my job

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Orientation Workshop Plan

Day 3: Providing services Communication and collaboration

• Multiple skills for multiple roles• Constructs and skills for collaboration

Basic group process• Group member roles and norms• Stages of group development

Skill practice

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Group Facilitation Model

See: Borgen, W. A., Pollard, D. E., Amundson, N. E., & Westwood, M. J. (1989). Employment groups: The counselling connection (chapter 3). Toronto, ON: Lugus.

Group Design

Member Needs & Roles

Leader

Approaches

& Skills

Group Goals & Activities

Group

Process

Stage 6

Pos

t Gro

up

Stage 1

Pla

nnin

g

Stage 2

Initi

al

Stage 3

Tran

sitio

n

Stage 4

Wor

king

Stage 5

Term

inat

ion

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Orientation Workshop Plan

Day 4: Building support Policy support

• Infrastructure needed• Resources needed• Program planning and evaluation• Policy makers, service providers, clients

working together Demonstrating the value of our work

• Program planning and evaluation• Evaluation and intervention framework• Tools for demonstrating value

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Resources Available Staff: Number of staff, level

of training, type of training Funding: Budget Service guidelines: School

District mandate, Canadian Citizenship & Immigration mandate

Facilities, Infrastructure Community resources

Activities that Link to Outcomes or Deliverables

Generic interventions• Working alliance, communication

skills, etc.Specific interventions• Curriculum activities

• Skills or strategies used teachers, counsellors, etc.

• Facilitator guides• Student home practice• Programs & workshops offered by

community partners• Stakeholder Satisfaction

Indicators Of Learner Change Learning outcomes Changes in knowledge and skills linked to the program or activities Progress Indicators End Result IndicatorsPersonal attribute outcomes Changes in attitudes, especially regarding racism & discrimination Progress Indicators End Result IndicatorsImpact Outcomes Changes in the learner’s life resulting from application of learning,

e.g., engagement with school, employment status Social and relational impact

Ou

tco

mes

Inputs

Proce

sses

Client Context Needs Goals

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Outcome-Focused Evidence-Based Practice

Input Process Outcome

Intervention =

Process + Outcome

What will I do? + How is it working?

Professional Practitioner

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Orientation Workshop Plan

Day 5: Consolidation, maintaining, & sustaining Making it happen

• Pulling it all together• Action planning & follow up• Vision for your life• Foundational theories

Workshop evaluation

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Orientation Workshop Evaluation

Regarding the Primary Objectives of this workshop, andknowing what you know now, how would you rate yourself before the workshop, and how would you rate yourself now?

BeforeUnacceptable

Acceptable

AfterUnacceptable

Acceptable

0 1 2 3 4 ave 0 1 2 3 4 ave

1 Clear understanding of basic career development theory 6 5 11 3 1 1.5 0 0 0 10 16 3.6

2 Knowledge about the factors that contribute to (or interfere with) people’s career development

4 10 6 5 1 1.6 0 0 1 6 19 3.6

3 Knowledge regarding basic skills used in career-life planning

7 11 3 4 1 1.3 0 0 2 6 18 3.6

4 Tools for demonstrating the value of careers guidance & counselling 8 5 4 5 1 1.4 0 0 1 5 17 3.3

5 Awareness of the importance of career-life planning in TVET 6 5 6 5 1 1.7 0 0 0 3 20 3.4

6Repertoire of practical tools and approaches for facilitating career development

8 9 4 4 1 1.4 0 0 2 6 18 3.5

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Evaluation Results

156 ratings (6 questions times 26 people):• 84 (54%) ratings were unacceptable before the workshop• 0 ratings were unacceptable after the workshop• 6 (4%) ratings were excellent before the workshop• 108 (69%) ratings were excellent after the workshop

Mean scores before and after the workshop • Before, all were unacceptable (<2)• After, all were more than minimally acceptable (>3)

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Orientation Workshop Evaluation

For each component of the workshop listed below, please assess how useful that component was for you.

Ave0 1 2 3 4

1. General Model: Road Map -- -- 1 10 15 3.5

2. Exploring the Context -- -- 2 9 15 3.4

3. Factors Influencing Career Plans -- -- -- 8 18 3.7

4. Personal Career Line -- -- 1 12 13 3.5

5. Clarifying Roles (advising, guidance, counselling) -- -- -- 5 21 3.8

6. Assets and Resources -- -- 3 8 15 3.5

7. Skill Framework for service providers -- -- 2 6 18 3.6

8. Group process strategies -- -- -- 5 16 3.6

9. Skill Practice -- -- -- 9 17 3.7

10. Demonstrating value (evaluation) -- -- -- 8 16 3.7

11. Infrastructure -- -- 3 13 10 3.3

12. Action planning -- -- -- 7 19 3.7

AcceptableUnacceptable

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Final Thoughts

One major barrier expressed by participants• lack of infrastructure and resources • Many schools do not have a career resource centre

Create the support you need• Lobby policy makers• Train your boss to give you the support you need

Create a mechanism to support follow up action Create a capacity building mechanism

• Training for trainers

Lifelong learning & growth needs

Lifelong guidance and counselling

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The Need…

Academics and practitioners will need to consider the new philosophical underpinnings, theoretical foundations, knowledge base, and expanded skill sets needed to embrace the new paradigm.

Career practitioners need a broader range of pre-service and in-service education that prepares them to offer advice, guidance and counselling for occupational, vocational and career related issues.

Policy makers will need to provide for an infrastructure to support career development + insist on evidence to attest to effectiveness.

We need to Connect the Islands

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Practitioners

ResearchersPolicy Makers

Employers

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Infusing Career Guidance into the Mainstream of Professional Thinking

Questions of Comments?

Thank you

William Borgenborgen@interchange.ubc.ca

Bryan Hieberthiebert@ucalgary.ca