Career Development: moving forward together

Australian Journal of Career Development, Spring, 2006 by Jen Coughran

The recent International Symposium on Career Development and Public Policy, held in Sydney in April 2006, was a fruitful experience for all involved. More importantly, it was indicative of the level of maturity that the career industry has attained in Australia. The symposium brought together international colleagues from around the world for what proved to be very productive discussions resulting in individual country action plans and a collaboratively developed communique, published in this edition of the AJCD. Australia's adept management of the event demonstrated that this country has made considerable progress in the area of career development, particularly since the 2002 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Review of Career Guidance Policies.

These are exciting times for career development in Australia. More than ever before, governments and non-government stakeholders are working collaboratively to develop and implement national career development policy. The Australian Government has been a significant player in these initiatives, committing substantial funding to the vision of improving the quality and availability of career services for all Australians. The Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) has pro-actively contributed to policy development and has been integral to the implementation of several of the resulting projects. The enthusiasm and goodwill of all players has been critical to the impressive outcomes achieved.

PROFESSIONALISATION OF THE INDUSTRY

In response to recommendations of the OECD review, the Australian Government, through the Department of Education Science and Training (DEST), determined to encourage quality improvement in career service delivery. Following an extensive consultation process, the Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners were agreed by all CICA member associations in December 2005. For the first time in Australia, these standards describe agreed terminology, membership of the career development profession, a code of ethics, entry-level qualifications, continuing professional development and competency guidelines. The standards will be regarded as the minimum requirement fur career development practitioners from January 2012. Copies of the Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners are available from the CICA website (www.cica.org.au).

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

In tandem with the development of professional standards, professional development opportunities for career practitioners have been expanded. A career elective for pre-service teachers was developed in 2005. Australian Career Development Studies (ACDS), available on the Internet (www.career.edu.au), offers opportunities for skills enhancement to anyone who helps others make career decisions. Flowing from this, a current DEST project will develop a nationally endorsed Certificate IV in Career Development, which will incorporate the three accredited units in Component Two of ACDS. The learning materials for all of these professional development opportunities are, or will be, freely available, and all contribute to the strengthening of the skills base of career practitioners and the quality of career services available to Australians of all ages. Scholarships for school career practitioners have also been introduced on an annual basis. These provide an opportunity for career teachers either to undertake study related to career development, or to participate in an industry placement. They have been enthusiastically received, indicating that career teachers are keen to develop their skills and that they are recognising the value in forging connections with industry. Information about the scholarships, including success stories from early recipients, is available at www.dest.gov.au/career scholarships

AUSTRALIAN BLUEPRINT FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT

The Ministerial Council on Education, Employment Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) is supporting the development of a framework, the Australian Blueprint for Career Development (ABCD), designed to create, strengthen and evaluate career development programs and products for young people and adults. DEST is managing this process and has also provided additional funding. The ABCD details 11 competencies that support an individual's career development and provides a common language for career development initiatives, while allowing flexibility at the local level. It also contains processes for planning, implementing and evaluating career development programs and resources. The ABCD's primary aim is to have users work within a national framework to create comprehensive, effective and measurable career development programs. It is based on 15 years of developmental work in Canada and the US, and is being tested and refined during 2006 and 2007.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

The Australian Government has extended its commitment to help young Australians make a smooth transition from school to further study or from school to work. The Government's 2005 budget commitment of an additional $143.2 million from 2005-36 to 2008-09 is, for the first time, providing a comprehensive national career and transition support network for all young Australians from 13 to 19 years. This commitment, announced as the Australian Network of Industry Careers Advisers, is now referred to as Career Advice Australia to provide a clear brand for the wide range of programs and services delivered by the Australian Government.