Introduction

International work, for example by The World Bank, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and European Union (EU), has identified certain common themes of interest and relevance to the guidance community. These are briefly summarised below and can be viewed as potential areas for further research and initiatives for partnership working, using networks. This section relies heavily on work by Ronald Sultana (University of Malta), Richard Sweet (OECD) and Tony Watts (NICEC and visiting professor, CeGS, UK). Original documents are accessible from the relevant websites (see directory) or from the National Library Resource for Guidance (Centre for Guidance Studies, University of Derby).

Watts and Sultana (2003) identified two key differences between countries and their approach to guidance services. The first relates to economic differences between nations, with high-income countries having better developed career guidance systems. The second is the relationship of the careers guidance services to “the development of market economies and democratic political institutions”. In countries moving from command to market-based economies (e.g. the previous Soviet states), career guidance services were in early stages of development.

Common themes

Five broad headings emerged from the data collected from the surveys conducted by The World Bank, OECD and European Union covering 36 countries. These are rationale, evidence, delivery, resourcing and leadership. All are of relevance to the guidance professional.

Rationale

In the countries surveyed, career guidance was accepted as a public good, with goals relating to learning, the labour market and social equity. In the context of lifelong learning, active markets and employability, it is recognised that transformation of the service is necessary, with cost and resourcing implications. Work on human capital suggests that the harnessing of such capital is integral to healthy and sustained economic growth.

Evidence

The NGRF website has links to case study and theoretical debates, including issues relating to evidence-based practice. Policy-makers are interested in empirical evidence, but acknowledge too the role of anecdotal evidence.

Convincing evidence is available on the learning outcomes which individuals derive from career guidance interventions. This is seen as important in an environment which is focusing on development of career management skills. Watts and Sultana also argue that there is “growing evidence of positive behavioural outcomes in terms of impact upon participation in learning and in work”. However, adequate studies have not yet been conducted to allow evidence to be gathered with regard to potential long-term benefits of guidance, although the limited available evidence does suggest that there are benefits.

Delivery

Resourcing

Two key areas of international interest relate to staffing and funding.

Within staffing, a common theme is the need for stronger occupational structures in the careers guidance field. In many countries, careers guidance is provided by people who do it as only an ancillary part of their role (e.g. alongside teaching). This means that often specific training is neglected.

Sultana and Watts advocate a competence framework, which might provide a career development structure for guidance staff. The Canadian Standards and Guidelines for Career Development Practitioners are identified as of interest, in addition to the international standards being developed by the International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance.

The debate over centralised or devolved funding is alive in the area of careers guidance. Devolved funding can allow localised decisions but can lead to variation in provision.

The use of contracted-out services and private sector involvement is growing, especially in the areas of careers information publishing, placement agencies and outplacement services.

Leadership

Governments play the key role in strategic leadership, but the role of other stakeholders needs to be acknowledged. Watts and Sultana list these as education and training providers, employers, trade unions, community agencies, students, parent, other consumers and career guidance practitioners themselves.

The need for stronger infrastructures for careers guidance, supported by a robust knowledge base, is emphasised. Legislation relating to guidance provision is in evidence in some of the countries covered by the surveys. Stronger co-ordination and leadership is required to develop a strategies for delivering lifelong access to guidance, together with co-ordinating mechanisms for delivery.

Features of lifelong guidance systems

Ten features are identified to provide criteria to evaluate career guidance systems. These are summarised in box 1.

To enable these to be developed, seven issues are crucial for the attention of policy-makers, as shown in box 2.

Conclusions

This short overview has highlighted some of the contemporary international issues of relevance to the guidance community. Other sections of the NGRF website can be accessed to find out more about thinking of future trends and ongoing research into these issues within the UK and throughout the world.

Bibliography

Bezanson 2003

Bezanson L (2003) A Proposal to establish the International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy Ontario, Canada, May 2003

Centre for Guidance Studies 2003

Centre for Guidance Studies (2003) OECD Review of Career Guidance Policies: United Kingdom Country Note Occasional Paper, CeGS, University of Derby

OECD 2000

OECD (2000) From initial education to working life: making transitions Paris

OECD 2001

OECD (2001) Knowledge and Skills for Life: first results from PISA 2000 Paris

Sweet 2001

Sweet R (2001) “Career information, guidance and counselling services: Policy perspectives” Australian journal of Career Development Vol 10, no 2, pp 11-14

Watts et all 2002

Watts A G (2002) Career Guidance and Public Policy: Global issues and challenges OECD presentation to Pushing the Boundaries conference, Wellington, New Zealand, Nov 2002

Watts et all 1993

Watts A G, Stern E & Deen N (1993) Careers Guidance towards the 21st century CRAC Cambridge

Watts and McCarthy 1998

Watts A G & McCarthy J (1998) Community-based Guidance assistance programme

Watts and Sultana 2003

Watts A.G. & Sultana R G (2003) Careers Guidance Policies in 36 countries: contrasts and common themes paper for the CEDEFOP conference on Carrer Guidance and Public Policy: Bridging the Gap, Toronto, Canada, Oct 2003