DfES report on the Impact of Advice and Guidance

03-June-2005

An important new longitudinal study on the impact of advice and guidance has just been published by the DfES.
Over 4,000 recipients of IAG were tracked to determine the impact of advice and guidance, using information-only recipients as a matched control group. I would be very interested in entering into an online dialogue with anyone else who has read the report and has comments to make, especially about the extent to which this report throws light on some of the profound methodological difficulties in assessing impact. I would be particularly interested to hear comments from any of the delegates who attended the impact assessment event at the University of Derby on April 26, 2005. The report can be downloaded at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR638.pdf

Deirdre Hughes; 03-June-2005 18:26:52 forum (2)

2 comments.

Latest comment:
08-June-2005 10:18:35 by ggration; Response to Deirdre`s request for comments on the DfES report

New careers

03-June-2005

Much has been written over the last decade or so about 'new models of careers', but this raises a number of questions.

Problem with discourse of new model of careers with individual having to take responsibility for their own careers outside any organisational framework is that:

  • it represents the phenomenon as inevitable (a trend that is seen as extending into the future);
  • the individual is seen as having to take sole responsibility for career development and/or is seen as a victim;
  • no consideration is given to possibility of changing work environment.

Also there is the question of 'who benefits' from this discourse? 


Alan Brown; 03-June-2005 22:46:08 forum (1)

1 comments.

Latest comment:
15-June-2005 18:05:54 by gillyfridge; New Careers

Question 5 Career planning etc (Future Trends/IT/Discussion points)

21-June-2005

[ skills-specialisation , site-content comment ]
...Specialism may bring initial high rewards but may later lead into a professional cul de sac. Career planning in this sector is vital
  1. What role can guidance play in encouraging those interested in IT , particularly women, those from ethnic minority groups, those with a disability and those in the third age?
  2. How can guidance support and help promote women in the IT professions?
  3. Should guidance try to influence gender subject decisions in higher education?
  4. How can equal opportunity issues in IT be addressed and overcome?
  5. Are career planning and career strategies of particular importance to those working in IT?
National Guidance Research Forum - Discussion points

It would appear to me that the tendency of some IT roles to move towards a higher and higher level of specialisation in a particular array of software or set of skills would require considerable efforts on behalf of the individual to maintain professional development and keeping abreast of developments or risk redundancy in this fast moving industry and the exponential growth of technology. Specialism may bring initial high rewards but may later lead into a professional cul de sac. Career planning in this sector is vital.


Robert Facer; 21-June-2005 10:09:20 forum (0)