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Components and principles of career education

What are the components of a career education program?

A comprehensive career education program consists of the following broad components (adapted from McCowan, C. & McKenzie, M. (1997). The guide to career education. Sydney: New Hobsons Press, p. 17):

Self awareness activities typically involve students in:

identifying their own personal attributes e.g. physical, intellectual, emotional characteristics, skills, interests and values
exploring the relationship between their personal attributes and the skills required to be effective in different life/work situations
evaluating strategies and conditions that affect their learning in different life and work situations.

Opportunity awareness activities involve students in investigating, exploring and experiencing the world of work and the various pathways within it. Activities might include:

experiencing and researching different work environments
investigating a range of occupations and educational and training opportunities
analysing historical and projected changes in the world of work.

Decision learning is concerned with learning how to make decisions. Relevant activities involve students in:

exploring how other people make decisions and understanding the influences on a person's decision-making
identifying appropriate decision making styles and strategies
generating a range of career related options for themselves.

Transition learning relates to the awareness and skills students need to cope with new situations, both desired and undesired. Typical activities include:

identifying the range of planned and unplanned life/work transitions they may encounter during their lifetime
exploring how people respond to transitions
developing the skills to effectively manage a range of planned and unplanned transitions e.g. problem solving, identifying and using support networks.

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What are the principles for best practice career education programs?

Best practice career education programs:

are client focused
are mainstream
are endorsed by management
involve all stakeholders
use up-to-date information
use a variety of curriculum resources
use appropriately trained personnel
are coordinated, monitored and evaluated

Client focused career education programs:

are based on identified student needs
are developmentally appropriate
actively involve students
cater for a variety of learning styles and ability levels
provide programs for students with special needs.

Career education programs that are mainstream are seen by the school community as:

an integral rather than an extraneous part of the school's curriculum
a shared process - a whole of school responsibility
not an add-on activity.

The school's management group endorses the school's career education program, when they:

believe it contributes to the achievement of school goals
include the program in the school management plan and other reporting documents
give a commitment to professional development, adequate time, and resources
ensure that the program continues regardless of school personnel changes.

Career education programs that actively involve all stakeholders in the school community, are understood and promoted by the community. Stakeholders include students, parents, teachers, industry, employers, support services, mentors, former students, community organisations, and education/training providers.

Best practice career education programs incorporate up-to-date, accurate and user-friendly career information. They use a range of information access points, for example:

a career reference room or a career section in the library
computer/Internet access
school website/newsletter
school email network for students
guest speakers
career markets and expos, open days.

Teachers involved in career education programs need access to a variety of curriculum resources to meet the different learning and developmental needs of students. These resources should be credible, current, and user-friendly.

Career development is complex and the pathways available to students are multiple. Consequently, school personnel involved in the delivery of career education programs should be appropriately trained. Personnel providing career counselling in the school should have formal qualifications in career development and career counselling, and access to supervision.

Career education programs require coordination to ensure that all students have access to a comprehensive program, and to avoid duplication of curriculum content at different year levels. Using a career development framework such as the Australian Blueprint for Career Development or the P - 12 Career and work preparation outcomes framework will provide a 'map' for this process. Monitoring and evaluation are important components of a career education program to ensure that the program is meeting the needs of students and other stakeholders, and contributing to the achievement of the school's goals.

The above principles have been adapted from the following publications:

Dusseldorp Skills Forum & Career Education Association of Victoria (1997). Career education and guidance for the next millennium.

McCowan, C. & McKenzie, M. (1997). The guide to career education. Sydney: New Hobsons Press.

Patton, W. & McMahon, M. (2001). Career development programs: Preparation for lifelong career decision-making. Melbourne: ACER.

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