Coming of Age? Overview of Career Guidance Policy and Practice in Australia

Abstract

In recent years significant international focus has highlighted the critical importance of managing life, learning and work in a constantly changing labour market. This changing world and the corresponding need for individuals to engage in repeated decision-making about learning and work has raised the importance of and necessity for the provision of career development services across the lifespan. This challenge is being addressed by many countries across the globe. Within this context, this paper discusses the initiatives enhancing the status of career service provision in Australia.Re´sume´. Qu'en est-il du temps de la vie? Vue d'ensemble de la politique et de la pratique en matie`re d'orientation professionnelle en Australie. Ces dernie`res anne´es, une attention particulie`re s'est manifeste´e au plan international qui souligne l'importance critique de la gestion de la vie, de l'e´tude et du travail dans un marche´du travail en mutation constante. Ce monde en mutation et le besoin correspondant des individus de s'engager dans un processus de prise de de´cision re´pe´te´au sujet de l'apprentissage et du travail soule`vent la question de l'importance et de la ne´cessite´de fournir des services d'aide au de´veloppement de la vie professionnelle pendant toute la dure´e de l'existence. De nombreux pays de par le monde s'attaquent a`ce de´fi. Dans ce contexte, cet article discute les initiatives qui valorisent le statut des services d'orientation professionnelle mis a`disposition en Australie.Zusammenfassung. Erwachsen geworden? Ü berblick u¨ber die Berufsberatungspolitik und -praxis in Australien. In den letzten Jahren hat eine wesentliche internationale Aufmerksamkeit die u¨berragende Bedeutung herausgestellt, die der Selbstorganisation der Lebensfu¨hrung, des Lernens und der Arbeit in einem sich sta¨ndig vera¨ndernden Arbeitsmarkt zukommt. Diese sich a¨ndernde Welt und die entsprechende Notwendigkeit fu¨r den Einzelnen, sich wiederholt mit Entscheidungsprozessen auf dem Gebiet des Lernens und der Arbeit auseinander zu setzen hat die Wichtigkeit und die Notwendigkeit eines lebensbegleitenden Angebots an Berufsberatungsdiensten betont. Dieser Aufgabe stellen sich viele La¨nder rund um die Erde. In diesem Zusammenhang stellt dieser Artikel die Initiativen aus Australien vor, mit denen dort das Angebot an Berufsberatung weiterentwickelt wurde.Resumen. ?'Alcanzando la madurez? Panorama de la Polı´tica y Pra´ctica de la Orientacio´n para la Carrera en Australia. En an˜os recientes, el foco de intere´s en el a´mbito internacional ha resaltado la importancia de gestionar la vida, el aprendizaje, y el trabajo en un mercado laboral cambiante. Estos cambios continuos, y la consecuente necesidad de los individuos a estar permanentemente tomando decisiones sobre el aprendizaje y el trabajo, ha aumentado la relevancia y la necesidad de los servicios de orientacio´n para la carrera a lo largo del ciclo vital. Este reto esta´siendo afrontado por muchos paı´ses alrededor del mundo. En este contexto, el artı´culo presenta las in...

The Relationship Between Career Variables and Occupational Aspirations and Expectations for Australian High School Adolescents

“…Career programs need to assist young people to fully explore all aspects of educational and occupational opportunities within a developmental and sociocultural context (Lent et al, 2002;Schoon & Parsons, 2002;Super, 1990). In addition, the stability of aspirations and expectations by adolescence suggests that this work needs to commence in earlier grades for both females and males and needs to be comprehensive and not the just-in-time ad-hoc approaches so often included in many schools (Patton, 2005). Given the important connections with career maturity, career indecision, and career decision-making self-efficacy, programs need to be targeted at these areas.…”

International Handbook of Career Guidance

“…This has led to career services being provided by a wide range of professionals most of whom do not have specific formal training in career development. Patton (2005) stated that there "a small number of tertiary institutions have developed programs designed to specifically prepare career practitioners" (p. 224). The development of career education in Australia reflects the same developments taking place in the UK and USA a few decades ago .…”

The Current State and Future Direction of Counseling Psychology in Australia

“…Patton (2005) noted the increasing number of individuals offering counseling services who are employed in the private sector. This development may be a significant strength to the profession in allowing individual counselors to develop new skills and to respond to the changing needs of their clients without the lumbering burden of bureaucracy that can be the bane of those working for larger institutions.…”

“…The Australian Association of Career Counsellors in particular has been instrumental in raising both the profile of its members' work and government funds for professional development through the initiation and participation in a variety of government agencies and committees including the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) and the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MYCEETYA) (McMahon & Patton, 2002). Patton (2005) noted the increasing number of individuals offering counseling services who are employed in the private sector. This development may be a significant strength to the profession in allowing individual counselors to develop new skills and to respond to the changing needs of their clients without the lumbering burden of bureaucracy that can be the bane of those working for larger institutions.…”

“…Sharpley (1986) reported that the difficulty the Australian public had in accurately identifying the proper training for counselors was due in part to the "large numbers of paraprofessionals who describe themselves as counsellors" (p. 61). Patton (2005) believes that an increasing number of individuals from a wide range of differing backgrounds have entered the field of career development counseling in recent years. She sees this as a potential threat to the credibility of the career counseling profession in Australia since many of these individuals may lack specific training in the career development field.…”