European career guidance policy: A focus on subtle regulatory mechanisms

Abstract

Current political strategy to reform career guidance systems in Europe is regulated by subtle practices. Using the governmentality perspective, the purpose of this article is to make sense, in theoretical terms, of governmental reason and mechanisms in reshaping of career guidance systems. The investigation draws attention to mechanisms and practices such as monitoring and evaluation which indirectly operate in the policy process to make career guidance systems amenable for management. Drawing empirically on European policy texts, the analysis focuses on policy use of "good practice" and provision of data, which work upon the attitude to performance improvement and self-improvement. This article seeks to elucidate that incentive for learning from "good practice" and evaluation is related to the present form of governance by indirect mechanisms, and that this kind of governance enables constant reconstruction of career guidance.

Policy Processes that led to Norway’s first Master in Career Guidance in 2014

“…By soft governance they have implemented a coherent and holistic guidance system accessible throughout the lifespan (e.g. Bengtsson, 2011Bengtsson, , 2015aBengtsson, , 2015bBengtsson, , 2016Kjaergård, 2013).…”

“…A series of studies enquire the governance of career guidance and how individuals' career management is constructed within EU policy (e.g. Bengtsson, 2011Bengtsson, , 2015aBengtsson, , 2015bBengtsson, , 2016Kjaergård, 2013). The studies use Foucault's concept of governmentality (Foucault, 1991) in their analysis and show how career guidance is expressed as a regulating mechanism between the needs of society and the freedom of the individual to choose education and employment.…”

Nordic research on educational and vocational guidance: a systematic literature review of thematic features between 2003 and 2016

“…In the third theme, we include studies who investigate, problematize and question the direction of the ongoing development of educational and vocational guidance in the Nordic countries. Bengtsson (2011;2015a;2015b; has contributed with insight on this complex and dynamic interrelationship concerning the governance of guidance. The overall aim of these studies is to enquire into and problematize the governance of career guidance, and how individuals' career management is constructed within EU policy.…”

Actantial construction of career guidance in parliament of Finland’s education policy debates 1967–2020

“…Time and time again, research in social sciences, national policy discussions, and the OECD and European Union has identified fragmented educational paths, prolonged transitions from education to the workforce, dropping out from school and the mismatch between education and employment as problems that need to be solved. Career guidance has been offered as a response to these problems and the argument has been made that it can contribute to the successful education of young people, support their transition from education to the workforce and contribute to social justice (Watts, Sultana, and John 2010;Bergmo-Prvulovic 2014;Bengtsson 2015;Dale et al 2016;Haug et al 2020).…”