Developing Individuals Career Management Skills Professional Development Seminar May 2009

1. Developing Individuals� Career Management SkillsProfessional Development SeminarMay 2009

2. Self-Help in Career Planning and Decision-Making Research Research aims: to identify the critical organisational factors and individual pre-conditions which encourage individuals up to the age of 19 to self-help in career planning To examine whether the use of self-help tools has an impact on the acquisition of career self-management skills

3. What does the research tell us? Impact Relatively limited up-take of CS self-help services (44% had used school careers library and 36% had used website at point of first questionnaire) in the 3 schools surveyed Aspects of CMS measured in questionnaires - awareness of strengths, weaknesses and values; opportunity awareness; career planning readiness; support and advice awareness; application skills and knowledge Use of self-help resources led to modest increase on all aspects of CMS measured except �awareness of strengths, weaknesses, values�

4. What does the research tell us? Impact Careers Adviser interview had positive impact on opportunity awareness and was valued and desired by young people and teaching staff Most common sources of support for career planning were the internet, family and leaflets/books � formal �badged� sources were viewed as least useful Usefulness of Careers Scotland website rated highly by website user survey respondents who tended to use tools which were more exploratory rather than information based

5. What does the research tell us? Individual Pre-conditions Young people talk about and demonstrate a significant apathy to career planning - they don�t appear to take a formal, proactive approach YP need to be �pushed� by external influencers (CAs/GTs) to plan for their future and planning is only seen as relevant if a decision was imminent � a short term focus on the next step rather than longer term planning is common Influence of parents / carers is highlighted Most young people report that they were confident of their awareness and ability to access IAG but very few have �high readiness� for using self-help resources

6. What does the research tell us? Individual Pre-conditions Young people report too much duplication, lack of depth, and inaccuracy of information sourced on the internet, making self-help more complex Young people value self-help services (particularly websites) but wish personal contact and advice Majority of YP using career websites need or seek support in doing so and use them most comfortably when their use is mediated - need for mediation was reported by young people, teachers, and Careers Advisers Self-help is not an appropriate response for young people with additional support needs or who a are part of the More Choices, More Chances group

7. What does the research tell us? Organisational Factors We need to make career planning more appealing to young people (less formal, more interactive, and stimulating to use) The development of self-help resources needs to be conducted with young people There needs to be more �hot� information provided Young people want provision of more learning opportunities rather than information - provide more access to self-help tools that help develop self-awareness and decision-making skills

8. What does the research tell us? Organisational Factors Need one point of access to the range of relevant and appropriate resources (not just SDS/CS) on offer We need to develop increased regard for self-help resources amongst staff and encourage them to find ways to provide a more integrated offer Reluctance by school or Careers Scotland to take the chance of young people not self-helping supports an ethos of pro-activity by staff and reactivity by pupils

9. Research Findings � Reflective Questions What do I do to raise awareness of self-help resources in my school for pupils, parents, and teachers? What self-help resources do I encourage pupils to use? How do I monitor the effectiveness of this? Am I aware of self-help resources that pupils can use to facilitate development of different CMS? Does the service level agreement with the school/s I work in refer to and help us integrate the use of self-help resources as part of school development plans? Do my working practices encourage an ethos of reactivity in pupils? If yes, what can I do to change this?

10. Approach to Guidance The ATG model is designed to enable Careers Advisers and their clients to identify and resolve actual career planning needs. Allows Careers Advisers to get agreement on the focus and purpose of a career planning intervention. Careers Advisers should use the ATG as a means of focussing the interview into development of career management skills. Clients are clear on how they are making career related decisions and provided with actions to resolve on-going needs.

11. Approach to Guidance Make the career management skills clients acquire through the process more transparent to foster confidence and future career agility Reflective Questions Why is it important to agree the purpose of the intervention during the pre-conditions stage of the ATG interview? What techniques can be used to help the client describe their career planning process and identify their Career Management Skills? What methods can be employed to determine how effective a client�s career planning strategy is? Suggest ways of ensuring that the action / advice you offer is relevant to the client Discuss ways of ensuring the client agrees and owns the targets and actions related to their needs

12. Career Plan of Action The CPOA records well-informed and realistic career decisions and the actions required to meet career goals as a result of a 1:1 intervention with a Careers Adviser. Where an individual has had a diagnostic / checking interview and it is agreed with the Careers Adviser no further career planning intervention is required. Where an individual has had a guidance interview with a Careers Adviser. Identifies the appropriate stage of the Career Planning Journey which best describes where the individual is with their career planning. Summarises the client�s awareness of how work and learning opportunities fit in with their life style and what they hope to gain from pursuing these ideas. Details the action points agreed and key areas to consider in taking forward their career planning. Careers Advisers can supplement the completed CPOA with information leaflets on GRFW, Staying at School, Job Search, Applying for College & University To be completed at the end of an ATG intervention

13. Career Plan of Action Greater personalisation of the action points to help develop Career Management Skills and career agility Clients to write their own CPOAs Using new web technology on My Learning Space How do you currently identify and record actions � do you discuss this with the client? Do you offer options? How do you ensure the client agrees and owns the targets and actions related to their CMS needs?

14. Career Planning Journey The CPJ is Skills Development Scotland�s conceptual and methodological explanation of what career planning involves. Provides insights into the different stages of career planning and what clients need to do to become successful career planners Career Advisers identify what stage of the career planning journey the client is on and seek to resolve career planning needs. Provides a clear focus on career planning and ensures both parties are in agreement. Career Advisers use the CPJ to clarify links between self-awareness and opportunity awareness. The CPJ can be introduced in ATG 1:1 interventions and career planning workshops with Young People and Adults

15. Career Planning Journey Make the career management skills clients acquire through the process more transparent to foster confidence and future career agility Different versions of the CPJ to use with client groups according to their need Consider how and when you would introduce the CPJ to a client in a 1:1 intervention? How does the CPJ support clients in identifying the skills they have acquired in formal and informal settings? Discuss the usefulness or otherwise of group work to explore career planning using the CPJ?

16. Planning Your Career Booklet The PYC booklet has been designed for use with individuals during a 1:1 guidance or group intervention to engage them in the career planning process. Careers Advisers use the booklet to explain the CS decision making approach and how to use the decision making tool (six questions) Career Advisers use the PYC booklets during the diagnosis stage of the career planning interview as a way of exploring self awareness and opportunity awareness To be used at stage 1 & 2 of the Career Planning Journey

17. Planning Your Career Booklet Make the skills and qualities identified through self awareness more transparent Make the learning gained about the economic environment, businesses and occupations more transparent Link these to career decision making now and in the future Produce personalised on line version with guidelines for use in My Learning Space The language in the PYC booklet is not always appropriate to the client � what other methods could you employ to teach the formula? What methods do you currently use to introduce the six formula questions: what difficulties have you come across and how did you overcome them? How can the formula questions be used in exploring confidence to take forward well-informed career decisions and raise aspirations? How can the formula questions be used to explore career agility and take advantage of opportunities to maximise potential?

18. The Buzz Uses personality type theory to enable young people to better understand themselves and other people. Helps young people make better decisions about their future and improves the quality of their relationships and communication skills Make personality traits (self awareness) and their relationship to work (opportunity awareness) more explicit to help young people identify their transferable skills Help young people to have a clearer idea of what is important to them Used at Stage 1and 2 of the Career Planning Journey

19. The Buzz Make personality traits (Self awareness) and their relationship to work (opportunity awareness) more explicit Use it more in school, groups and with clients in the centre Develop self help material on the web site in My Learning Space How can Buzz generate discussion around self-awareness? How can Buzz be used to promote discussion around career agility? How can Buzz be used to engage clients in developing their career management skills?

20. SING Tools A toolkit for staff to assist individuals to make well informed realistic career decisions Career Thinking Employability Skills Career Management Skills Quiz (Young People) Career Support Network Career Line Explore decision making which can then be discussed and challenged Help clients develop a sense of self awareness Enable clients to assess their level of skills in relation to what employers demand Used at Stages 1 � 4 of the Career Planning Journey

21. SING Tools Give clients a clearer understanding of their transferable skills Raise confidence in their career management capability through reflection on skills and experience identified Update and develop online version on My Learning Space How can the SING tools be used to develop client�s sense of self-awareness? How can the SING tools be used to challenge client�s decision making process? How can the SING tools be used to explore client�s skills and qualities? How can SING be used in raising career aspirations? Where can SING be introduced into the ATG model? How does SING support clients in identifying the skills they have acquired in formal and informal settings

22. My Employability Journey Logbook A logbook used with students on the Flexible Support Project (FSP) to promote employability skills The logbook belongs to the client and it is a record, written by them in their own words, of the evidence of their: Personal Qualities Skills Experience Career Plans Motivation Achievements Qualifications and Education Areas for Development For use at and through transition To evaluate themselves, know their strengths and areas for development and help them to articulate their competencies. Used at Stages 5 � 9 of the Career Planning Journey

23. My Employability Journey Logbook Integrated into ATG interventions to support clients� personal development planning Benchmark skills and confidence levels at outset of project to make the distance travelled more explicit and create greater levels of confidence How does �My Employability Toolkit� support clients in identifying the skills they have acquired in formal and informal settings?

24. Job Flash Cards Job Flash cards are used by Careers / Employability Advisers as a starting point for clients who do not have any career ideas but are ready and willing to career plan. Job Flash Cards can be used in 1:1 intervention and career planning workshops with young people and adults. Encourages clients to think about what they want from work and increases self awareness. Provides a better understanding of how to make decisions and what is involved in making well-informed and realistic career decisions Generating ideas and motivating clients to think about how they make decisions. To be be used at stage 1 � 2 of the Career Planning Journey

25. Job Flash Cards How can Job Flash Cards help clients learn about economic environment, business and occupations? How can Job Flash Cards help explore the advantages to continued learning, training and qualifications? How can Job Flash Cards be used to explore what a client wants from work?

26. Career Box Career Box is a flexible teaching and learning career education resource delivered by both teachers and Careers Scotland advisers.� It is the first national resource that offers a suite of lessons and activities ensuring a consistent, coherent approach to career education for young people S1/2, S4 and S5 activities which ensure young people are:- Knowledgeable, ready and willing to engage with career guidance Able to raise their career aspirations Make connections between learning experiences during school and the future workplace Supports all stages of the Career planning Journey

27. Career Box � career education What place does confidence and well-being have in Career Box and how would you deliver this further? How does Career Box support clients in identifying the skills they have acquired in formal and informal settings?

28. Windmills Programme Windmills offers career and life management programmes and resources to clients. It helps people take a fresh, positive and proactive look at their lives to ensure they are equipped with the skills they need to realise their potential. HIE to provide us with practical applications