Changing Clients, Changing Times

1. Changing Clients, Changing Times Jason Owen, UK Sales Manager, CASCAiD Ltd

2. Changing Clients, Changing Times • Session Outline • Welcome and Introduction • Highlight some of the changes affecting the guidance sector • Look at some of the evidence for changing client needs • Pros and cons of technology assessment resources

3. Changing landscape of Guidance “In a world of uncertainty, everyone needs access to good advice about how to manage all aspects of their lives, especially at crisis points.” Stephen McNair, NAEGA President “Excellent careers advice is too important to leave to chance, because it is essential to personal and economic wellbeing. Now, more than ever, making the right decisions about learning or work really matters.” Dame Ruth Silver, Careers Profession Task Force

4. What’s changes are affecting the careers guidance sector? • Economic downturn • Change in Govt Policy: • Public Sector spending cuts • New or significant changes to careers services in England, Wales and Scotland • Other changes in policy - eg. work programme, tuition fees • Technology • Client Expectations Think about the changes affecting you and your clients

5. Changing careers • Changing times, needs and expectations: • Using data from CASCAiD online software, five years ago the most popular careers were: • Solicitor • Teacher • Doctor • Psychologist • Actor/Actress • Police Officer • Nursery Nurse • Journalist • Barrister • Accountant • For 2010, the most popular careers within Adult Directions were: • Counsellor • Indexer • Design Assistant • Hypnotherapist • Teaching Assistant • Advice Centre Worker • Court Usher • Editorial Assistant • Alexander Technique Teacher • Psychotherapist

6. Client Skills Adult Directions also asks users to rate their skills • The following list illustrates the skills that users rated that they are most highly skilled at: • Listening • Reading • Using a computer • Paying attention to detail • Asking questions to gain information • Explaining • Observing things • Completing paperwork • Handling people tactfully • Observing people •  The list below shows the skills that Adult Directions users most often rate as not having: • Using a foreign language • Caring for animals • Drawing • Designing • Operating equipment or machines • Repairing things • Using maths or statistics to solve a complex problem • Caring for people • Forecasting or estimating • Advanced computing

7. Changing client interests • Top Likes five years ago • Learning new practical skills • Work involving teamwork and co-operation • Being well-organised and careful with practical tasks • Having your own creative ideas about designs and styles • Problem solving by seeking new ideas • Current Top Likes • Teamwork • Using a computer • Doing practical work • Being creative • Giving Advice

8. Changing client interests • Top Dislikes five years ago • Being interested in farming • Working with plants • Being interested in road or rail transport • Cleaning and clearing up • Working in a store or warehouse • Current Top Dislikes • Being interested in chemistry • Being interested in physics • Being interested in buildings and structures and how they are built • Using maths to solve technical or scientific problems • Being interested in the science and uses of materials

9. What else are clients asking for? • Top 10 most researched articles within Careerscape: • Apprenticeships • Options at 16 • GCSE Options • Planning for the Future • Work Experience • AS Level and A Level Decisions • Health, Disability and Employment • Job Applications • Foundation Learning • Interviews

10. Constants amidst the change “Good advice doesn’t just transform lives. It transforms our society by challenging the pre-conceived ideas about what each of us seeks. And what all of us can achieve.” John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning “I believe early and effective careers advice is absolutely critical in ensuring students and adults find the right career for them.” Nicky Morgan MP and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Cabinet Minister at BIS Amidst all the change, the fundamentals of guidance work remains the same

11. Pros and cons of technology based assessment resources Things to consider • Why not just Google? • What to look for in a technology based assessment resource • Potential pitfalls • Building an effective delivery structure • Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

12. Google Search for “Careers Advice” – 13,500,000 Results!

13. “Help with jobs uk” – 909,000,000 Results

14. What’s out there? Search engines - “A bit like drinking water from a fire hose” Other key issues: • How up to date/accurate is the information? • Who is behind the site? • Is it impartial? • Client experience - How will it reflect on to my organisation?

15. Technology based assessment resources • Quite a choice available: • Career interest matching • Skills matching • Psychometric • CV building • Method of delivery: • Web-based • CD/Hard-drive

16. Technology based assessment resources • What do you want the resource to do: • Help the client to make informed and realistic decisions • Provide a basis for discussion • Generate career ideas • Based on interest, skills, aptitude, etc • Link to careers information • Help with CV writing • Help with action planning

17. Key things to consider - career guidance software • OPEN • Can the client see how occupations have been analysed? • Can the client see why each career has been suggested?

18. Key things to consider - career guidance software • CLIENT-CENTRED • Are results based on the client’s own responses? • Is the client given the freedom to amend responses? • Can the client assess the relevance of the information for themselves?

19. Key things to consider - career guidance software • LEARNING BASED • Are clients encouraged to explore new ways of thinking about careers, including how they feel about particular aspects of work? • Can clients learn more about each career through the detailed occupational information?

20. Key things to consider - career guidance software • REFLECTIVE • Can clients reflect on how their likes and dislikes affect the sorts of careers suggested? • This self-reflection and analysis may lead to further research and discussion in a broader context

21. Potential pitfalls • Poor/limited internet access • Poor/limited access to computer • Client doesn’t understand/trust the system • Adviser doesn’t understand/trust the system • Cost All can be overcome - However, some are easier than others!

22. Technology based assessment resources • Do your research • On the product and the supplier! • Request a free trial/demo • What do colleagues and similar organisations use? • Be clear what you want the resource to do • How will it help me and my clients? • Time saving? Reliable? Dynamic? Confusing? Complicated? • Build a structure to ensure effective use and best results for clients

23. Building a structure to ensure effective use • Client given access to resource • Vital they are given information at this point to ensure they buy in to and understand the process • Client completes assessment • Will they do this in a centre or elsewhere • What if they have questions? • Discuss results • Time with adviser, could be face to face, email, online, etc • Set targets • Client able to carry out further research, etc

24. Building a structure to ensure effective use Different technologies, each offer pros and cons: • Internet • Email • Telephone Best used as part of a blended approach/structure • Which includes Face to Face interventions

25. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) CPD • Need not be expensive or too formal • Examples: Courses, conferences, publications, websites, discussions with colleagues, reflective learning, professional bodies – eg ICG, NAEGA, iCEGS, etc, networking, free training resources and opportunities

26. Changing Clients, Changing Times • Any Questions? Thank You jasonowen@cascaid.co.uk 01509 226877