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Høgskolen i Innlandet har på oppdrag av Direktoratet for høyere utdanning og kompetanse (HK-dir) gjennomført en undersøkelse av utdannings- og videreutdanningstilbud innen karriereveiledning, med særlig fokus på tilbud rettet mot ansatte i skolen. Denne rapporten belyser tre sentrale tema i utvikling av en profesjonell karriereveiledningstjeneste, med et særlig fokus på karriereveiledning i skolen: - oversikt over utdannings- og videreutdanningstilbud innen karriereveiledning, inkludert tilbud spesielt rettet mot de som jobber/skal jobbe med karriereveiledning i skolen - innsikt i opplevd kvalitet og behov hos målgruppene for tilbudene, inkludert tilbud spesielt rettet mot de som jobber/skal jobbe med karriereveiledning i skolen - kunnskap om rammebetingelser og andre faktorer som er avgjørende for at karriereveiledere og lærere i faget utdanningsvalg kan ta utdanning og videreutdanning og for at arbeidsgivere (skoleeier og skoleledelse) kan legge til rette for videreutdanning for sine ansatte Gjennom bruk av ulike forskningsmetoder er det samlet inn perspektiver på temaene fra ulike aktørposisjoner. Både i, og utenfor skolen som organisasjon. Basert på funnene i undersøkelsen konkluderer rapporten med sju anbefalinger som bør følges opp for å nå målet om en mer profesjonell karriereveiledningstjeneste i skolen.

This publication offers a brief insight into the wide range of activities the iCeGS team are involved with over the year. It explores our contribution to policy, research and practice within the career development sector both in the UK and wider afield. iCeGS Annual Review also gives the team an opportunity to reflect on our many achievements over the last year. This year, like other years, we feel particularly proud of several activities.

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What is the potential of career guidance in a time where the coronavirus is disrupting work and life as we know it? How can we as career practitioners respond in a situation where we do not know what the world will look like and where we, as well as the citizens we meet, will have more questions than answers? In this article we argue, that supporting people to manage their way through the crisis is not enough. Career guidance should also help people to think about and shape the ‘new normal’., peer-reviewed

This report presents an analysis of a range of transnational and national quality assurance (QA) practices in career guidance within partner countries, 21 quality activities were assessed. The report focuses on identifying the variety of different approaches, the factors that enable these approaches and the impact of these different approaches.

This report presents an analysis of a range of transnational and national quality assurance (QA) practices in career guidance within partner countries, 21 quality activities were assessed. The report focuses on identifying the variety of different approaches, the factors that enable these approaches and the impact of these different approaches.

The aim of this research was to identify world-class apprenticeship standards and to make suggestions as to how these could be applied to the English system. By ‘world class’ we mean that the standards described here are acknowledged to be among the best in the world. Thirteen indicators for world-class apprenticeship standards were identified through the research and these have been divided into four sub-sections: (1) training, (2) skills and expertise, (3) recognition and (4) progression. Each of the indicators is explained separately in this report but they have to be understood as being in close relationship to each other. As well as identifying world-class apprenticeship standards the indicators are also designed to compare these standards to apprenticeship standards that are of a good level but do not necessarily feature amongst the best in the world. Identifying and applying standards in apprenticeships is important because apprenticeship training, especially if delivered at a world-class standard, can raise the number of people in employment, increase individual and company productivity and enhance economic growth. The findings from our research suggest that world-class apprenticeship standards require: • extended apprenticeships of between three to four years; • broad and in-depth scientific and industrial skills and knowledge; • the presence of a ‘master’ in the company to train an apprentice; • high-quality knowledge-based education and training; • recognition through an occupational title on completion of the training; • apprentices to acquire all the skills and knowledge necessary to work effectively in an occupation; • apprentices to become skilled workers in an occupational area with a critical and creative approach; and • progression routes into employment as well as into further education and training. This report is based on interviews with seven experts from Australia, Denmark, England, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and South Korea on vocational education and training with a review of the literature.

The review identified an international body of work on the development and implementation of competency frameworks in reaction to CMS, including the ‘Blueprint’ frameworks, which are a series of inter-related national approaches to career management skills (originating in the USA and taken up subsequently, and with different emphases, by Canada, Australia, England and Scotland). There is, as yet, little empirical evidence to support the overall efficacy of CMS frameworks, but they have the advantage of setting out what needs to be learned (usually as a clear and identifiable list of skills, attributes and attitudes) and, often, how this learning is intended to happen. The international literature emphasised the iterative nature and mixture of formal and informal learning and life experiences that people needed to develop CMS. It suggested that, though there was no single intervention or group of interventions that appeared most effective in increasing CMS, there were five underpinning components of career guidance interventions that substantially increased effectiveness, particularly when combined. These included the use of narrative/writing approaches; the importance of providing a ‘safe’ environment; the quality of the adviser-client relationship; the need for flexibility in approach; the provision of specialist information and support; and clarity on the purpose and aims of action planning. The review also identified a possible emergent hierarchy around the efficacy of different modes of delivery of career guidance interventions on CMS development. Interventions involving practitioner contact and structured groups appeared more effective than self-directed interventions or unstructured groups. Computer-based interventions were found to work better when practitioner input was provided during the intervention or when they were followed up by a structured workshop session to discuss and review the results.

The LEADER Framework for Careers sets out five main areas that all citizens should attend to as they develop their careers: personal effectiveness; managing relationships; finding and accessing work; managing life and career; and understanding the world. Under each of these five areas the framework details a series of career management skills. These career management skills provide tools for educators to focus their curriculum, for counsellors to shape their interactions with clients and for policy makers in considering what programmes to fund or promote. The LEADER Framework for Careers has been developed by the LEarning And Decision making Resources (LEADER) project. This Erasmus + project has been established to support lifelong learning guidance services to help individuals to develop career management skills. Career Management Skills (CMS) is the term used to describe the skills, attributes, attitudes and knowledge that individuals require in order to manage their career. The project has been undertaken by a consortium of European organisations drawn from Italy, Spain, Romania, Greece, Turkey and the UK.

Kent's coastal schools are a highly diverse group of institutions which serve a range of different communities. In a literal sense the young people of Kent have got their backs to the sea. Despite their relative proximity to the economic heartland of England, they remain separated by distance and geography. Many of the challenging issues that have been identified for young people in coastal towns are strongly related to their careers. Career describes the individual’s progression through life, learning and work. Individual’s careers are profoundly influenced by the context within which they pursue them. But, context does not wholly define your career. With the right information, support and education people can make the most out of their circumstances, seize the opportunities around them and change, improve or leave their immediate environment. Career guidance describes a range of educational interventions that are designed to help people to realise their potential and make the most of their career.

This paper reports on the findings from a review of the literature relating to the brokerage role of career guidance services. The review initially identified over 15,000 papers for possible inclusion and a systematic process was applied which sifted these down to only the highest quality research papers with direct relevance to the research question: How is effective brokerage between education and employers organised?The review found that much of the research in this area is based on organisations with a sole remit for brokering the links between employers and education. Their funding and delivery models were, in most cases, quite different to that of the current National Careers Service. The studies also focused on the perceived impact and benefits of the links between employers and educational institutions, with rather less evidence on the pre-conditions for such links or on the ways in which they could best be engendered and supported. Nonetheless, the research highlighted the wide-ranging benefits these links can have for both parties, with impacts on: • Schools, colleges and pupils such as: improved motivation and attainment; contextualisation of learning; reduction in NEET; greater understanding of industries and educational pathways; clarification of career aspirations; and improved transitions into further and higher education, training or the workplace. • Employers such as: the development of company personnel; the building of a positive reputation for organisations and the contribution to business recruitment strategies. Based on this evidence, the review provides some summary guidance on the factors that the National Careers Service should consider in the development of a brokerage role between education institutions and employers.

This paper sets out the findings of a review of the literature on how career guidance can support individuals to progress to positive learning and work destinations. It argues that positive progression is a legitimate and appropriate outcome of career guidance, although access to career guidance is only one amongst a range of factors that might influence an individual’s likelihood of progressing. It also notes that progression can be difficult to measure in research. The initial review found a range of evidence which demonstrated that career guidance can have a positive influence on individuals’ progression to learning and work. It highlighted a number of features that underpin the effectiveness of career guidance in this area. 1. Services need to be provided in a timely fashion, and as quickly after an individual has dropped out of learning or work as possible. 2. Services need to be provided professionally by skilled advisers. In addition to these points, the paper advances a model of the features of effective practice that support individuals to engage positively with progression. This focuses on establishing positive attitudes and behaviours, engaging in developing and effectively applying job search skills and creating a support network using both informal and formal sources. The evidence suggests that all of these interventions are useful, but multiple integrated activities are most successful, especially if they focus on building motivation as well as job search skills.

This report presents a mixed-methods Evaluation of the Chrysalis Summer School’s impact drawing on evaluation data from 2008-2015.

This report explores employers’ experience and understanding of Higher Apprenticeships. It is based on a survey of almost 200 companies and follow-up interviews with eleven employers. The findings suggest that there is strong support for Higher Apprenticeships amongst employers although there are many employers who have yet to engage with this programme. Employers that have implemented Higher Apprenticeships report a range of business benefits, but they were also clear that appropriate funding has to be in place to support these programmes. Employers generally thought that the introduction of Higher Apprenticeships would improve employee retention, help them to train people in the way they thought necessary and would enhance their company’s skills base. Barriers that had mitigated against the introduction of Higher Apprenticeships included the cost of introducing a Higher Apprenticeship programme, the work needed in making the business ‘higher apprentice friendly’ and findings appropriate apprenticeship frameworks and training providers. Companies that had successfully embedded Higher Apprenticeships had typically developed an approach to recruitment which enabled them to identify and select the best apprentices. Companies also set up management processes to ensure that higher apprentices were well supported and able to progress and developed effective partnerships with training providers.

This paper reports on the findings from a review of the literature relating to customer satisfaction with career guidance services. The review finds that reported levels of satisfaction with career guidance are typically high (ranging between 70-89%). However, it also reveals that there are challenges in measuring customer satisfaction in a consistent way and questions around the extent to which customer satisfaction correlates with other desirable outcomes of career guidance, such as career management skills and progression to further learning and work. The review sets out a model of factors that influence customer satisfaction which includes the individual and their expectations, the context in which the service is delivered, how the service is delivered and how the interaction is followed up. At present, there is little hard evidence suggesting a clear link between customer satisfaction and the other two outcomes that the National Careers Service is interested in (career management skills and progression).

Data collected for this second interim report through a survey, telephone interviews and site visits indicates that the NAHT Aspire Partner Schools Programme has over a short period of time demonstrated an effective approach to school improvement. Significant is that 14 schools have been rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted. Schools have particularly welcomed and benefited from the adopted approach which emphasises; • Distributed leadership which empowers staff to take on a leadership role for the five strands; • Achievement Teams which build problem focused solutions, a positive climate for staff to feel valued and improved use of data within schools; • A whole school approach to school improvement through adoption and implementation of core values; • Peer support provided through Network Days and in school through Development Days; and • Staff development through training, coaching and the 2-6-2 meeting models. Survey evidence suggested that school leaders and teachers have a lot of confidence now that their school will change for the better (97% agreed or strongly agreed with this statement). Furthermore they reported that they have the right strategy and short term priorities to effect change that will impact upon teaching and pupil attainment. There was overall a high level of confidence (99%) that teaching and pupil’s learning would improve as a result of involvement in the programme. The dedicated support provided by NAHT Aspire Achievement Advisers offers a unique and valued aspect to the programme which provides localised bespoke training and consultancy to schools in the programme. Leadership capacity was identified as a concern by Ofsted in the three pilot schools that were judged to be ‘Inadequate’ and this factor was reflected in termly reviews of the schools’ success in implementing NAHT Aspire prior to the inspections. The programme is considered to provide value for money by schools, and may represent especially good value when compared with the costs of academisation. There have been a few withdrawals to date and these have been predominantly as a result of Ofsted inspections where schools have been judged ‘Good’ or have moved to ‘Special Measures’. It would be interesting to continue to monitor the outcomes of the programme over the coming years and to assess progression from ‘Good’ to ‘Outstanding.’

This paper focuses on how public policy shapes career guidance and establishes a system within which individuals can access career support. Governments are critical to career guidance primarily as funders of the activity, but also importantly as regulators, coordinators and agents of system change. The paper looks at the evidence base on career guidance and public policy, explore the rationales for public policy involvement in the field, examine different models and systems and explore some key issues that underpin successful system design.

icould, is an online careers resource which provides individual’s with access to the work and life experiences of hundreds of people in the form of online careers films. The films are supplemented with labour market information and other resources. This approach seeks to provide both a self-directed resource for career explorers and a resource that can be used by career and education professionals to enhance their practice. In addition, icould provides a range of information, games, interactive activities and other resources that can also be used either directly by a career explorer or as underpinning resources for professionals working in the field. icould is a technically innovative product which utilises multi-media content, interactivity and social media in new ways to provide career support. icould has become popular with career professionals and other educators and is frequently used as part of the delivery of career support. icould has produced a very useful suite of resources for teachers to facilitate its use in practice. However, up until now there has been no investigation of the ways that icould is actually being used in practice. Consequently in this project we sought to draw this practice together and to present it in a way that might stimulate, inform and inspire future practice. To do this a diverse group of practitioners were recruited to form a community of practice (COP). This report provides new ideas and insights into the way which the icould website is used by practitioners.

This report outlines the role of digital technologies in the provision of career guidance. It was commissioned by the c ommittee on career guidance which is advising the Norwegian Government following a review of the countries skills system by the OECD. In this report we argue that career guidance and online career guidance in particular can support the development of Norwa y’s skills system to help meet the economic challenges that it faces.

This paper is an extended text of Tristram Hooley’s inaugural lecture: Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery: self- actualisation, social justice and the politics of career education. The lecture was given on the 17th September 2015 at the University of Derby. The lecture explores the interrelationship between politics, social justice and career guidance. The paper argues that our careers emerge out of social and economic conditions. In unequal societies our position within the economic and social system is central to our chance of having a successful career and realising our potential (self-actualising). The lecture explores the role that career education and guidance can have in supporting individuals to self-actualise and notes that career education and guidance is in itself embedded in social, economic and political relationships. The ideal of the lifelong guidance system is advanced and it is argued that this could be part of a new kind of society. A society in which a lifelong guidance system was realised could be more socially justand would signal a new kind of relationship between paid work, citizenship and leisure. The lecture concludes with a consideration of the role that career education can play in bringing about a new kind of society. The paper proposes a pedagogic framework for a radical career education and guidance. This framework argues that radical career education and guidance should be seeking tohelp us to: (1) explore ourselves and the world where we live, learn and work; (2) examine how our experience connects to broader historical, political and social systems; (3) develop strategies that allow us individually to make the most of our current situation; (4) develop strategies that allow us collectively to make the most of our current situations; and (5) consider how the current situation and structures should be changed.

The Legacy Careers Project was a five day programme of career enrichment activities for schools in East London. The programme ran from June to December 2013 with students moving from Year 8 to Year 9. It provided information and activities to support students to better understand their future career options. The project takes its inspiration from the Olympic Games and is informed by the opportunities offered by Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This paper sets out the findings of an evaluation of the project conducted by the International Centre for Guidance Studies. The evaluation concludes that the project was successful. Evaluators noted the delivery of an effective and coherent career learning programme that aligned well with best practice in the sector. Key indicators of success are as follows: • Students who participated in the programme reported that they enjoyed the experience and found it useful; • A high level of learning could be observed throughout the programme; • Students reported that they had developed their skills and attributes through the programme; • There was evidence of greater purposefulness in thinking about their next career destination; • The programme exceeded the initial target of 200 participants by providing 770 students (year 8, moving to year 9) and an additional 70 team leaders (year 12) with career enrichment activities outside of the classroom; • There was a high level of positive engagement from the schools involved in the programme; and • The programme also provided opportunities for a group of sixth form team leaders. These students also reported improvements in their self-confidence (53%), leadership skills (47%) and other skills and attributes.

This report sets out the findings of an independent evaluation of Brightside conducted by the International Centre for Guidance Studies. Brightside is a charity that seeks to raise young people’s aspirations and awareness about education and career pathways and enhance their capability to achieve those aspirations. A mixed methods approach to evaluation was taken which combined interviews with Brightside staff and partners (representatives of organisations that used Brightside) with analysis of existing web statistics collected by Brightside, an online survey of mentees and a detailed content analysis of a sample of online mentoring conversations. Overall the evaluation found that Brightside is well regarded by its partners, and provides a tool which delivers high quality mentoring and clear impacts for participants (mentees). It is particularly effective in helping young people to transition to higher education by helping them to think about which university they want to apply to, and supporting them through the application process.

Since the election of the Coalition Government, England has seen a major change in the delivery of career support for young people. Cuts in funding for Connexions, Aimhigher and Education Business Partnerships have been accompanied by a shift in statutory responsibility from local authorities (LAs) to schools. Such policy has been criticised by a wide range of stakeholders and subjected to some scrutiny. This study focuses attention on the experiences of LAs and their staff in dealing with these changes. The aim was to explore the current scale and nature of LA careers activities with a view to providing a picture of LA responses to the policy changes. The report explores several themes: the resourcing of career and youth support, the provision of universal career support, and how targeted services have been affected. It also discusses the implications of the changes on specific groups such as careers professionals and young people, and suggests ways forward.

This report sets out the findings of an independent evaluation of Brightside conducted by the International Centre for Guidance Studies. Brightside is a charity that seeks to raise young people’s aspirations and awareness about education and career pathways and enhance their capability to achieve those aspirations. A mixed methods approach to evaluation was taken which combined interviews with Brightside staff and partners (representatives of organisations that used Brightside) with analysis of existing web statistics collected by Brightside, an online survey of mentees and a detailed content analysis of a sample of online mentoring conversations. Overall the evaluation found that Brightside is well regarded by its partners, and provides a tool which delivers high quality mentoring and clear impacts for participants (mentees). It is particularly effective in helping young people to transition to higher education by helping them to think about which university they want to apply to, and supporting them through the application process.

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This research paper explores the implementation of The Progression Matrix in schools, colleges and other learning organisations such as training providers. The project builds on existing research on The Progression Matrix and finds evidence which suggests that the approach provides a useful conceptual model around which learning organisations can re-orientate their practice and deliver enhanced progression for learners.

This paper analyses the current information available (in July 2011) about the changes that are taking place in careers work following recent government policy initiatives and public-sector austerity measures. In particular, it examines the local developments that have emerged in relation to a national policy context in which: • Existing careers work is being radically reconfigured. • The new National Careers Service (NCS) will principally serve adults (apart from its telephone/web-based services, which will cover young people too). • Securing careers guidance for young people has been made the responsibility of schools. • The requirement for schools to provide careers education has been removed. • There has been very limited transition planning at national level: this has led to considerable local confusion. • In particular, there is continuing confusion about the future relationship of remaining face-to-face Connexions services to the NCS, and about the branding of such services. Implications for Connexions services, Local Authorities, schools, new market players and the careers profession are identified.

The Career Development Institute (CDI) is developing a career progression pathway for the career development sector. This report provides evidence which can inform the creation of such a framework. It is based on an analysis of 214 job and person specifications. These were drawn from all four UK nations and reflect the five CDI constituency groups as well as higher education and the welfare to work sector. Key findings include the following: It was possible to identify six levels of vacancies in the career development sector: entry level; practitioner; advanced practitioner; manager and senior manager; and research and technical support. There were careers vacancies in every UK nation and in every English region. Nearly half of the vacancies were located in London and the South East. Over three-quarters of the job opportunities for the career development workforce were located within careers companies and the education sector. Just less than three quarters of the vacancies were full time positions. A clear majority of vacancies (69%) were permanent positions. Three-quarters of vacancies specified a careers qualification. Many job and person specifications either did not specify the level of the qualification or suggested diverse careers qualifications at different levels. A minority of vacancies did not require any qualifications and a small number did not require any specific careers qualifications. Job and person specifications set out a wide range of duties for careers workers. The most common were providing one to one career information, advice and guidance and organising and delivering group sessions. The behaviour, knowledge and skills most likely to be specified were interpersonal skills, the use of ICT and electronic systems (including CRM systems) and the ability to manage paperwork and work to targets. Salaries varied from £13,400 to £65,000 although the overwhelming majority of those that specified a salary were between £15,001- £35,000. Salary varied according to the level of the job, the sector it was based in and the qualifications that were required. The analysis revealed 103 different job titles. This is a significant increase on the 2009 mapping by LLUK which identified 43 job roles. Careers adviser/advisor was the job title most commonly cited.

The Nordic countries have a tradition of experience-based career guidance activities. One such activity is taster programmes, which, to varying degrees, allow young people in all the Nordic countries to experience different educational and career paths. The chapter explores the participation of lower secondary students in taster programmes and their meaning-making processes in relation to the programmes. We argue that there is a need to shift the focus of taster programme activities, as well as of school-based career guidance in general, from the students’ educational choices to supporting young people’s learning about education and career

The introduction to this volume discusses the importance of situating career and career guidance in context. It makes a connection to wider research and writing that challenges the idea that career theory can be global and universal and argues that there is a need for attention to local context and culture. It then moves on to set the scene for a volume focusing on the Nordic countries, by defining the ‘Nordic’ and exploring key features of the region including the Nordic welfare model and the history of collaborations in career guidance across the region. It proposes the four ‘COs’ of Nordic career guidance (context, community, co-construction and collaboration) before outlining the structure of the volume and looking to the future. The introduction to this volume discusses the importance of situating career and career guidance in context. It makes a connection to wider research and writing that challenges the idea that career theory can be global and universal and argues that there is a need for attention to local context and culture. It then moves on to set the scene for a volume focusing on the Nordic countries, by defining the ‘Nordic’ and exploring key features of the region including the Nordic welfare model and the history of collaborations in career guidance across the region. It proposes the four ‘COs’ of Nordic career guidance (context, community, co-construction and collaboration) before outlining the structure of the volume and looking to the future.

This chapter describes Finnish efforts to introduce and expand the service model known as the ‘One-Stop Guidance Centre’ as a tool for Youth Guarantee implementation. A One-Stop Guidance Centre is a physical location where a young person can access the entire service provision. Firstly, the chapter explores the levels of youth unemployment in Nordic countries. Secondly, the evolution and development of the One-Stop Guidance Centres based on the private-public-people-partners approach is presented. Lastly, some emerging outcomes are reviewed. peerReviewed

The cross-cultural application and research on assessment instruments used in career counselling and guidance in the Nordic countries is discussed. Three examples where etic and emic approaches to establish the cross-cultural validity of American instruments in Finland and Iceland are described. These are the Career Thoughts Inventory, vocational interest inventories and a measure of career adaptability. These efforts show that contextual factors influence the responses to imported measures. Emic approaches are needed to fully test the applicability of assessment instruments as well as theoretical constructs developed in other cultures, but used in career counselling in the Nordic countries. peerReviewed

This chapter describes the Nordic jointly developed international course on ICT in guidance and counselling. Firstly, the rational for developing such a course is discussed. Secondly the use of research-based framework is elaborated and application of it to the curriculum development is demonstrated. peerReviewed

Finland has a long history of good collaboration between the educational and employment sector regarding lifelong guidance, specifically career guidance. Today, this manifests as having a national strategy for lifelong guidance, good access to high quality services and innovative pilots such as the One-Stop Guidance Centres for youth. The new government led by Prime Minister Sanna Marin has decided to put even more efforts into lifelong guidance. This chapter describes what has been done and what future challenges lie ahead. peerReviewed

Career practitioners’ reflexive understanding of their professional role as change agents in career guidance and counselling practices has a major impact on how social justice can be achieved. This entitles an awareness of the way in which guidance and counselling practices are embedded in the complexity of causes of social injustice in their own environment – i.e. how these are perpetuated in the design and implementation of national and organisational policies and how they influence counselling relationships. A generic challenge in career guidance is, for instance, to help individuals follow their dreams and at the same time make them accept and adapt to the external ‘reality’. This challenge seems closely connected with another classic tension in career guidance, namely the tension between staying true to the person-centred approach to guidance and following policy targets and guidelines. In this chapter, we argue that career practitioners may perpetuate social inequalities by not reflecting on how they themselves potentially take part in the reproduction of dominant discourses when they navigate and handle these tensions. In particular, the dominance of neo-liberal discourse in institutional practices makes reflexivity indispensable for career practitioners. This discourse potentially masks social inequalities because it resonates with traditional humanistic goals of career guidance, which include personal growth and development. In this regard, reflexivity invites practitioners to critically reflect and unpack the reflexive nature of their actions – i.e. both the way in which their actions are embedded in dominant ideologies, which inform guidance practice, and in the way these actions potentially reproduce the very same ideologies. This career guidance we argue that career guidance can contribute to social justice, understood as recognition of diversity and openness to it, by adopting a critical approach. Such an approach involves reflexivity and a critical engagement with dominant discourses and ideologies, in an attempt to understand the complexity of which guidance practice is made. A fruitful manner to approach this complexity is through unpacking tensions that arise within it, such as the one between helping individuals follow their dreams and accept the ‘reality’ of the world of work. This dilemma is almost generic to guidance practice, but it is always localised and embedded in particular contexts and discourses. We used the case of Serbia to illustrate how this tension, when unpacked, shows the risks that lack of reflexivity poses for efforts to engage in a more socially just career guidance.

This edited collection explores ways in which social justice can be integrated into career guidance practice. Chapter authors propose models and practices which can contribute to struggles for social justice and consider how career guidance can play a role in these struggles. They explore policy and practice in the light of critical social theory both critiquing career guidance and opening up new possibilities for the field. The volume moves the discipline away from its overwhelming reliance on psychology in favor of theoretically pluralistic approaches informed by critical thinking in a range of disciplines. It seeks to expand the possibilities that are available to career guidance practitioners and researchers to support the growth of human flourishing and solidarity.

This chapter discusses research circles as a way of organising collaboration between career guidance researchers and practitioners. Such collaboration, it is argued, helps resist neoliberal governance mechanisms and supports social justice perspectives among teachers involved in the provision of career education in Danish schools. Based on a research and development project on career education, case analysis is used to explore research circles as a means for collaboration between researchers and practitioners. This analysis shows that research circles provide teachers with a space to reflect both in and on action. Career education is the key focus of the case presented in this chapter and it is argued that, in order to increase social mobility through education, there is a need to widen opportunities through experience-based activities among pupils in Danish schools. The chapter contends that teachers’ insights into the weaknesses of current career education activities and the peer support to develop and implement experience-based activities through collaboration between teachers, career guidance professionals, upper secondary schools and local businesses are crucial in achieving this. The analyses show that the support provided within research circles also serve to disrupt the neoliberal discourse of a functionalist view on career learning activities.

This chapter examines the role of career guidance (CG) provided by trade unions for their members and the ways in which this guidance contributes to people’s plans for and access to funds for competence development, adult education and further training. In Denmark, trade unions’ contribution to career guidance has gained importance following the establishment of labour market competence development funds during the last decade. These funds are established through collective bargaining, placing trade unions in a key role. However, there is little systematic knowledge of the guidance provided by trade unions, and large sums have remained unused in the funds. In this chapter, we explore this phenomenon through a case study of the ways in which career guidance functions in trade unions. We have conducted interviews with a number of CG-practitioners working in trade unions for professional and skilled workers and here describe their work through practice portraits. These yield information on the practice and organisational framework of guidance in unions. We analyse models and strategies to support members’ career development. Furthermore, we discuss the rise in career guidance activities in trade unions as a response to a fragmented public ‘system’ for adult career guidance and a highly complex framework (the competence development funds) for economic support for competence development. Besides the practice portraits, the chapter draws on existing empirical documentation, much of it produced in relation to tripartite negotiations between the state and the social partners.