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This study examines the extent to which career competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to manage one's own work and learning experiences to achieve the desired career progression) are prevalent amongst early career researchers (ECRs). We adapted the Career Competencies Questionnaire [Akkermans, J., Brenninkmeijer, V., Huibers, H., & Blonk, R. W. (2013). Competencies for the contemporary career: Development and preliminary validation of the career competencies questionnaire. "Journal of Career Development," 40(3), 245-267] to ECRs' training and career specificities, considering the two career tracks facing them: within and outside academia. This questionnaire was sent to PhD students and junior PhD holders in 16 countries (n = 727). Our results show that career competencies for within and outside academia are clearly contrasted. Furthermore, compared with their female counterparts, male participants generally reported stronger career competencies in preparation for careers both within and outside academia, while PhD students perceived having more career competencies in preparation for careers outside academia than PhD holders did. We also found a positive link between ECRs' career competencies and their perceived employability, and those who perceived themselves as having strong career competencies were more likely to consider their current work meaningful. While most PhD holders pursue careers beyond academia, the concept of career competencies offers an innovative theoretical contribution to the field of ECRs' development, by highlighting how this population perceives their preparedness for diverse professional paths.

In this study, we examine employees' perceptions of their work ability from a sustainable career perspective. Specifically, we investigate the role of a person's perceived current fit (i.e., autonomy, strengths use and needs-supply fit), and future fit with their job as resources that affect perceived work ability, defined as the extent to which employees feel capable of continuing their current work over a longer time period. In addition, we test whether meaningfulness of one's work mediates this relationship, and we address the moderating role of age. Our hypotheses were tested using a sample of 5205 employees working in diverse sectors in Belgium. The results of multi-group Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) provide mixed evidence for our hypotheses. While all four resources were significantly and positively related to perceived meaningfulness, only needs-supply fit was positively related to perceived work ability. Strengths use, on the other hand, was also significantly related to perceived work ability, yet in a negative way. These findings underscore the importance of distinguishing between several types of resources to understand their impact upon perceived work ability. Interestingly, the relationship between future-orientedness of the job and perceived work ability was moderated by age, with the relationship only being significant and positive for middle-aged and senior workers. This suggests an increasingly important role of having a perspective of future fit with one's job as employees grow older. Contrary to our expectations, meaningfulness did not mediate the relationships between resources and perceived work ability. We discuss these findings and their implications from the perspective of sustainable career development.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a newly developed training curriculum on the performance of fetoscopic laser surgery for twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) using an advanced high-fidelity simulator model., Methods: Ten novices were randomized to receive verbal instructions and either skills training using the simulator (study group; n = 5) or no training (control group; n = 5). Both groups were evaluated with a pre-training and post-training test on the simulator. Performance was assessed by two independent observers and comprised a 52-item checklist for surgical performance (SP) score, measurement of procedure time and number of anastomoses missed. Eleven experts set the benchmark level of performance. Face validity and educational value of the simulator were assessed using a questionnaire., Results: Both groups showed an improvement in SP score at the post-training test compared with the pre-training test. The simulator-trained group significantly outperformed the control group, with a median SP score of 28 (54%) in the pre-test and 46 (88%) in the post-test vs 25 (48%) and 36 (69%), respectively (P = 0.008). Procedure time decreased by 11 min (from 44 to 33 min) in the study group vs 1 min (from 39 to 38 min) in the control group (P = 0.69). There was no significant difference in the number of missed anastomoses at the post-training test between the two groups (1 vs 0). Subsequent feedback provided by the participants indicated that training on the simulator was perceived as a useful educational activity., Conclusions: Proficiency-based simulator training improves performance, indicated by SP score, for fetoscopic laser therapy. Despite the small sample size of this study, practice on a simulator is recommended before trainees carry out laser therapy for TTTS in pregnant women., (Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)