Overview of Needs, Programs, and Implementations of Vocational Counseling and Guidance.

The author begins by overviewing some recent criticisms of the vocational guidance field: (1) too little collaboration with industrial personnel; (2) an emphasis on processing masses of people rather than on the individual; and (3) the need for a systems approach to counseling. His impressions, from the vantage point of industry (i.e. the placement end of the vocational counseling sequence), suggest flaws in the educational-counseling system, resulting in inappropriate, inexperienced and unqualified job applicants. The differences between a counseling approach and the industrial personnel approach to job seekers/holders are enumerated. Trends and circumstances which may affect the infusion of counseling into industrial relations systems are discussed. The paper concludes with a consideration of "lifelong counseling" wherein adults would have vocational counseling throughout their work histories and even into retirement. (TL)