A Measurement Model for Employment Counseling: ERIC Digest.

Employment counseling is a set of interventions designed to help clients identify and resolve issues in employment-related decisions. This digest examines Canada's measurement model which was designed to enhance understanding of counseling's function. The model uses four employability dimensions: (1) career/occupation decision making; (2) skills enhancement; (3) job search; and (4) employment maintenance. In theory, these dimensions are sequential. Clients should make occupational choices prior to undertaking training programs. However, counselors are expected to assist clients with any employability issue. To assess progress, results are gathered at three stages of the counseling process. In stage one, goal setting and achievement, up to nine goals can be set and measured in each of the four employability dimensions. Stage two, outcome, assesses three possible outcomes after service termination. And in the third stage, impact, indicators of impact of service on clients are measured. Although much quantitative data has been recorded, more such analysis is anticipated. Also, a better tracking system is being developed for human and financial resource allocation in order to determine if employment counseling services are cost effective. Similarly, a monitoring guide for employment counseling services is under preparation and service standards for employment counseling are being developed. (RJM)