Career Development Issues. Symposium 33. [AHRD Conference, 2001].

This symposium on career development issues consists of three presentations. "Career Development: What Is Its Role in Human Resource Development (HRD)?" (Mary Allyn Boudreaux) explores the role of career development theory and research in the field of HRD. Definitions of HRD are provided, and the status of career theory and research and its application to HRD are examined. "Free Agent Learners: The New Career Model and Its Impact on HRD" (Darren Short, Rose Opengart) reports these findings of qualitative research aimed at exploring the free agent concept and these implications for HRD: free agents operating outside of knowledge industries, the importance of learning to free agents, career support for employees, and HRD shifting its focus from training towards learning. "Career Development Through Informal Learning: A Review of the Literature" (Toni Powell, Betty Hubschman, Madeleine Doran) presents a review of recent studies pointing to the disappearance of career development in contemporary organizations. Other studies included in this review suggest that the need for the career development function still exists. It presents a model that links the HRD practitioner to a re-formed career development function through informal learning and concludes with several suggestions for future research. All three papers include substantial bibliographies. (YLB)