Careers Education, Information and
Guidance
Ian Hodges
Careers and Employability Manager
Careerzone
University of Exeter
Content
‘University of Exeter approach to careers guidance
and the wider UK approach to careers education,
information & guidance’.
Careers support in universities in the UK
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All universities have a ‘Careers Service’
‘Careers Services’ will have different names
Funded by each university
Size is dependent on funding
Relative importance depends on the support
from within each university
Functions
• Careers Education, Information and
Guidance (CEIG)
• Employer Liaison
Terms
• Employability
the skills, personal qualities, experience
and knowledge that makes a student
employable
• Career
a pathway through life that might include
periods of work, study, volunteering and
time away from work
Terms
• Careers Education
Careers support, including skills training,
provided in a formal way through the
curriculum and outside of the curriculum
• Careers Guidance
One to one support for students, guiding
their career journey
• Careers Information
Terms: Careers Information
Occupations
eg Nature Conservation Officer
Employers
eg The National Trust
Further study
eg Conservation Ecology MSc
Oxford Brookes University
Careers in Nature Conservation
www.prospects.ac.uk
Career Planning Model (DOTS)
Self
My strengths
My priorities
My values
Opportunities
My interests
What work is available?
What study is available ?
Who are the employers ?
Which Universities have
courses?
Transition
Finding vacancies
Making applications
Attending interviews
Decisions
Priorities
Contingency plans
Careers Consultants support for DOTS
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Deliver workshops / talks / training
Deliver introductions to career search
Conduct career research
Visit employers
Write articles
Conduct psychometric testing
Provide careers guidance
Careers Guidance (UK)
Who delivers Careers Guidance?
• Careers Consultants / Advisers
• Qualified to degree level plus post graduate
qualification in Careers Guidance
• Careers Advisers in each university
• All members of the Association of Graduate
Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS)
• Support national web site (prospects.ac.uk)
Careers Guidance (University of Exeter)
• Team of 13 Careers Consultants
• 21,273 students
• Careers Consultants will support any student
Careers Guidance
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One to one appointment
Structured
Student centred
Careers Guidance by email / online
Help available for all careers related topics
Not about personal / counselling related
issues
Careers Guidance: Typical queries
• I don’t know what I want to do
• I don’t know how to choose between different
occupations
• What can I do with a xxxxxx degree?
• How can I get work in (nature conservation)?
• Which qualification is best for …….?
• I have two job offers, which should I pick?
Careers Guidance: Typical queries
• How can I improve my CV?
• What can I do to prepare for my interview?
• I have a health problem. Should I declare this
on my application forms?
• I don’t have any work experience, what
should I do?
Example of eguidance
I'm on my year abroad at the moment in France and
have just started looking at options for what to do
post-graduation. I'm studying English and French and
have enjoyed living abroad, and I've always been
interested in doing the JET programme to teach
abroad in Japan for a year. I was wondering if you
could give me any advice on applying to the scheme
and if doing something like a TEFL over the summer
would be a big advantage? I already have some
experience with teaching kids and living abroad.
Theories behind Careers Guidance
Holland’s theory
Careers are determined by an interaction between our personality and the
environment in John Holland's Theory of Career Choice. We want jobs with people
like us.
Bandura’s theory
Watching what others do and the human thought process influences the careers
we choose in Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory.
Parsons' theory
Frank Parsons developed the idea of matching careers to talents, skills and
personality.
http://www.careers.govt.nz/practitioners/
Theories behind Careers Guidance
Krumboltz's theory
John Krumboltz's planned happenstance theory makes it OK to not always plan
because unplanned events could lead to good careers.
Super's theory
Donald Super influenced the idea that developing a sense of self and realise that
you change over time is important when planning your career.
Te Whare Tapa Wha
The Māori philosophy toward health is based on a holistic health and wellness
model called Te Whare Tapa Wha. Developed by Dr Mason Durie in 1982, it can be
applied to any health issue, whether it involves physical or psychological wellbeing.
http://www.careers.govt.nz/practitioners/
How do we provide Careers Guidance?
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One to one appointments
Booked by telephone or in person at reception
30 minute appointments
Careers Consultant knows in advance what the
student wishes to discuss
• Record made of the interview (journal note)
• Confidential if required
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Careers guidance interview
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Informal setting
Friendly / welcoming
Professional
Positive
Non - directive (usually)
Student centred
Careers guidance interview
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Contracting at the start
Checking purpose and expectations
Clarifying points / checking understanding
Presenting possibilities / offering information
Suggesting tactics
Challenging /realism
Close and next steps
Further information:
Services at University of Exeter:
www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/
National activity
www.agcas.org.uk/