Career experts’ conceptions of innovation in career development

Abstract

This article reports the findings from a phenomenographic investigation into career experts’ conceptions of innovation in career development. The results show that conceptions of innovation in career development varied from (1) initiating service, (2) developing demographic-based programmes, (3) professionalising the sector to (4) exploiting cross-sectoral synergies. The findings give us a more profound understanding of critical aspects that may have an important role in improving innovation in career development.

Career experts' conceptions of systems development in lifelong guidance

“…While recognising that individuals may have more than one conception of a particular phenomenon (Marton & Booth, 1997), phenomenography is grounded on the premise that there is a limited number of ways of experiencing a particular phenomenon and that these ways are logically related to each other. In the context of lifelong guidance, previous phenomenographic studies have explored career professionals' conceptions of innovation in career development (Kettunen, 2022), social media (Kettunen et al, 2013), ethical practice in social networking (Kettunen & Makela, 2019); the challenges of implementing ICT in career services (Kettunen & Sampson, 2019); leadership and management in guidance and counselling networks (Nykänen, 2011) and the role of ICT in national guidance policies (Kettunen et al, 2016).…”

“…Although phenomenographic data can be acquired by other means, the interview is the most commonly used method (e.g. Åkerlind, 2005a, 2005bKettunen & Tynjälä, 2018, 2022Marton & Booth, 1997). Individual interviews were conducted face to face, by video or telephone call.…”

How can we do this? An investigation of power constraints and other barriers to career development practitioners’ innovation in higher education

“…The research and evidence base for guidance practice draws from a wide range of contexts (Hooley, 2014b), and may not always be easily transferrable to different contexts (Preskill & Donaldson, 2008). According to Kettunen (2021) studies of innovation within the sector are rare. Burke & Christie (2008) argue that some CDPs lean more to the psychological theories which have historically informed the sector and may be less aware of power structures and the sociological theories.…”

“…Drobnic (2019) discussed how a career in the whole life course renders former approaches insufficient. Phenomenographic practitioner conceptions of career development (Kettunen, 2021) categorised innovation as initiation of services, demographic targeting, sector professionalisation, and drawing from synergies across sectors. Yates & Hirsh (2022) examine practical approaches and challenges to one-to-one career guidance.…”

The Interconnection of Online and Offline Spaces in Sweden’s Rural Youth Career Learning

“…Öjefors Stark & From, 2020) with opportunities to reduce disparities between people in different places (Stenman & Pettersson, 2020). Similar to arguments for the perceived cost-effectiveness of online career guidance (Kettunen, 2021), digital technologies have been suggested in research and government reports as resourceefficient solutions to rural community problems, such as long distances, limited financial resources, and difficulties recruiting qualified professionals (Pettersson & Ström, 2020;SOU, 2019). Many rural communities find it challenging to offer welfare services, such as education, to a level offered in urban areas (Stenman & Pettersson, 2020).…”