The Aims of Career Development Policy: Towards a Comprehensive Framework

Abstract

This chapter explores and questions the aims of public policy for career development. In the early years of the 21st century, an international consensus emerged in the literature describing the intentions of governments when they seek to intervene in the careers of their citizens. A case is made for a broader conception of the socially desirable outcomes from career interventions. Drawing on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a systematic framework of six types of policy goal for career development services is proposed: (i) labour market goals, (ii) educational goals, (iii) social equity goals, (iv) health and well-being goals, (v) environmental goals, and (vi) peace and justice goals. The latter three categories represent new or relatively neglected areas of focus. Cross-cutting themes of social justice, sustainability, and societal change are highlighted.

The Ways of Representation of Individualism in Compulsory Career Planning Courses in Turkiye

“…Much research on careers uses various concepts like career guidance (Hooley & Sultana, 2016), career development (Robertson et al, 2021), career counseling, career management, and career education. The common point of these concepts is the structuring of life, education, and occupation experiences of individuals before the job market, and the management of experiences, competence, opportunities, skills, and processes after employment.…”

“…It is frequently emphasized that an individual-centered perspective dominates career development studies (Sultana, 2014;Sultana, 2018;Pouyaed & Guichard, 2018;Irving, 2018;Bengtsson, 2018;Hooley et al 2018;Gutowski et al 2021;Hooley, 2021;Robertson, 2021). It is also argued that individualization becoming a widespread value is a strategy of the neoliberal economy (Türken et al 2016;Gough & Neary, 2021;Harvey, 2015).…”

Actantial construction of career guidance in parliament of Finland’s education policy debates 1967–2020

“…The (technocratic) rationalities that inform public policy approaches to career guidance were described by the OECD (2004) as being focused on economic efficiency, the effective functioning of the education system and its connection to the labour market, and the desire for social justice, or at least some mediation of existing social inequalities and inequities. More recently, attempts have been made to broaden the thematic palette that underpins career guidance policymaking to encompass health and wellbeing, the environment, and peace and justice, but the impact of such calls remains limited (Robertson 2021).…”

Career education and development scale for secondary and tertiary students in Vietnam

“…The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a global policy framework for career development interventions (Robertson, 2021). The SDGs are particularly pertinent to developing nations which may not have access to career development resources which are readily available to citizens of developed nations.…”