International Centre for Guidance Studies

1. International Centre for Guidance Studies The Careers Profession Taskforce aims to re-professionalise career practice. Is it too late? Siobhan Neary, iCeGS

2. Workshop Aim To examine the Careers Profession Task Force report and recommendations within the context of a research project with career practitioners engaged in a postgraduate programme of continuing professional development.

3. “So we will revitalise the professional status of careers guidance, looking to the Careers Profession Alliance to establish common professional standards and a code of ethics for careers professionals”. ( November 2010, ICG Annual Conference, Belfast)John Hayes, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning (jointly with the Department for Education) To form a new professional basis to the service that will be crucial to its success, the Government are responding positively to the recommendations of the Careers Profession Task Force aimed at increasing the quality and status of the profession. (13th January 2011, Education Bill debate)

4. Careers Profession Task Force Remit • To set a vision for a transformed careers workforce in England • To make recommendations on improvements to recruitment, retention and development of careers professionals ( including careers educators) • Although the focus was on practitioners working with young people the recommendations apply to practitioners working with adults.

5. Establishment of an overarching group for membership bodies as a single authoritative voice Development of common professional standards and code of ethics Members of the careers profession to have a minimum level 6 qualification (QCF) before starting practice – raising the minimum level to 7 within 5 years Commitment to CPD for members of the profession Recognition of work based route into the profession, development of a single career progression framework – incorporating ‘Careers First’ and ‘Careers Last’ Initial training and CPD to focus on; LMI, ICT, STEM. Development of specialisms leading to advanced careers practitioner Annual self-declaration of CPD and random sample assessed Careers advisers and careers educations to uphold professional standards Recommendations

6. Themes from the Report Professional Leadership CPD Status Ethics Unified Voice Integrity Common Professional Standards Professional Associations

7. The practitioner perspective • What do guidance practitioners believe about their professional identity? • Is the concept of professional identity still meaningful within guidance practice? • Preliminary findings from research concerning guidance practitioners who are engaged in professional development through masters study.

8. Professional Identity Concept of professional identity is defined as a dynamic concept of oneself as a professional already and has three dimensions: • perceived present (who am I as a professional?); • anticipated future (who should I be and who would I like to be?); and • reconstructed past (how did I become the professional I am?) (Smitina, 2010)

9. Research Methods Case study presenting the perceptions of career practitioners students engaged in a Masters CPD programme • Document Analysis – Programme Applications and Supporting Statements (n= 71) • Survey – Semi- structured web-based questionnaire (n= 18) • In-depth Interview – semi- structured telephone interview ( n=7) • Narrative Biography – on-going ( will complete by mid February)

10. Participants

11. Survey findingsEngaging in Postgraduate study for CPD Benefits to the sector ( V. Important) • Increase status of career guidance (89%) • Professionalize the sector/credibility with other professions (78%) • Parity with other professions/enhance quality for clients (72%)

12. Survey findings How do you define your professional identity? • 2 answered with a ? • 5 provided their job title • 6 described what they did • Words included; knowledge ( 4), experienced (2), qualified ( 1), values ( 1), skills (2), quality(2) “ This is a difficult question for me to answer as I now feel that I am no longer just focusing on training in an IAG setting but across much wider themes. I feel my identity is being lost”

13. Interview- Thematic Findings Defining Professional Identity • “ that’s quite complicated… I see myself as delivering professionally but I don’t think we are seen as a profession in the traditional sense” • “ I don’t think careers advisers have a professional identity… every Tom, Dick and Harry can do it” • “ I have a friend who is a careers adviser in HE she definitely has a professional identity.. .As a PA in Connexions it’s vague” • “It depends on where I am at, at a UCAS conference yes. In my organisation yes there is one but it is seriously lacking respect” • “

14. Interview-Thematic Findings What contributes to developing a professional identity? • “ Qualifications, study and qualifications, maintaining my CPD” • “ Training and qualifications” • “Feedback from peers and colleagues” • “Marketing within the organisation” • “Shared values, ethics, beliefs

15. Interview – Thematic Findings • Recognition of peers • Lack of recognition by managers • Understanding and supporting colleagues (policy) • Ethics a key criteria for defining professional identity • HE practitioners perceived to have a professional identity more so then other parts • Concerns about fragmentation and lack of defined qualifications

16. Tentative Conclusions • Empowerment of practitioners • Owning professional development • Identity allied to employer • Training and qualifications are important • Valuing colleagues • Being able to describe what you do in a meaningful way to others and it to be understood • Self respect • …

17. Comparative

18. Careers Profession Alliance • Common Professional Standards • Code of Professional Ethics • Career Progression Framework • Plan for progression to level 6 • Review Initial Training • Review CPD • Overarching Kitemark

19. Final thoughts… • Membership ( 2007, 28% of respondents were not members of professional associations) • Relevance of professional associations for practitioners… what do practitioners want and need • Practitioner voice? • Tripartite responsibility for CPD; Professional Associations, Employer and Practitioner • Investment in CPD and Professional Associations

20. Siobhan Nearys.neary@derby.ac.ukwww.derby.ac.uk/icegsTel: 01332 591267