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Professor Tony Watts: “The Essence of Career is the Interaction

    between Learning and Work.”


    “Economic  Benefits  of  Career  Gui-                                         article are "self-awareness, opportu-
    dance”  is  an  article,  published  in                                       nity awareness, decisionmaking
    1992.  It  is  based  on  J.  Killeen’s,  M.                                  skills  and  transition  skills".  What  in
    White’s  and  your  monograph  “The                                           your  opinion  are  appropriate  ap-
    Economic  Value  of  Career  Guidan-                                          proaches to develop these skills?
    ce”. The article starts with the state-                                       Good  career  counselling,  based  on
    ment: “Career guidance services are                                           facilitation  rather  than  directive  ad-
    sometimes asked to justify their ac-                                          vice-giving,  can  develop  these  skills.
    tivities in terms of the economic be-                                         However,  there  is  also an  important
    nefits  which  their  activities  yield.”                                     role  for  curriculum  interventions:
    Professor Watts, have you come ac-                                            planned  programmes  within  the
    ross such a question during the last                                          curriculum  of  schools,  colleges  and

    years?                                                                        universities,  which  include  class-
    Yes,  this  is  an  increasingly  common  It is also in principle accessible to all:  room  activities,  linked  to  experien-
    question  in  many  countries.  Most  the  task  of  career  guidance  is  to  cebased  learning  (e.g.  work  experi-
    career guidance services are still free  make it so.                          ence,  work  shadowing,  work  sim-
    to the individual, and funded, directly                                       ulations).
    or indirectly, by the state as a public  You are one of the leading experts in
    good. With the growing pressures on  the field of career guidance policies  Up  to  now  the  European  Commis-
    public expenditure, such services are  internationally.  In  2001  -  2003  the  sion has released two resolutions on
    more  and  more  required  to  demon- OECD,  in  cooperation  with  the  life-long  guidance,  one  in  2004  and
    strate  their  “value  for  money”,  in  World Bank, and subsequently with  one  in  2008.  Many  countries  are
    economic  terms.  I  do  not  see  such  the  European  Commission,  the  facing  a  problem  of  inadequate  or
    pressures going away. It is important  European  Training  Foundation  (ETF)  inappropriate  cooperation  between
    to  respond  to  them,  while  also  af- and  Cedefop,  conducted  quite  an  the two key sectors – those of edu-
    firming the value of career guidance  extensive survey of career guidance  cation  and  employment.  Do  you
    as a citizen right, linked to affirming  policies  in  OECD  countries.  The  think  that  a  third  resolution  might
    human worth, dignity and hope.         survey  also  included  the  ten  be  the  joint  initiative  of  DG  Edu-
                                           candidate  countries  for  EU  acces- cation  and  Culture  and  DG  Employ-
    In this article Career guidance is de- sion  in  2004.  Findings  from  this  ment,  Social  Affairs  and  Equal  Op-
    fined  as  “a  range  of  activities  de- survey led to a variety of proposals  portunities,  showing  that  cooper-
    signed  to  enable  individuals  to  ma- and  recommendations.  How  would  ation of these two sectors is vital for
    ke  and  implement  informed  decisi- you  assess  the  progress  these  both sides?
    ons related to their career develop- countries have made during the last  There  is  certainly  now  greater  inter-
    ment.  These  decisions  may  include  decade?                                est in career guidance in DG Employ-
    choices  of  long-  or  short-term  ca- There has been some progress, but it  ment,  which  is  very  welcome.  If  the
    reer  goals.  Careers  have  changed  has  been  uneven.  Certainly  career  two DGs can collaborate on a further
    during  the  last  20  years.  Has  this  guidance  has  been  higher  on  the  resolution on life-long guidance, this
    definition changed as well?            policy agenda than it used to be. This  will  significantly  encourage  collabor-
    I think the definition remains valid. I  has resulted in some innovation and  ation between the relevant ministries
    personally  define  career  not  in  the  improvements,  often  linked  to  har- at  national  level.  Such  collaboration
    old sense of movement up an order- nesssing the potential of new techno- is  essential  for  an  effective  lifelong
    ed  hierarchy  in  an  organisation  or  logies;  but  it  has  also  produced  guidance  system:  since  the  essence
    profession,  but  rather  as  the  indivi- greater pressures to justify the public  of  career  is  the  interaction  between
    dual’s  life-long  progression  in  learn- benefits from such services.       learning and work, neither education
    ing  and  in  work.  It  is  a  definition                                    authorities nor employment authori-
    which takes account of instability and  Some of the learning outcomes of      ties can be fully effective in this field
    change.                                career guidance mentioned in the       on their own.
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