Page 26 - Professionalising-career-guidance-practitioner-competences-and-qualification-routes-in-Europe

1.6. Competence, training, and accreditation of prior
experience and learning

Such delivery networks, with career guidance specialist staff in central roles, can facilitate
training for first-in-line staff, as in the models of non-formal guidance reviewed by Watts and
McCarthy (1996; 1998). Among the issues arising from networked delivery models are the
need to identify the minimum specific competences needed for each type of client
interaction, and mechanisms to identify effectively the extent to which these competences
already exist (for example, through other professional training) or the training needed to
develop them. Wherever training is offered, whether accredited or not, it should recognise
prior learning and experience as the baseline for further development.
Devolved and dispersed delivery systems also raise the question of how to enable
professional progression for those whose non-formal delivery experiences lead to an interest
in progressing to a more formal professional role in career guidance. Their prior experience
and learning should be recognised in their route to further qualification. This requirement is
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integral to the Bologna and Copenhagen processes ( ), which establish frameworks for credit
rating for all vocational and higher education and training. Accreditation of prior experience
and learning (APEL) can be facilitated by competence frameworks, such as that developed
by this project, which identify the key tasks and competences for career guidance
practitioners.
The concept of ‘competence’, which underpins these considerations, is discussed in detail
in Section 5.1.

2
( ) Bologna process: see Qualifications framework in the EHEA
(http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/qf/qf.asp and Overarching framework of qualifications
of the EHEA (http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/qf/overarching.asp) [both cited
28.11.2008].
Copenhagen declaration: see http://ec.europa.eu/education/pdf/doc125_en.pdf [cited 28.11.2008].

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