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Evaluation of career interventions

– the first Icelandic doctorate in career counselling and guidance
“Students need a structured career choice intervention starting from an early age and be-
ing a steady component of their education programme from the beginning of compulsory
school and throughout upper secondary school”. When Dr María Dóra Björnsdóttir was
asked at her doctoral defence to draw some conclusions of her research, these were two of
the things she mentioned.

SDr Björnsdóttir is the first person to become a and CIP interventions were only offered in four
doctor in career counselling and guidance from an sessions during the study period. Dr Björns-
Icelandic university. She is the director of student dóttir wanted to emphasise that the effects of
counselling and career services at the University of the whole semester-long programme have yet
Iceland and has a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. to be evaluated.
in career counselling and guidance from the same
university. Dr Björnsdóttir started the study with a question-
naire addressing the students’ background and

Her theses title is Evaluation of career interven- possible career choice difficulties one week before
tions. Short- and long-term outcomes for students the interventions, the intervention period was fol-
finishing upper secondary school in Iceland and the lowed by a similar questionnaire a week after termi-
study which took place in the spring semester of nation and then the same students were asked to
2011 is built on two types of career interventions respond again a year later. During the study period,
delivered during a four week period in four upper students examined their interests, and carried out
secondary schools. various career related exercises. A control group,
with students in three schools that did not get any

- The Cognitive Information Processing-based intervention, were also asked to respond to the
Intervention (CIP) is a career counselling ap- same questionnaires.
proach developed and used at the Florida To simplify the results drastically; Dr Björnsdóttir
State University. Its main parts are presented discovered a significant impact from the CIP meth-
in the so-called Pyramid of Information Pro- od in terms of student’s confidence to complete im-
cessing Domains in Career Decision Making, portant tasks necessary to make a career decision.
where students are assisted to learn what they It was also noted that their life satisfaction had in-
need to know and do to make an effective ca- creased one week after the CIP intervention. How-
reer choice. ever, a year later, these positive effects seemed to
- The Icelandic Developmental-focused In- have disappeared and all respondents were more
tervention (IDI) is based on a semester-long or less at the same level. The fact that a long-term
programme offered in one upper secondary impact was not confirmed supports the conclusion
school where students get a thorough ca- that students need more and longer career educa-
reer education intended to increase their own tion. Systematic career education throughout both
self-knowledge and other knowledge based on school levels could assist students to become more
educational and occupational opportunities. self-reliant in their career decision-making and in
To make a more just comparison, both the IDI better managing their careers. 