03/01/2012NCDA Connects to International Policy DevelopmentBy Deb Osborn and Rich FellerCareer development policy is a priority locally, internationally, and within NCDA. On the hour, career counselors and specialists see how job growth and human capital investments shape career choices. Career and college readiness, workforce development, and career transition strategies drive local workforce development board agendas. Lifelong guidance policy, access to quality career development, and career intervention innovation are the foci of recent conferences like those in Padova, Boston, Budapest, and Ottawa.
Conference Attendance – the Policy Making Table Career counselors and specialists drive career competency attainment, and NCDA’s long-term plan articulates ways to tell that story to policy makers. Partnering to maximize NCDA’s brand, resources and initiatives will lead to greater awareness of and appreciation for the value of career counselors and specialists. Clarifying NCDA’s legislative agenda is essential to shaping policy issues related to social mobility, under and unemployment, income inequality, and educational access. Before being disbanded, NOICC’s national infrastructure and strategies shaped career development policy, practice, and training worldwide. With this background, representatives of NCDA attended four significant conferences in late 2011-early 2012 to advance the career development story, report on the its members work, and to sit at the policy making table.
http://www.umass.edu/schoolcounseling/index.php .
(1) Political, economic and social changes and the changing role of career guidance and career guidance policies. (2) Lifelong guidance policy as a part of integrated human resource development policies – challenges and opportunities. (3) The changing world and the changing role of career guidance – skills and competencies for lifelong guidance practitioners. (4) Evidence-based practice; evidence-based policies.
Thirty-two country teams prepared advanced reports covering the four themes. Theme syntheses provided the basis for roundtable discussions, and conclusions were synthesized at plenary sessions. A Communiqué prepared by Prof. Anthony G. Watts recommended that, through ICCDPP and the International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG), links should be strengthened between ELGPN and other symposium countries. It is recommended that the ELGPN in its next work program (2013-14) in collaboration with ICCDPP and other relevant research networks outside Europe, include the development of a policymaker handbook of impact evidence of career development services, and a guide to the possible elements of accountability frameworks. See also the Reflection released by Prof. Anthony G. Watts.
Long-Term Planning Initiative Both NCDA and Cannexus see a need to advance career development policy leading to expanded access to career development resources to all populations. As the relationship among lifelong learning, engaged workers, and global competition molds workplaces, shapes career choices, and dictates labor market information, one of NCDA’s long-term planning initiatives is to continue exploring and investing in mutually beneficial international partnerships.
Career Convergence welcomes articles with an international connection.
Deb Osborn, Ph.D.,is an Assistant Professor in the Educational Psychology and Learning Systems department at the Florida State University, and a Nationally Certified Counselor. She was previously an associate professor at the University of South Florida for 14 years. She is a Fellow and President (2011-2012) of the National Career Development Association. She can be reached at dosborn@fsu.edu
Rich Feller, Ph.D., is Professor of Counseling and Career Development and University Distinguished Teaching Scholar at Colorado State University, and a Nationally Certified Counselor. A Fellow and President-Elect (2012-2013) of the National Career Development Association, he received NCDA’s Eminent Career Award in 2009. He can be reached at Rich.Feller@ColoState.EDU
1 CommentDisclaimer: The opinions expressed in the comments shown above are those of the individual comment authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of this organization.
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Howard Splete on Tuesday 03/06/2012 at 04:03 PM
Great info update !