Information Advice and Guidance – do we need a

theoretical base?

Julie Hicklin

Definition of CE/IAG• Careers education is a programme of planned activities within the curriculum

to provide learners with the knowledge and skills to manage transitions through learning and into work

Career-related information, advice and guidance (IAG) is a term that refers to a range of activities and interventions that inform learners’ decisions regarding progressions through learning into work.

• Careers information – accurate and objective information on learning options, progressions routes, careers opportunities and sources of help and advice

• Careers advice – impartial advice to help students gather, understand and interpret information and apply it to their own situation for career and learning pathways

• Careers guidance – impartial guidance to help young people understand themselves and their needs, aspirations and influences on them and to make career and learning choices that are right for them.

(TDA)

Interventions designed to enable

individuals to make and implement well

informed realistic decisions about their

career and to manage subsequent

transitions

Nottingham Trent University

Key concepts in PSHEe

Personal wellbeing• Personal identities• Healthy lifestyles• Risk• Relationships• DiversityEconomic wellbeing and financial capability• Career• Capability• Risk• Economic understanding

Key processes in PSHEe

Personal wellbeing• Critical reflection• Decision-making and managing risk• Developing relationships and working with othersEconomic wellbeing and financial capability• Self-development• Exploration• Enterprise• Financial capability

Extracts from the importance statement for economic wellbeing and financial

capability• …. understand the nature of work, the diversity and

function of business, and its contribution to national prosperity…..develop as questioning and informed consumers and learn to manage their money and finances effectively

• ….. expands their horizons for action by challenging stereotyping, discrimination and other cultural and social barriers to choice

• …pupils learn to be enterprising…..create and implement new ideas and ways of doing things…learn to make and act on reasonable risk/reward assessments and develop a ‘can do’ attitude….

CEG Principles

Who has influenced guidance practice?

• Karl Rogers – Person Centred practice• George Kelly – Personal Construct

Theory• Gerard Egan – ‘The Skilled Helper’• J. D. Krumboltz – Social Learning

Theory• Bill O’Connell – Solution Focused

Occupational choice theoriesDifferentialism

Assumes that certain characteristics can be identified and measured, such as intelligence, ability, aptitude and personality and that jobs can be measured in the same way enabling the individual and the job to be matched.

Developmentalism

Like other aspects of development, career planning is learnt and changes over time as a result of a maturation process that is not totally or necessarily age related.

Structuralism

Assumes that choice is largely constrained by the opportunity- structure which channels individuals into certain occupations.

Occupational choice theoriesCommunity Interaction Theory – Bill Law

Community exerts a strong influence on

young people and how they perceive the world:

•Through expectations

•Through feedback

•Through support

•Through modelling

•By providing information

National Guidance ResearchForumhttp://www.guidance-research.org

Well informed realistic decisions

   

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Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes to Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes to make decisions implement decisions

Nottingham Trent University

Discussion

What is the value of theory for:

• Guidance practitioners

• IAG non specialists

• Young people