What career practitioners do

There is such diversity in practitioners’ roles. Even considering one aspect - that of labour market information, or LMI - we feel the pressure to take on "the professional role of an expert" (Bimrose, 2021, p. 5). Our role and aim in our sessions with a client "is to collect data about the client so that they [the practitioner] can match (from their LMI knowledge) the client with the best fit career" (p. 5). This not only comes back to the theories of fit (Inkson et al., 2015) but we have the added pressure to get the 'best' fit (Bimrose, 2021). 

The role of a career practitioner, however, extends much further than LMI and fit. CDANZ took a competency approach to 'defining' our skills, as our role is so broad. There are seven core competencies, and - in addition to LMI - we may: work in rehab; or in transitions; or in education; or as researchers; or in assisting people into the world of work; or in clarifying identity (CDANZ, 2023; image of competencies accompanying this post). Each aspect of expertise has a multiplicity of skills and tools, ranging from an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to cultural competency and diversity awareness (CDANZ, 2023).

But wait; there's more, in the multi-faceted career development field. A definition of the role of career practitioner lists the following tasks: running training courses; assisting with writing CVs; preparing clients for interviews; arranging work placements; and assisting with individual post-injury or post-illness workplace rehabilitation (TEC, 2020). We can be career advisors; counsellors; coaches; teachers; researchers; policy-writers; strategists; or practitioners. We can work in a range of organisations: in schools; in tertiary institutes; in corporates; in not for profits; or in private practice. 

If we took one role - in a school, perhaps - and considered the broad role of a careers advisor. It covers individual 20 minute student/whānau career appointments; teaching the Gateway programme, STAR courses, and Trades Academy. The focus is usually on subject selection, understanding how subjects relate to Tertiary education and approval for STAR Courses. Additionally, a career professional in a school ends up being a key ākonga support system; performing an interview, external course, and placement taxi service; acting as a personal shopper; driver's license coach; reflection coach; career counsellor. 

To return to LMI in schools, there is a lot to review and understand prior to sharing with ākonga. With time being so tight, professionals in schools could get creative with how best use can be made of information. As career teachers we can attend a professional CATE/CDANZ meeting or webinar, and use the data. We can invite TEC - or MBIE, or the local Chamber of Commerce, or an employer panel - to do a session for our career class. Further, regular presentations to students can be encouraged from specific universities, for vocational pathways, from the NZ Defence Forces, from the Police and from local employers - all of which could be tied into year assemblies, or full school assemblies. But it does take effort and networks for LMI data to be updated regularly. The role is indeed broad!

The role of a career professional is only limited by the practitioner's personal expertise, how willing - and able, being cognisant of burnout - they are to expand their professional skills, and to refer on to other professionals when they find themselves at the edge of their expertise.

Whew.

Sam, Lori, Bethany, and Kris

References:

Bimrose, J. (2021). Chapter 20: Labour Market Information for Career Development: Pivotal or Peripheral?. In P. J. Robertson, T. Hooley, P. McCash (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Career Development (pp. 283-295). Oxford University Press.

CDANZ. (2023). Competency Framework. Careers Development Association of New Zealand. https://cdanz.org.nz/ModularPage?Action=View&ModularPage_id=27

Inkson, K., Dries, N. & Arnold, J. (2015). Chapter 6, Careers as Fit. In Understanding Careers (2nd ed., pp. 136-162). Sage Publications Ltd.

TEC. (2020). Career Consultant. Tertiary Education Commission [Te Amorangi Matauranga Matua]. https://www.careers.govt.nz/jobs-database/health-and-community/community-services/career-consultant/#:~:text=Career%20consultants%20may%20do%20some,develop%20goals%20and%20action%20plans

* Lori Yau kindly prepared much of the material for this post, with contributions from Bethany Badger and Kris Porter