Career guidance in Wales: retrospect and prospect

ABSTRACT

Deregulation of the LEA Careers Service followed by the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales in 1999 led, through consultation, to the establishment of a bi-lingual all-age career guidance service under the banner of Careers Wales. The article traces the history of career guidance in Wales from 1974, showing how it has taken a very different path to England, gaining a positive outcome from an independent review of Careers Wales in 2004 and an accolade from the OECD. Current strengths, especially the innovative use of technology, are explored, and challenges for the future are investigated, including the contributions of other guidance providers. Priority is currently being given to the development of common pan-Wales standards. The need for a stronger research culture is recognised. Most crucial of all, in the authors’ opinion, is the maintenance of client entitlement in the face of financial restrictions.

Notes

1. ETAG, according to Rees (2004, p. 35), had a significant influence in England, providing the blueprint for the Learning and Skills Council.

2. This term is used in both a generic and a specific sense, but here refers to an informal, productive partnership between politicians, civil servants, the staff of government agencies and Careers Wales staff. Higher education careers service staff also use the term in this way.