Learning career management skills in Europe: a critical review

Abstract

Career management skills (CMS) are increasingly touted as necessary for all citizens, young and adult, particularly given the realities of employment and self-employment in a knowledge-based society, where ‘protean’, ‘portfolio’ careers are expected to increasingly become the norm, and lifelong career guidance an entitlement of all citizens. This paper provides an account of how CMS are featuring ever more prominently on the agenda of many European countries, and explores how such skills are being defined, how and where they are being taught and assessed, and the various modalities by means of which they are integrated in education and training programmes in both the education and labour market sectors. Particular care is given to debates and tensions around the notion of CMS, and to considering trends and initiatives not only from a country-specific perspective, but also from a European one, given the interest of the European Commission in supporting policy development in the area through its Lifelong Learning Programme. The paper concludes by highlighting some of the more pressing issues that need to be addressed.

Keywords:

• career management skills
• career guidance
• European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network
• lifelong career guidance

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on a number of unpublished studies commissioned by the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network, and builds on survey data and materials submitted mainly by members of the CMS working group. Thanks are due to the latter, and to all ELGPN members – and particularly to A.G. Watts and Jasmin Muhič – who provided feedback on earlier drafts. Thanks are also due to the two anonymous referees whose feedback challenged me to think through some of the issues in more depth.

Notes

1. The OECD survey instrument contains 12 sections, with several questions that a team of career guidance experts from each participating country were requested to address. The questionnaire, together with country reports, concept papers, and a range of other documentation, is available at http://www.oecd.org/document/20/0,3343,en_2649_39263294_32474452_1_1_1_1,00.html. The subsequent surveys by the European Commission and its agencies made use of the same survey instrument, modifying it slightly in consultation with career guidance specialists from the countries in which it was used. In some of the surveys, teams of at least two international experts paid a visit to the country concerned in order to supplement the questionnaire data through observations of career guidance service delivery, as well as interviews with policy-makers, service managers and practitioners.