Career Readiness:How to prepare the next generation for the corporate world
There is no question as to the competition within the labour market has soaring in the past few decades. The Covid 19 pandemic has only exacerbated this. Due to the digitization of many jobs, post-secondary pathways have become increasingly diverse and varied for students (OECD Career Readiness Project, 2021). To provide them with the strongest foundation, the introduction of career counselling is imperative to guiding students to career success.
The OECD 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) asked thousands of students what their careers plans were for the future. Most were either very narrow, confused, non-specific and/or shaped by their social background. (OECD Career Readiness Project, 2021)
OECD’s Policy Brief reviewed national longitudinal data sets – created by governments to follow groups of young people from schooling into adulthood, exploring the long-term impacts of different aspects of their lives. The data sets helped to identify eleven teenage indicators of career readiness, which were confirmed in more than three countries.
Some of the key indicators were students engaging with people in work through career talks, having career conversations with staff or counsellors and career certainty (OECD Career Readiness Project, 2018). The eleven indicators were split into three categories: exploring, experiencing, and thinking about the future. Fourteen questions were produced, based on the indicators and evidence, to see if career guidance provision in these nations aligned with their findings.
Overall, the studies did show some distinct patterns in what can be expected to work for career guidance. Indicators confirmed that career-related activities, experiences, or attitudes were found to be associated with better employment outcomes in adult life – when other external factors were being controlled. (OECD Career Readiness Project, 2021).
Based on my own experience being a student in the UK (and now the UAE), I’ve noticed the disparity in the career education provided in my private education (during secondary school) versus state education. Few of the indicators were included in our curriculum earlier on, and not until I reached secondary school, was I provided the opportunity to question potential career paths. In OECD’s study, they concluded that if not for a lack of resources, many students would be able to become “career ready” – although there are solutions.
At a Primary Level, there is the opportunity to begin engaging with professionals on a smaller scale – through activities such as ‘bring your parent to work days’, where parents can discuss what it’s like to work in their fields. Field trips to see professionals is also an option, for example, showing young children around an ambulance, firefighting, or police station. This will initiate their career ambition from an early age and start them on the journey of navigating different options. Even schools that don’t have sufficient resources from their governments can use some career activities to instil ambition into their students from an early age; although to lead to career success, this engagement in career activities would need to continue throughout their education. New Zealand follows a similar structure, introducing students as young as 10 to career talks and discussion of parental occupations (OECD Career Readiness Project, 2018).
For those in the earlier years of Secondary school, career readiness can be implemented in social skills lessons. Students should be informed about their future educational and career options and should express with staff members what they may be interested in studying
In France, some schools require students in lower secondary to research careers that relate to topics of study, using publicly available labour market information (OECD Career Readiness Project, 2018).
My school offered the same activity, allowing us to take quizzes on which jobs would be best suited to our personalities and researching jobs that we may be interested in – and the statistics prove how useful this task is. Researching on the internet is shown to have significant associations to career certainty, ambition, alignment, and motivation.
During the later years of Secondary, its crucial for students to learn the application process for jobs and universities. Careers counsellors can provide one on one service and any help students may need on their journey (like walking them through how to present yourself during an interview or how to make a resumé etc.).
Students should also have the chance to have trips to universities to talk with students on different courses and build certainty on the course they want to study.
Policy makers can also play a role. Public sectors can produce internships or shadowing opportunities to begin immersing students in the world of work and schools can also partner with local private firms to provide work placements.
In conclusion, Policy makers can be instrumental in the career success of future generations, although due to a continuous underfunding of resources and preparation, systematically failing these students. Too few students are at a level where they can successfully compete against their more advanced peers – leading to issues such as youth unemployment. Although, considering studies like that of OECD, while not perfect, can still inform policy makers on how to provide opportunities to enhance the provision of career guidance in schools across the globe.
Courtesy: Mide Williams