DICE assignment

Q1. Define CEG and describe its essential components using examples from your own practise.

Understanding the concept of a career being more than just a job is challenging. It should be seen much more like a journey. The planning of that journey and the huge variety of pathways that students will be asked to travel is fraught with complications. In order for students to make the right decisions for them is crucial. Students must be given impartial information from the offset. One way of helping their dreams and aspirations to be realised should begin at a much earlier age. Students should be given access to the world of work at primary school. One of the ‘feeder schools’ in my area has successfully implemented ‘bring your child to work day’ this has not only given youngsters a fantastic insight but it has been really beneficial in regards to forging partnerships with the local community. This is something we need for later in the students life when we come to helping them with their choices for work experience. Arthur (2010) suggests that a career is ‘The evolving sequence of a person’s work experiences over time’ lead me to believe that its not just something we suggest students do for a week or fortnight rather that it is one long continuation of experience.
Good information, advice and guidance (IAG) encourages young people to make the right learning and career choices. It encourages them to find answers to a variety of issues they are faced with. Many individuals such as Tauqeer (case study) are following a cultural expectation of what they should be without any underpinning knowledge of how to go about it. If Tauqeer had been given some impartial guidance he would have been able to see that there was more for him to consider that just saying I want to be a doctor. We as an organisation let students like Tauqeer down when we do not have a robust careers policy in place. This is going to be one of my first areas to concentrate on. My research and going on the Diploma course has led me to Cegnet. Cegnet has all the most up to date information and documents for practitioners to keep ahead of the game and make sure we are moving forward. After studying information it gives excellent examples of the curriculum for key stage 3 and 4 and will help me to formulate and write a good careers policy for use in my organisation

Q2 Justify the entitlements of individuals in respect of CEG.
There has been a complete restructure of the CEIAG and (not before time) which has introduced new legislation that will ensure students get impartial and up to the minute advice on IAG, this will lead to a greater understanding of students entitlements. From the introduction of the Quality Standards (QS) the government has made substantial changes which will benefit students and their decision making experiences. It has also empowered me and given me a greater understanding of the role I need to pursue in order to support my students. There are many other informative documents available to ensure good practise. These include Quality Choice and Aspirations: A strategy for young people’s information advice and guidance. (2009)
In July 2011 Simon Hughes produced a report to the government listing in great detail what changes need to be made in order for CEG and IAG to be taken into the 21st Century.
At the age of 13 and 14 (in English schools year nine), every student should have made available to them information on all future pathways through education to employment, including clear information about which types of careers different educational choices can lead to.

The government needs to consider his report carefully whilst I don’t agree with everything he advocates he is certainly discussing changes to the way CEG is delivered in school. For example the government’s idea to do away with YPS has caused concern in my establishment as this means that somebody else will have ultimate responsibility for this and there doesn’t seem to be anyone at the moment stepping up to the mark.
There is a Curriculum Development Manager in school who has worked tirelessly to implement many of the curriculum changes within schools attending many management meetings with district heads and the like, but without the support of the rest of the SLT her work is futile. I have first hand knowledge how difficult it has been for her to implement any kind of change within the school. Staff and pupils are unaware of what IAG is and apart from the Curriculum Development Manager the term is rarely used in school. I am not suggesting that things won’t change with the new legislation but it is very difficult to believe that changes are going to happen. Indeed there is some thinking within school that if the government don’t think that YPS is needed we don’t need to provide students with what they used to deliver. A very worrying prospect: As Hughes rightly states:- The government should urgently publish a plan of how it intends to maintain the expertise of current careers professionals between the closures of local authority careers services in 2011 and the beginning of the all age careers service in 2012. Simon Hughes (2011).

Since being on the course I have researched and read a lot of information regarding the implementation of the new guidance and I have certainly taken a lot more notice of IAG in and around school. I have realised its importance for every individual within the school. For me the next battle will be to change and implement the careers policy.
The new legislation and statutory guidance will make it much easier for me to correctly and effectively deliver high quality IAG.
How CEIAG is delivered is completely up to individual schools and whilst there is a suggested outline from Preparing Pupils for a Successful Future in Learning and Work (DfES, 2000) there seem to be many models for delivery each with there accompanying advantages and disadvantages.
Now that IAG has been placed high on the governments agenda schools will not be able to ignore it. Like most schools careers education has just ‘plodded along’ with many schools not giving it any real priority. Now with the change in policy it will have to be embedded into the school curriculum. Students should have the right to face to face advice this should include CEIAG from year 5 or 6 right up to 17 and then 18 in line with the increase for the compulsory school leaving age.
What is crucial is that I cannot implement the new changes on my own, key staff need to be involved. These include the Manager of Teaching and Learning, Head of PHSE, Inclusion Manager, Curriculum Development Manager and of course The Head. Working in a school and trying to implement change has always been notoriously difficult and I think it will take some time to get staff on board. This staffs needs to be 100% committed to the changes and new proposals in order for the changes to be embedded in the curriculum. An inset day would be a good starting point to make staff aware of the new changes. IAG happens’ everyday in school with out people even realising its presence, through form time and in lessons, however knowing who to refer students to as a means of obtaining good CEIAG has never been more important.

Q3 Demonstrate an understanding of at least two career development theories; consider the implications of these theories for your practise.
When I was at school you went to see the careers officer at their office (not in school) and there was a basic ‘one size fits all’ approach. Making decisions about my initial future when I left school took all of half an hour. I believe that had I had the right encouragement and support things may have been very different for me.
Supers (1996) perspective on the word ‘career’ has helped me to develop a greater understanding of transition and how it plays its part in our lives, however Giddens (1991) discusses fateful moments as if they were a new start or a matter of death and rebirth. There are many transitions that one enters in to, for example first day at nursery or pre-school, last day at school, going to ‘big’ school. Whilst they have been voluntary and predictable, a fateful moment for me is having married and then having had children, one can ever be the same again you become locked into the pattern of life. For a long time I have been someone’s mother, daughter, sister, grandmother and wife all being dominated be each other. I have learnt that this is part of my ontological security. It is anything that changes or threatens this security or the ‘protective cocoon’ Giddens (1991, p. 114) that creates the fateful moment, whilst I feel the constraints and demands on me I accept them as being part of what and who I am.
Super (1996) states that in making a vocational choice individuals are expressing their self-concept, or understanding of self, which evolves over time. People seek career satisfaction through work roles in which they can express themselves and further implement and develop their self-concept
The question for me is how I translate this new found knowledge into my CEIAG practise. I have discussed the fact that Tauqeer wants to be a ‘Doctor’ but without him realising he has to go through a form of transition indeed if he has no concept of the transition he is facing he will continue to struggle.
I personally feel that we are asking students to make decisions that affect them for the rest of their lives and many of them are not ready to face such important decisions. Henderson et al (2007) makes note of the fact that due to insisting that students make these decisions when they are both ill-informed and immature causes them to ‘forge a future without a map’. They are all too often focusing on the physical changes happening to them, trying to find some kind of independence from parents whilst at the same time clinging on to the home and family for security. In the school where I work we have a high number of socially deprived children indeed I am currently working with the third generation of children who’s parents and grandparents are illiterate and don’t work. So their communities place a massive burden on their shoulders. Do they fight to become independent or do they cave in thinking that they have nothing to offer society like their parents. It is very soul destroying when we have a parents evening and it is always parents of students in the top set that come in to school very rarely do we see parents of children from the lower end of the school.
The contradiction here is when I do home visits to see some of these parents they go out of their way to tell/show you that they really want the best for the children. It’s been their own personal experiences at school that prevent them from coming back into school.
All this will have a huge impact on the schools NEET figures and before the school broke up for summer the staff were given information regarding our responsibility to students, till they are 19 years old.
What we didn’t get given was what are we going to do about this growing problem? This is where CEIAG steps in. We have got to bridge the gap between students aged 14 to 19 and help students make the right decisions for them and make the most of the new opportunities that will be available to them.

Q4 What is rational career planning and analyse its impact on your organisation?
So what is meant by career planning and how do we go about imparting this information to students. In many schools students have already made decisions regarding their future and feel able and ready to set about achieving their goals and aspirations. However for many this is a daunting prospect with many students showing a total apathy for any kind of decision making preferring to leave it to teachers and parents.
Rational planning can begin at a very early age. For example a child may have played ‘doctors and nurses’ as a child and wants to become a nurse he/she is thinking about what career they may like to do in the future. Whilst it is not exactly planning as people mature they develop new interests and ideas. They begin to realise that there is more to becoming a doctor or nurse than having a row of sick dolls or teddies that they have bandaged. Having a rational approach to career planning is a way to focus on what it is you want to do. The secret is to learn how to obtain it.
Firstly it is a good idea to begin some form of self assessment this can be done by us as practitioners on a face to face basis. What is essential is ‘knowing yourself’ we can help students with this by doing something as simple as writing down what their interests, likes and dislikes are. What do students find important to them? What kind of temperament they have. Most students when I have asked them about their skills, talents etc become vague and say they have none which is why I think it is critical to have built-up sustained and meaningful relationships with students. Whilst I recognise that this is not always possible I feel it would hinder progress with out some form of relationship being in place. Also knowledge of any work/life experience will help considerable in career planning.
From the course whilst I was initial critical of RIASEC Holland (1997) I realise that it would be a good ice-breaker and would help at an initial meeting with a student. Once students have completed a RIASEC they can look at some career choices that fit with their personality and skills.
Many theorists believe that students will be most satisfied and productive in a career that suits their personality.
In my establishment I feel we address very few of students anxieties regarding decision making we are very quick to make decisions for them. We have often not even engaged the students in decision making let alone getting them to make career choices. It can be difficult to get students to believe that there are any jobs for them especially when I explained earlier that they come from a culture of high unemployment and social disadvantage. The problem is if we can’t get the students involved in their future any CEIAG is going to be pointless. So what is the answer? There is no one answer that I can see, it seems to me that Holland and other theorists have not thought about how we engage students initially they tend to talk more about what to do with them once they are committed to the career planning stage. For all that Holland’s self awareness/opportunity awareness seems to me to be ‘child friendly’ and students are more likely to come up with some ideas provided they see the relevance and to what extent they view the world of work. This is where we need to have embedded within school the CEIAG policy and arrangements need to be made to ensure that it is regularly monitored and that the quality of provision of students learning is the responsibility of the whole school.

Q5 What is transition theory and analyse its impact in your organisation?
Transition theory forms a key aspect of life role, life-span development and life stage theories promoted by Super (76), Super is telling us that its not just about a change in job but much more a case of a complete change in thinking and doing. Hopson and others recognise transition as a primary cause of stress. Models of transition try to describe how individuals respond to change, either in their own lives or environment. There are many types of change and varying degrees of impact. Not all changes cause transitions. Most transitions are associated with significant life events. Transitions are changes that occur to the person’s role or environment that require radical restructuring of the individual’s view of themselves and their world. The process takes longer than most people think, typically 6-12 months, sometimes longer. Transitions involve serious hazards and windows of opportunity for growth. Transition models and techniques must be usable in a wide variety of situations; often we dealing with students we have no prior knowledge of, and within tight time constraints. It is important to interpret situations and make effective and meaningful interventions. Transition theories and methods must have practical diagnostic value to help clients identify underlying issues and dynamics. They need to have predictive potential to identify a range of options for action, above all they must be easy to use and remember. Detailed interpretation needs practice. The real life experiences of students will constantly challenge and enhance our professional insights.
1. Phases and features of the Transition Cycle, adapted from Hopson Hopson’s model has important features for understanding personal and career transitions. It distinguishes responses to positive and negative events (honeymoon vs. denial). Recovery is a key image a single phase. The least understood part of transitions is how the mind rebuilds itself and adapts to a new reality. The transition cycle may be seen as a sophisticated mechanism for the basic evolutionary task of coping with change. This appears to include a process of cognitive restructuring. It is initially inhibited by cognitive defences (e.g. denial). It is facilitated by valuing the past and still possible beliefs before letting go of outdated concepts, expectations and behaviours. There can be a rapid, spontaneous breakout from the crisis phase a defining moment that triggers this process. The recovery process can occur within a few weeks. It releases creativity, confidence and optimism.
Without an understanding of transition it will be nigh on impossible to work with students who are struggling with their future role in life. Although many people have been delivering IAG without any underpinning knowledge of transition it is fair to say some of their success can be measured by students knowing what they wanted for themselves thus allowing them to make their own decisions and go through a transition period with relative ease. My new found knowledge will help me to not only shape the new careers policy but start to see its implementation within school.

Q6 Justify CEG in terms of economic benefit to the community and the value for individual clients.
The Government commissioned the Leitch Review to identify the UK's skills mix in 2020 to maximise economic growth, productivity and social justice, and to consider the policy implications of achieving the level of change required. The UK has a strong economy and world leading employment levels, but its productivity trails many other key nations; poor skills are a key contributor to this problem as well as having a wider impact on social welfare. Over a third of adults in the UK do not have basic school leaving qualification. Five million people have no qualifications at all One in six adults does not have the literacy skills expected of an 11 year old and half do not have these levels of functional numeracy. This is a problem that I identified earlier within in the confines of my own school.
Leitch main recommendations are that the role of Sector Skills Councils to be strengthened and empowered in order to: Strongly influence the demand for and supply of training Reform and approve qualifications, including those devised by employers, instead of QCA Only vocational qualifications approved by SSCs should qualify for public funding. Raise employer engagement and investment in training. Double the number of apprentices to half a million In addition: The formation of a new commission for employment and skills. The setting up of ambitious targets for Skills for Life, Shift the balance of intermediate skills from Level 2 up to Level 3. A new pledge for employers to train all eligible employees up to level 2 in the workplace and introduce a statutory entitlement if required in 2010. Create a new integrated employment and skills service locally. Route all adult vocational skills funding through Train to gain and Learner Accounts by 2010.
A fair critisim of Leitch report is that most public funding will be directed towards level 2 skills, adults wanting to improve their skills at levels 3 or 4 will have to pay more than they do at present. This has provoked debate about whether the ramifications of the Leitch Report will stifle the benefits of learning for learning’s sake. Also Sir Digby Jones has criticised the Government over their delay in implementing the 'Skills Pledge', which Leitch recommended all employers should sign, committing them to training all their workers to Level 2 by 2010. Current economic conditions place greater emphasis on individuals and organisations being accountable for expenditure and investment made in public services. Issues of accountability, added value and effectiveness are inextricably bound within both public and private sector arenas. Improving young people’s access to careers facilities and resources is a key priority by government policymakers in contributing to the UK’s social and economic prosperity.
“The goal is to design services that reach ever-increasing numbers of people in a cost-effective and efficient way. This necessitates new knowledge and skills development, not only for young people and parents/carers, but also for those working in local authorities, schools, colleges, and with employers and training providers” Deidre Hughes CfBT education trust. Dr
The government must pay heed to the experts that they commission to carry out research and reports otherwise the people with ‘poor skills’ will continue to blight and dominate the economy and the future of social welfare.

Q7 Reflect upon the concepts learnt and develop an action plan for the development of Career Education and Guidance in your workplace . Deirdre
Firstly I feel it’s imperative to point out that I have a full teaching timetable and this alone puts a great deal of pressure on me as a person. The school will have to take this in to account if they want me to develop CEIAG within school and also write the careers policy. I intend to use Cegnet as they have some fantastic resources that will help the school change and meet the needs of our organisation. It also gives examples of the curriculum for use with KS3 and 4. If CEG is now part of the statutory curriculum arrangements need to be made to regularly monitor the quality of provision on the students involved. This has to be the responsibility of the SLT as they have the power to enforce change within the school.
I would envisage that an inset day would be the best way to both inform and educate staff as to the vital role we all play in school for the future of our students. At least this would be a good starting point. The fact that education is changing all the time and we have to keep up with these changes to ensure that our students get the highest quality IAG that is available to them is essential.
Questions I have asked myself in relation to my school are even though there is an old policy in school for CEG? Are staffs aware of it? Can information be found in the School Development Plan? How do we involve parents and the board of governors? Is there any money or some kind of budget available? How could staff gain access to budget? How can the money be best utilised? How do I get staff who like myself are already stretched to take on this new role? The Head we have in school is very new to the post and has little underpinning knowledge of management so I find along with impinging on my time and a reluctant Head it is going to be extremely difficult to implement changes.
So how do I go about carrying all this out?
Well firstly I want to introduce the term IAG to the whole school. I recognise that whilst its not a priority for many staff, it’s a starting point and it will help me to raise the IAG profile.
Another area I intend to look at is the relationship with YPS as more of a partnership. I am working with YPS at the moment on a 360 Challenge that is related to the Olympics. I have 12 students involved in this project that finishes in August. If am to move IAG forward, I definitely need the help of YPS. I need a staff notice board in the staffroom so I can inform staff of any new changes. Another idea would be to go through the SEN and Gifted and Talented registers to make sure that I am aware of all these students throughout the year group and that they are highlighted not forgetting LAC.
At year 9 we need to hold a mentor day for students and parents where they can meet with their form tutors to talk about option choices. They need to have a clear understanding about the options they have chosen and what their choice will lead to. Any parents that don’t come in need to be contacted to see if we can do a home visit or make a new appointment if they are working for example, giving access to all parents. Experience of other organisations taking a service to, or selling to, the lowest socio-economic groups. Historically, family insurance and membership of the Labour Party were expanded in the same way - particularly among people with few educational opportunities. The fact that the results and improvements claimed for any of these services and products are long term, abstract and sometimes complicated, has not proved a barrier to expansion. It would seem therefore that similarly an educational service needs to be 'sold' at a personal level if those most in need are to participate". DFEs “2010 Improving literacy and numeracy.

A questionnaire would be a valuable way of evaluating progress.
I am still a little unclear how I am going to proceed with CEIAG but I feel that I am at least asking the right questions.
Ideally what I would like is the whole school to be involved in CEIAG with me constantly updating any changes and been given the time to carry out this important role.