Perceptions of Training Needs of Career Guidance Personnel before and after a University Program.

Abstract

Economic and workplace change, changing patterns of employment and increasing demands on employees within organisations, are all factors contributing to the growing demand for career guidance and development services. Recent research in America has demonstrated both the lack of career guidance services and appropriate training for career practitioners. In addition, the research indicates that dissatisfaction with the existing training available for career practitioners worsens the problem. This article focuses on this problem and explores the changes in the nature of work that are impacting on the demand for career guidance practitioners. The author investigates aspects of the training dilemma and describes the outcomes of one particular program of career guidance training at Master’s level at an Australian university.