Scope and Purpose of Career-Related Information

6.1: Understanding the scope and purpose of career-related information

6.1.1: Critically analyze the scope of career-related information in career guidance

Career guidance is an extensive process that involves pre-empting every available option

that can be taken up as a career choice by an individual. Most often because poor decisions in

career paths lead to miserable and less fulfilled lives experienced by individuals. As such it is

important for the career advisor to incorporate all manners of career- related information in

his/her career guidance activities and occasions to ensure their clients choose the best possible

career path they can manage and relate to. Career related information involve basic information

that assist an individual at any point in their lives to make educational, training and occupational

choices (OECD, 2002).

The scope of career related information is fairly wide and includes factors that are so

significant as well as factors that may be considered insignificant. These include: The level and

type of educational knowledge acquired and experienced by the client. This normally points

towards the clients desired career choice and help the career advisor advice accordingly on how

to be successful in the chosen field. However for proper career guidance the career advisor also

require information on the client such as their various natural talents and abilities, the type of

skills possessed and the hobbies that go along with the individual client.

Motivational factors as well as the immediate needs of the client also inform very vital

career related information required in proper career guidance. The kind of society within which

the client resides as well as the clients personal beliefs and any cultural practices also form the

scope of career related information required. The market variables in the locale that the client
intends to set up the their career is very vital as well as other relevant economic variables like

sources of capital or any other required funding. The location itself and the availability of

suitable infrastructure to support the career all form vital information that fall within the scope of

career related information required in career guidance.

6.1.2: Evaluate information about UK and European education and training providers and

systems

The UK as well as other European nations indulges in education and career training

systems that are unique to them and are designed by the European commission. Most of the

education providers include different schools, colleges and universities, while the commission

also takes up vocational education and training by improving the quality of training, teachers

trainers and other professionals associated with vocational training and guidance. The

commission has also altered the training systems and aligned the training courses to be more

relevant to the required labor market (EC, 2017).

The system of education and training in the UK and most other European countries

involves five stages of education and is followed through by most of the individuals in these

countries in the path towards securing proper and fulfilling careers. These include: Early Years,

Primary Education, Secondary Education, Further Education and Higher Education. The system

dictates that Primary and Secondary education is compulsory for every individual either within

an institution or home schooling. This has also been in cooperated in the law that defines

compulsory school going age from ages 5 to 18 years.

6.1.3: Evaluate information about current and predicted national and European labor

market

As part of the European Union 2020 strategy, the nation is focused on increasing the

employment rate of individuals between the ages of 20 to 64 years up to 75%. This is expected to

expand the already exponentially growing labor market. Currently the labor market within the

European Union is experiencing an employment rate of slightly above 71% going by the

statistics released in 2016. Some of the countries within the European Union however have

already met the required threshold currently including: Germany, Sweden. Ireland, Czech

Republic, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.(Eurostat, 2017)

6.1.4: Critically analyze the nature, sources, reliability and currency of career-related

information

Career related information is any and all information that may be required by the career

advisor in advising their client on the most suitable career path. However the career advisor may

not have all the required information. The client may also posses certain information that he/she

applies in guiding them towards a suitable career they are in need of. All these form career

related information and they can exist in different forms. Their nature is described by one career

advisor or seeker to the next. Career related information may be in terms of written document

such as letters, magazines, newspapers and notes. They may also be in form of activities, hobbies

experiences, conversations, spontaneous ideas and literally in whichever form that information

exists.
 Sources of career related information are also unlimited in supply, depending on the type

of career an individual is lining up for. These sources include information that is online

including: journals, websites and online books. The information can be drawn from television or

other audio visual sources, newspapers, magazines, daily undertakings, market research,

different related individuals, personal talents and experiences or simply an instant idea. The

reliability of the information is dependent on the sources with which it is initially derived. It also

depends on the relevance to the career opportunity at hand. Mistaking or the use of irrelevant

information may be harmful in the career guidance process and lead to picking of a wrong career

choice.

Most of the above mentioned sources of career related resources are updatable sources

that provide up to date information on whichever topic being covered. The sources within which

the career related information is derived from define its currency and thereby also reliability.

Depending on the career choice taken up by an individual, current and up to date information can

be retrieved from various online sources and article that indicate publication dates as well as

dates of update.
 References

European Commission (2014, November). The Structure of European Education System.

Retrieved from:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/EURYDICE/documents/facts_and_figures/education_structu

res_EN.pdf

Eurostat (2017, June). Europe 2020 Indicators Employment. Retrieved from:

http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Europe_2020_indicators_-

_employment

OECD (2002, January 7). Why Career Information, Guidance and Counseling Matters for

Public Policy. Retrieved from: http://www.oecd.org/education/innovation-

education/2736729.pdf