Minister McHugh launches Report of Independent Review of Career Guidance Tools and Information

The Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh TD, together with the Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, and Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan TD, today (Wednesday 24 April) launched the Report of the Independent Review of Career Guidance Tools and Information.

The objective of this review was to examine aspects of career guidance in the Irish education and training system in order to improve the existing career guidance tools and information and to enhance engagement with enterprise.

The report contains 18 recommendations under four themes: improvement in career guidance tools and career information, better engagement with enterprise, inclusion and enhanced governance structures.

The recommendations emphasise the need for evidence-based reform and the involvement of all stakeholders.

Other recommendations in the report include:

establish a support organisation with a new approach to guidance services which makes best use of digital and online technology
strengthen and promote a user-friendly centralised careers portal
initiate supports for employers to facilitate career guidance such as visits to industry and schools, guest lectures and quality work experience
provide access for special education and adult learners to the proposed enhanced central career support services, including information on labour market opportunities
promoting inclusion by prioritising the allocation of resources, including guidance teachers for learners most in need of assistance

In welcoming the report, Minister McHugh said:

“The world is changing rapidly and part of our job is to respond to the constantly evolving needs of pupils in schools, students and graduates."

“The role of guidance professionals and counsellors in schools is a challenge - to support young people so that they can fulfil their full potential in life and in work."

“I am committed to ensuring that we prioritise high-quality, relevant career guidance support and the promotion of well-being for all. It is essential that the assistance we provide is valuable, that it prepares people for work and life so that they are equipped to make the choices that are right for them. We want to put people in a position to realise their full potential."

“I would like to thank all those who participated in the steering group of the review for their important contribution.”

Minister Mitchell O’Connor stated:

“The choices that young people and people deciding on career changes make can have a huge impact on their future. It is essential that our students and prospective students get access to the very best advice and support to help them with these choices. As Minister of State for Higher Education, I know that both the student experience in college and life after higher education can be enhanced greatly by stakeholders including learners, parents, guidance counsellors and professionals having access to the information they need to support people to make informed choices."

“Listening to the student voice is essential to understanding the needs of our young people and those in our institutions, and I am pleased to note that as part of the review, Indecon had extensive consultation with stakeholders to gather their views on the key issues to be considered. I believe the recommendations in the Review reflect the challenges that exist in the area of career guidance but also provide a framework to ensure that we can tackle these challenges head on.”

Minister Halligan said:

“There are many different options across the Irish education and training system that provide a pathway for individuals to pursue a career in their chosen profession. The Review highlights the fact that having access to the best quality career guidance tools and information is a must. I am confident that the recommendations in the Review provide a foundation for promoting engagement amongst all stakeholders, including employers, to ensure that we have a career guidance system with the right tools and information to meet the needs of all concerned.”

In March 2018 The Department of Education and Skills commissioned Indecon International Consultants to carry out a review of career guidance tools and information provision at post-primary level up to further and higher education.

It looked at the quality of information available in relation to career guidance the sources of this information and how the system is organised.

In response to the report, Minister McHugh has acted immediately on one of its key recommendations and announced the establishment of an internal taskforce, chaired initially by the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills, to examine each of the recommendations and develop a prioritised implementation plan.

The taskforce will include senior officials from units within the department responsible for elements of career guidance. It will consult with key stakeholders as part of its work. Its first task will be to look at the options for the establishment of the support organisation which it is envisaged will, among other things, oversee technology-facilitated guidance services.

The report is published in full on the department’s website at the following link: Indecon Review of Career Guidance.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

Background

The National Skills Strategy 2025 and the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019, provide for a career guidance review that would include recommendations on changes to improve the existing career guidance tools and career information for post-primary/further education/higher education students and adults, currently in place across the education and training system in Ireland.

Following a public tendering process Indecon International Consultants were appointed to carry out the review.

Independent Review of Career Guidance Tools and Information: Summary of Recommendations:

Reforms to Governance and Delivery Arrangements

appoint a National Policy Group to develop a coherent, long-term strategy for lifelong career guidance
ongoing emphasis on evidence-based policy, including through organisation of a biennial stakeholder forum
establish a support organisation to oversee technology-facilitated guidance services, funded in part from the NTF
Department of Education and Skills to set up an Implementation Task Force to drive the proposed reforms
integrate a consistent Learner Guidance and Support Service across FET

Improvement in Career Guidance Tools and Career Information

provide multi-channel, blended career guidance supports, including online tools with telephone and internet access to experienced guidance practitioners
strengthen and promote a user-friendly centralised careers portal
allocate specialised guidance practitioners to groups of schools on a regional basis
invest in providing accessible labour market intelligence

Enhancement of Enterprise Engagement

implement a programme with the enterprise sector to highlight the benefits to enterprise of participating in career guidance
initiate supports for employers to facilitate career guidance inputs and quality work experience
introduce measures to increase participation of students, parents and teachers at an expanded number of regional career fairs/workshops
widen access to work experience programmes and apprenticeships using online matching services
encourage co-operation among groups of schools for joint enterprise engagements

Promotion of Inclusion

introduce a specific module on career guidance as part of training for teachers in special schools
provide access for special education and adult learners to the proposed enhanced central career support services, including information on labour market opportunities
provide additional specialised ongoing CPD supports for teachers in special schools
prioritise resource allocation, including guidance teachers for learners most in need of assistance

Terms of reference for the Review

describe and review existing career guidance tools and career information for post-primary/further education/higher education students and adults, currently in place across the education and training system in Ireland. The review will specifically consider:

existing policy framework for such tools and information

information sources, including online tools

organisational structures

assess how learners form their opinions around career choice including when, who and what influences these choices
review the quality, quantity and sources of career information available and assess which mechanisms and formats have the greatest impact on students’ and adults’ career choices
outline what measures could be designed and what framework created to enhance enterprise engagement with the education and training system in relation to providing information on career pathways for students and adults
recommend changes to improve the existing career guidance tools and career information for post-primary/further education/higher education students and adults, currently in place across the education and training system in Ireland
review to commence Q 1, 2018; report to be completed and published by end Q 2, 2018

Methodology

The detailed methodology undertaken for the review included extensive stakeholder engagement, empirical survey evidence with learners and guidance counsellors, an examination of international best practice, a review of existing research, and new econometric modelling of the impact of guidance counselling.

Stakeholder Engagement

Extensive stakeholder engagement took place over the course of the review and included analysis of 119 submissions from various stakeholders. A National Stakeholder Forum was also held.

Survey Research

The survey research included students and guidance counsellors in second-level, third-level and FET sectors and is based on 1,818 responses from learners and 440 from guidance counsellors.

Bilateral meetings

Bilateral meetings were also held with some key stakeholder organisations to clarify issues arising from their submissions. The research included an analysis of Growing up in Ireland databases which encompassed survey research with 6,216 young people aged between 17 and 18.

Conclusion

Overall, findings suggest Ireland has a number of features of effective careers support systems. However, there are areas which require urgent attention. These include the need to improve career information and advice, including on labour market opportunities and on apprenticeship options. There is also a need for a major initiative to enhance employer engagement and to extend supports for special education schools. Changes to organisational structures are also required. In addition, there is a need to intensify the potential role of Career Guidance in reducing economic and social disadvantage.

Membership of Steering Committee for the Review

Organisation	Name of Member
Chair	Tom Collins
Higher Education Authority	Vivienne Patterson
SOLAS	Roisin Doherty
Science Foundation Ireland	Margie McCarthy
Quality Qualifications Ireland	Angela Lambkin
Enterprise Ireland	Gerry Reynolds
Institute of Guidance Counsellors	Beatrice Dooley
National Association for Principals and Deputy Principals	Eric Gaughran
National Parents Council Post-Primary	Geoffrey Browne
DES – Curriculum and Assessment Policy Unit	Eamonn Moran
DES Inspectorate	Suzanne Dillon
DES – Skills Planning and Enterprise Engagement Unit	Kathleen Gavin
OECD	Mark Keese
Chair, West Regional Skills Forum	Mark Gantly
Student Representative	Danielle O’Driscoll