It seems there is [potentially] an issue with our School leavers and their lack of understanding of the nature and operation of the ‘commercial’ world and what is therefore expected of them.
Possibly this could stem from their employment expectations being beyond their immediate capabilities, which could lead to dissatisfaction from both the individual and the Company…and ultimately it results in staff turnover. Alternatively, I am hearing [anecdotally] that although Vocational [or Careers] counselling is available at School it may not be providing the student/job seeker with the necessary skills and/or knowledge required to properly access the market in an environment that suits them.
It’s fair enough to say that if an individual does not have the maturity or stability to secure and retain a position in the workforce, then the School’s vocational programs may not help here. If however, young job seekers are missing out because they are not prepared nor do they properly target the industry that best suits them, we could possibly question the [careers counselling] program made available to them!
Having spoken with a number of parents and colleagues as well as conducting a number of ‘external’ programs for students, I am finding that rather than looking at what motivates the individual, some careers counselling programs focus on the technical aspects of the individual, hence a student may be directed to a career in [say] Accounting, purely because he/she is strong Mathematically. And although the student may be technically competent she/he may not be at all motivated to build a career in this industry.
Aside from appropriate counselling and testing programs, that help students properly identify industries/companies/positions, we should take advantage of the ‘Work Experience’ program. Its basic aim is to assist students through the transition from School to work. Work Experience Programs should be regarded as a technique in career advice as well as a means of understanding how business operates.
Suffice to say, the Careers Counselling should start well before the Work Experience program so the student can really start to consider their vocation!
There is a lot to behold when managing Career Counselling/Vocational Assessment programs, but I believe we should go further by ensuring the individual is not only technically competent but [also] has the right motivational and cultural fit for the industry/company/position!
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