This document is the response of Leighton Andrews, Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning, National Government of Wales, to the recommendations of the report: Future ambitions: developing careers services in Wales.

It is a good example of how review report recommendations can be implemented within the statutory responsibilities of a minister, and taking into account other constraints. 

This report produced for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills addresses how technology is reshaping the career support market and the implications of this for policy makers and for the funding and delivery of services. The career support market is defined as the conceptual space within which individuals who desire career support transact with those who provide it. Technology contributes not only to increasing consumer choice and to improving the cost-effectiveness of services; it has also led to the development of new service paradigms, especially through social media applications.  It has changed how career support is being experienced by individuals and how the support services are managed, delivered and taken up. 

The report describes different styles of government intervention in the career support market involving the use of technology, including some international comparisons, and the business models that underpin the market. It provides some conclusions on the role of the government in the market in general, and its roles in ensuring more creative and strategic use of the opportunities provided by technology.

This policy brief (2005) by Sarah Looney and Chris T King provides backround to the movement to develop a standard set of performance measures for publicly funded programmes that comprise the US workforce development system. It also reviews two prominent US proposals: common measures proposed by the Office of Management and Budget , and the measures of the Integrated Performance Information Project.

While not specifically dealing with the performance indicators for career guidance/development services and programmes, the content of the policy brief has pertinence for such discussions in the USA and beyond. 

This article, written by Dr Jim Sampson of Florida State University and delivered as a presentation at the IAEVG conference in Jyvaskyla in June 2009, examines two elements of policies for career guidance: the effectiveness of career guidance interventions in relation to cost and access to such interventions by citizens. It commences by identifying the different elements of career guidance and proceeds to examine the translation of career theory to practice, the effectiveness of career guidance interventions, and the access people have to career guidance. Collaborative counselling is proposed as an intervention to improve access. The paper ends with a discussion on how to balance effectiveness and access in career guidance delivery.

In his preparation of this paper, Prof Sampson noted the lack of a comprehensive and consistent evidence base for career guidance interventions and the little or no attention paid to integrating career theory, public policy, and the cost-effectiveness of career guidance interventions.

This is a recently signed agreement between the Australian federal government and the States and Territories of Australia. It is designed to address the objectives of the National Education Agreement and the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development already signed by the same parties.

The new agreement covers the engagement of young people aged 15 to 24 with learning, work, employment and the transitions involved, particulary to improve outcomes in educational attainment. There is special reference to social inclusion aims, especially for the indigenuous disadvantaged. Its overall aim is to better align federal, State and Territory programmes and services related to youth, career and transitions. Under the agreement the States and Territories will gradually assume primary responsibility for career guidance activities.

The agreement sets out indicative actions and outcomes for the following reform areas:

• multiple learning paths
• career development
• mentoring
• school, business, community partnerships
• individualised, personalised support for young people at risk.

It also sets out performance indicators and benchmarks for the agreement.

This Agreement is one example of how federal and regional governments can share the responsibility of career guidance provision and of the devolution of power to the regions with performance indicators.