Quality In Career Guidance By Dr Peter Plant
Quality issues in careers guidance, counselling and information services are tackled from a range of different perspectives, related to economic, ethical, and/or effectiveness criteria. With selected examples mainly from the USA, Canada, and the EU Member States, this report highlights how quality is described and measured in terms of statements, guidelines, standards or even hidden customers. Some guidelines or standards are aimed at the consumer, i.e. the general public; some are directed towards the guidance professionals and their competencies; others deal with the quality of the information provided in careers guidance and counselling. Power issues lie embedded in such efforts: who defines, maintains and, in particular, controls such guidelines or standards? Finally, possible future quality prospects are outlined in terms of green, ethical and knowledge-based quality criteria.