Concurrent Workshops 2A-2E

LEARNING - TO UNLOCK THE POTENTIAL OF INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE LIFE-SPAN.  HANDS-ON TOOLS FOR CAREER TEACHERS AND PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS

Mr Nigel Phillips

Careers Fast Track, Career Life College

Learning is central to all human endeavors.  However, the limitations of the human nervous system mean that our ability to learn is often hampered by both internal and external interference. This is witnessed in our educational systems, our organisations and in society generally when individuals are ‘locked out’ of the ability to achieve their full potential.  At the epicenter of the individuals’ ‘disengagement’ is their ability, or lack thereof, to learn. It is interesting to note that when addressing the disengagement of individuals in both educational and labour market systems the focus will often be upon access to resources.  However, access to resources, more often than not, is simply a distraction from the underlying issues. 

This workshop will examine learning as a meta-competency that will ultimately determine the sustainable success of individuals, organizations and whole communities.  Within this dynamic, the career development practitioner has a vital role to unlock the potential of individuals and to help them to continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire across the life-span.   You will leave this workshop with:

• an understanding of some of the theories and perspectives behind career-life learning
• an understanding of the “patterns” of behaviour that influence learning
• an understanding of three different tools for clients at all ages
• Listening Patterns
• Advanced Questioning Patterns
• Learn-ability analysis
• a framework to integrate these tools and methodologies into your own practice

This workshop is informed by the application of this methodology with students, adults and in corporate settings.

PARTNERSHIPS SUPPORTING CALD CLIENTS TO ACCESS SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT

Miss Amorette Dyer ¹, Mr Leon Norris ², Mrs Monika Jolly ³

¹ Extra Edge Community Services, ² Joblink Midwest, ³ Rainbow Coast Neighbourhood Centre

Extra Edge Community Services (EECS) partnered with two regional organisations to deliver a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) apprenticeship project across three Western Australian regions; South East Metropolitan Perth through (EECS), Midwest WA through Joblink Midwest, and Great Southern WA through Rainbow Coast Neighbourhood Centre (RCNC). The Project Coordinator (EECS) oversaw delivery across the three regions and provided support to the regional partners. This unique collaboration saw a sharing of expertise in career development, apprenticeships, and working with CaLD clients. The regional perspectives gave insight into issues faced by this client group in remote areas and were an innovative element of the project. The project focused on improving access to apprenticeships for people from CaLD backgrounds and supported over 50 participants to explore Australian careers, develop employability skills and to access work experience, training and employment. People who migrate to Australia from countries with vastly different education and employment systems can find it difficult to navigate our systems, and often struggle to secure meaningful employment. A Best Practice Guide outlining strategies to support this group in gaining knowledge and skills to secure sustainable employment was developed as a handy reference for organisations interested in this area. Findings from the final report go beyond apprenticeships and can be applied to general employment areas, and to some extent, other disadvantaged groups.

Representatives from a diverse range of organisations formed the Steering Committee which supported the project partners through monthly meetings, including video link up with the regional partners. EECS is supporting the continuation of this group to further the recommendations identified through the project. Project partners developed sustainability plans to provide ongoing mentoring and support to participants inline with each organisation’s scope, and sustain the networks and relationships with organisations and groups established throughout the project.

GREENING CAREER MANAGEMENT SERVICES: A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE APPROACH

Ms Julie Farthing, Ms Elwin Hall

Career Dimensions

There are distinct parallels between the environmental field and careers practice, as the theme of this conference indicates. While there have been strong advocates for both movements for a century and longer, as the twenty-first century advances both are coming of age and the world now requires their active input. Thus, these fields are evolving side by side, addressing global challenges, introducing new and unique ways of going about our lives and getting things done. Careers and the environment are both industries with a conscience: about the quality of lives, about changing our attitudes, and taking responsibility. Facing incredibly serious issues, both fields need to be given our immediate and full attention if we are to have a sustainable future.

Greening career management practice, in the context of this workshop, is about the efficient provision of just-in-time, holistic career services that support individuals when they most need it. It is also about maximising the use of resources and creating less waste. In private practice, there has been a great deal of waste as individual practitioners have reinvented program material, duplicated administration and marketing processes, wasting time and squandering resources along the way. In an effort to overcome wastage, a community of practice was set up in Melbourne in 2009 to address both career and environmental imperatives. This service has offered in-time services in multiple locations, via multiple communication methods (including e-consulting), utilising a minimum of resources and a combination of practitioner competencies. Under the umbrella of Career Dimensions, a private career management consultancy, this is also a business model that has the long-term aim of building sustainable practices for career practitioners around Victoria.

This workshop will provide an overview of the history and development of this enterprise, its successes and challenges. It will then present several key inquiry questions for discussion by participants in order to further develop ideas for ‘green’ careers practice.

KERMIT THE FROG SAID – “IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN” – BUT A GREEN APPROACH TO ORGANISING CAREERS EVENTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE MIGHT BE EASIER THAN YOU THINK!

Karen Penrose

Career Industry Council of Australia and National Career Development Week Campaign

The word green is closely related to the Old English verb growan, “to grow”. Encouraging people to embrace career development through events is about a journey of personal growth. Organising events – it’s all in the planning. This workshop will not only explore all of the elements of organising successful careers events but will provide participants with the tools to make it easy and green. Topics covered will include:

• Is your event green? Green merchandise and green jobs
• Great event ideas – big, small and green
• Budgeting – bang for your buck
• Sponsorship
• Promotion & Publicity
• Give away ideas – are they green?
• Risk management
• Evaluation
• Mapping your event against the Australian Blueprint for Career Development.

This workshop is designed for both experienced and inexperienced event organisers. It is designed to get participants involved and uses lots of examples. Outcome of workshop – this workshop will provide participants with information, tools, project management processes, resources and templates to make event organising greener, easier and enjoyable! Old Chinese Proverb – Tell me and I’ll forget, Show me and I may remember, Involve me and I’ll understand!

THE REAL GAME GOES DIGITAL

Marilyn Platek ¹, Cameron Picton ¹, Phil Jarvis ²

¹Curriculum Corporation, South Australia, ²National Life Work Centre, Canada

The Real Game Series, developed in Canada over the past 10 years and adapted for use in Australian schools, is widely recognised as providing an excellent and stimulating experiential career exploration program for classroom use. It’s designed not just to help young people prepare for success in the workforce of the 21st century, but in adult and community life.

During the program, students role play contemporary adult roles based on current Australian workforce realities. They hold a job; they learn to balance work and other aspects of their character’s lives; they learn how to budget for housing, groceries, transportation and other needs. They also learn time management, goal setting, and problem-solving skills that they will be able to use throughout their lives.

The series offers programs for students from Year 3 to post-secondary and has traditionally been paper-based. Now, in addition to the print version, The Real Game for ages 12-14 has been developed in a digital format and a digital version of The Be Real Game for ages 14-16 is in development.

This new version, as well as providing an even more attractive, innovative and interactive option, recognises the need to raise students’ environmental awareness and responsibility. There is increased recognition of the importance of “green jobs” in the occupations to be considered. There is also a new component which focuses on the importance of character traits such as having respect for the environment and being responsible for one’s thoughts, words and actions, including the need to demonstrate active citizenship. And obviously the digital format itself means less use of paper and photocopying.

The Workshop will introduce participants to both digital versions, but will involve participants more intensively in the already Australianised version of The Real Game for ages 12-14.