Policy Position for CAREER EDUCATION

Purpose

This policy position outlines Education Queensland’s position on career education across the early, middle and senior phases of learning (Preparatory – Year 12).

Vision

Every student will have the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and attributes that expand and enhance their ability to manage work and learning throughout their life.

Policy

Every school will provide opportunities for students to develop these skills, knowledge and attributes through intentional, integrated and comprehensive career education programs that are the responsibility of all school personnel.

Rationale

Students need to be well-informed to ensure they work towards attaining the required knowledge, skills, attitudes and qualifications in order to embark on the career of their choice. A suitably skilled workforce will result in significant benefits to industry and the wider community and cater for the changing social and economic environment in Queensland.

Guiding Principles

Career education:

Equips young people to make relevant career choices across their lifespan. Starts in the early phase of schooling. Provides young people with the opportunity to develop positive attitudes towards change, and the knowledge and skills to manage recurrent career transitions. Reinforces the concept that a ‘job for life’ is now largely outdated with peoples’ careers taking many forms. Promotes the notion of lifelong learning.

What students can achieve from Career Education

Career education is about providing them with a context for their school learning and developing the skills, knowledge and attitudes to make future career decisions.

Career Education across the Phases of Learning

The broad goals of each developmental phase of learning have a different focus.

In the Early Phase of Learning, career education would, at a minimum, include:
Development of self-image; Awareness and understanding of how to effectively relate with others; Development of the concepts that change and growth are a part of life. In the Middle Phase of Learning, career education should be more detailed and focus on:
Linking life-long learning to personal development and career aspirations; Learning how to locate and effectively use career information; Developing an understanding of the world of work and its relationship to the economy and in society. The Senior Phase should include explicit school career building programs, for example: