A Silent Revolution. The Impact of the Internet on Careers Guidance

Leonardo Evangelista A Silent Revolution. The Impact of the Internet on Careers Guidance

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© 2005 by Edizioni Sonda


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Leonardo Evangelista (with degrees in both Economics and Psychology) has worked in Italy’s careers guidance sector since 1993. Currently he is a trainer and researcher in the field of careers guidance. As a careers guidance adviser he has completed more than 5000 hours of group activities and individual counselling with a wide-range of clientele examining, in particular, the questions of self-assessment and jobsearch support. In addition, he has been a Director of several careers guidance organisations, has set up various Internet websites (including www.orientamento.it) and produced books and articles on careers guidance. He is President of ASSIPRO Italian Association of Careers Guidance Practitioners www.assipro.it and Italian national correspondent of IAEVG (International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance) www.iaevg.org. For a detailed profile see www.leonardoevangelista.it/english.htm This study has come out as a spin off of the project EGA, European Experiences with ICT in Careers Guidance with Adults (Socrates Grundtvig 02-ITA01-S2G01-00018-1) which was co-ordinated by the Author. The Author would like to thank to all the Friends and Colleagues who made it possible: Vaclav Klenha and Simon Budsky from DHV (CZ), Peter Plant from the Danish Pedagogical University (DK), Montserrat Oliveras and Enric Renau from Educaonline (ES), Heidi Vilijamaa from CareerStorm (FI), Marilou Struillau from the Service Académique d’Information et d’Orientation de l’Académie de Créteil (FR), Thierry Boy from the INETOP Institut National d'Étude du Travail et d'Orientation Professionnelle (FR), Joanna Szczecińska from the Academy of Humanities and Economics in Lodz (PL), Maria do Ceu Taveira from the Minho University (PT), Mihai Jigau, Diana Ghinea and Mihaela Chiru from the Institute of Educational Sciences (RO), Marcus Offer and Rachel Mulvey from the NICEC National Institute for Careers Education and Counselling (UK).

Translated from Italian by Margaret Ann White M.I.L. [email protected]

Dedicated to a Butterfly

http://www.orientamento.t/

http://www.assipro.it/

http://www.iaevg.org/

http://www.leonardoevangelista.it/english.htm

mailto:[email protected]


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Leonardo Evangelista

A Silent Revolution The Impact of the Internet on Careers Guidance



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© 2005 by Edizioni Sonda srl. Casale Monferrato (AL) Prima edizione: novembre 2004 Tutti i diritti riservati DOI: 10.1480/Evangelista_en429 ISBN: 88-7106-429-x ISBN13: 978 88 7106 429 1 EDIZIONI SONDA corso Indipendenza 63 15033 Casale Monferrato (AL) tel. 0142 461516 fax 0142 461523 e-mail: [email protected] sito Web: www.sonda.it In copertina: Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan, Composizione in blu, grigio e rosa (dettaglio), 1913, Otterlö, Rijks-museum Kröller-Müller

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INDEX 0. Introduction: research project and principal conclusions 1. An analysis of bibliographic sources

1.1. Introduction 1.2. Bibliographic research 1.3. A structured analysis of the content of articles found on the ICDL

1.3.1. The methodology used 1.3.2. The ‘Unit of Description’ (UD) 1.3.3. The analysis process 1.3.4. The effects of the Internet - authors’statements

1.4. Some examples of research in the field 1.4.1. The Canada Careers Consortium study 1.4.2. The NICEC-CSU study

2. Field work

2.1. Introduction 2.2. The topics studied and the sampling technique used 2.3. The methods of gathering data 2.4. The processing of collected data 2.5. The analysis of data 2.6. An overview 2.7. A comparison with Chapter 1 results

3. Quality, availability, and circulation of careers guidance information

3.1. The role of information in careers guidance 3.2. The quality of careers guidance information available on the Internet 3.3. Who puts careers guidance information on the Internet? 3.4. Finding reliable careers guidance information 3.5. Providing careers guidance information geared to clients needs

4. The Internet and the supply of careers guidance services 4.1.The effects on the user of the increasing availability of careers guidance information

4.2. Websites as self-help resources in careers guidance 4.3. Providing careers guidance and information from a distance 4.4. The Internet and the supply of careers guidance services 4.5. The slowness in using the Internet to supply of careers guidance services


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Bibliography Appendices

1. Appendix 1 2. Appendix 2 3. Appendix 3 4. Appendix 4


© 2005 by Edizioni Sonda 7

0. Introduction: the research project and its principal conclusions It is just 10 years since the Internet1 became widely available and it is estimated that the number of people throughout the world who use it regularly runs to several hundreds of millions. Among recent technological innovations, the Internet seems to be one of the more pervasive. A significant number of careers guidance advisers and their clients are also using this vehicle of communication, but there is a lack of information concerning the effect the Internet has on careers guidance practice and on the methods of providing guidance services. The aim of this study, therefore, is to look at these aspects in depth and to investigate what strategies can be adopted to improve the use of the Internet in careers guidance. The work is divided into four parts:

1. A bibliographical study and a detailed textual analysis of part of the bibliography to identify the major issues and principal conclusions of experts in the field of careers guidance (Chapter 1)

2. A study carried out on a sample cross-section of 73 European careers guidance practitioners. Testimonies were collected by means of a questionnaire which enquired into changes brought about by the Internet, in particular with regard to: guidance practitioners’ work in general; the services provided by practitioners themselves and those offered by the organisations for which they work; the self-assessment methods adopted by their clients. The results obtained were compared with those in Chapter 1 (Chapter 2)

3. An examination of the issues arising from Chapters 1 and 2 regarding the finding and spreading of guidance information and, in addition, a study to establish who actually puts careers guidance information on the Internet (Chapter 3)

4. An analysis of the effects on careers guidance practice of the increasing availability of information and ease of communication afforded by the Internet, together with a survey, carried out on a sample cross-section of Italian Jobcentres, on the availability of ‘distance’careers guidance services. (Chapter 4).

The conclusion of the study is that the impact of the Internet on careers guidance is significant. The Internet and the Web have freed careers guidance from one of its main constraints: lack of information. Thanks to websites developed chiefly by public organisations, guidance practitioners are now able to find information in a much simpler, quicker and more economical way, thereby improving their service to clients. The availability of information also increases opportunities for self-help. An increasing number of people can now access by themselves, at home, a lot of careers guidance

1 When not otherwise specified, from now on, by the term Internet we are not only referring to the Internet per se (that is to say the network which allows computers from all over the world to be connected) but also to the websites available through this network (websites considered as a whole are referred to as the World Wide Web or simply the Web), and the various software used, such as email, chatrooms, etc.


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information previously available only at specialised libraries. These positive aspects can be further improved through the development of official guides to careers guidance sites and through reference sites devoted to the main guidance issues. Careers guidance is tending to lose its office-based character. The information available on the Web together with the communication possibilities offered by the Internet allow the supply of information and guidance to those who are not able or don’t wish to go to careers guidance agencies. A greater number of people can now make sound career decisions without ever contacting or meeting a guidance practitioner. They can also choose instead to have an initial meeting with an adviser and a follow up conducted via e-mail. The importance of the personal, face to face interview is diminishing. Careers guidance agencies continue to offer services to those who do not wish to use the Internet or who don’t have access to it, as well as to those whose circumstances require a face to face dialogue. Soon, however, clients may only go to an agency if it provides additional benefits compared to the ‘distance’services on offer. With the predicted future technological advances (in particular, the use of Broadband which allows a greater amount of data to be conveyed; the spread of video conferencing; the convergence of the various means of communication) the supply of careers guidance services ‘at a distance’ may soon become even easier and more widespread. Despite the possibilities offered by the Internet, the actual availability of ‘distance’ guidance services is still very limited. Up to now, the use of the Internet in careers guidance has come about through choice on the part of guidance practitioners who have discovered its potential, but without any deliberate policy on the part of careers guidance organisations. The slowness on the part of careers guidance organisations to utilise the Internet is mainly due to attitudes and misconceptions but it is also because possible ways of structuring services have not been explored and because examples of good practice are lacking. The study was completed on the 10th of January 2004 and all data and observations contained in it apply as at that date. The research was carried out as part of studies towards a degree in Psychology at the University of Florence. The paper was discussed on July 12th 2004 and we would like to thank Professor Vincenzo Majer for his help and guidance.


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Chapter 1. An analysis of bibliographic sources 1.1. Introduction The aim of this chapter is to look at how the Internet is used in careers guidance, identify the principal issues regarding its effects on careers guidance activities, and see the main conclusions reached by experts in the field. To this end:

1. a bibliographic study was conducted, and a series of articles identified which can be considered a representative sample (section 1.2.)

2. a structured analysis was carried out on the subject matter contained in the sample of articles (section 1.3.)

3. a detailed examination was carried out on two studies (there were only two found) concerning topics relating to the Internet and careers guidance (section 1.4.)

1.2. Bibliographic study The International Career Development Library (ICDL) http://icdl.uncg.edu, set up by the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, is a freely accessible virtual library devoted to careers guidance and is incorporated in the United States Education Ministry’s ERIC Clearinghouse network2. The Library has been viewable on the Internet since 1996. In an article written in 1997, Gary Walz, the Library’s current Director, explained that one of the ways in which “The Information Highway” can help the community of careers practitioners, clients, students, parents and teachers is by the creation of virtual libraries containing careers guidance resources. The material contained in the ICDL is subject to evaluation by experts before being included and is fully downloadable3. At the present time, (December 2003) the Library contains 660 titles http://icdl.uncg.edu/browzalpha.html. As it appears on the Web and forms part of the ERIC network, the ICDL is probably well known by the careers guidance practitioners and researchers of North America. The United States is one of the countries where, up to now, Internet use has been greatest (Slevin, 2000, quoted in Offer et al., 2001, p.4). So, we can assume that material contained in the ICDL represents the principal issues and main conclusions reached to date. For this reason we have used the Library as a starting point for our study which seeks to identify from the bibliography the principal issues and main conclusions concerning the use of the Internet in careers guidance and the effect it has had on careers guidance activities. To this end, in June 2003, we carried out a study of all the Library’s files containing references to the ‘Internet’.

2 Further details on the IDCL can be found on http://icdl.uncg.edu/whoweare.html. The ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center System) clearinghouses are a network of educational resource centres set up by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Educational Research and Improvement National Library of Education. The network’s data base contains 1,200,000 extracts from documents and articles which cover the theory and practice of education, and is used by 7 million people each month. See http://searcheric.org/abit.htm 3 For submission and acceptance procedures for material see http://icdl.uncg.edu/submit.html e http://icdl.uncg.edu/criteria.html.

http://icdl.uncg.edu/

http://icdl.uncg.edu/browzalpha.html

http://icdl.uncg.edu/whoweare.html

http://searcheric.org/abit.htm

http://icdl.uncg.edu/submit.html

http://icdl.uncg.edu/criteria.html


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167 results were obtained and then individually examined 4. Only those specifically dealing with the use of the Internet in careers guidance were finally selected, making a total of 16 documents in all5. The number of articles which deal in some way with matters connected with the Internet and careers guidance represents 2% of the total contained in the Library6. A figure which makes one think that, up to now, study into the Internet’s role in careers guidance has been marginal. The same opinion has also been expressed in two articles contained in the ICDL7. The low percentage is all the more significant as the Library itself is on the Internet. More than half of the articles deal with how to use the Internet to provide careers guidance services and a quarter cover the ethical issues connected with the Internet’s use (confidentiality, qualifications of guidance practitioners who give ‘distance’ advice, reliability of information contained on websites, etc.) and the need to draw up guidelines and set standards for working practice. Although the majority of articles recognise that use of the Internet is already widespread, among those contained in the ICDL there is a lack of research into how it is being used. All of the affirmations made by the authors are based on their impressions or their own individual experiences. This also leads one to believe that conceptual development concerning this subject is overdue. After examining the ICDL, the bibliographic study was then broadened to include other sources, in particular:

• some of the sources quoted in articles found on the ICDL • articles covering the period 1999-2003 published in the British Journal of

Guidance & Counselling, an English magazine specialising in careers guidance and counselling issues

• articles covering the period 2001-2003 published in the International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, a magazine specialising in careers guidance

4 See, in Appendix 1, the first two pages of results from the examination of the articles, and (for the first 30 results) an outline of the issues covered. 5 See Appendix 1. 6 16/660 = 2%, see Appendix 1. 7 Walz, 1997, p.1; Sampson, 1999a, p.1. In particular, according to Walz: ‘One would believe that anything as ubiquitous with such seemingly boundless potential to significantly influence the behavior of both children and adults (the internet) would result in a zesty dialogue among career counselors and other mental health specialists as to the implications of this revolution in information and communication for the practice of counseling and career interventions. Such, however, does not appear to be the case. There does appear to be considerable interaction by those who are regular surfers of the I-Way. However, the more traditional forms of professional communication, e.g., journal articles, professional presentations or ERIC documents, are sparse in their treatment in contrast to coverage of other contemporary hot topics such as multiculturism, ethics, new legislative initiatives, etc. If this seeming ignoral of the potential of the I-Way to influence career counseling is as widespread as it would appear, then it is both puzzling and troubling - puzzling because career counselors have been in the forefront in the use of computers in counseling, e.g., computer assisted career guidance (Walz, 1970), and troubling because a literal revolution is underway in the larger world and we are not discussing and responding to how this revolution in communication is affecting the makeup of the people we seek to help and counsel, and how this new force could be used to optimize the very ways we provide career counseling and career development (Walz, Gazda & Shertzer, 1991)’.


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• some of the sources quoted in articles found in the British Journal of Guidance & Counselling.

In all a further 47 articles and publications listed in the bibliography were examined. From this wider consultation of material came confirmation of a lack of research devoted to the subject of the Internet and careers guidance. Only two studies were found and these are examined in depth in section 1.4. 1.3. A structured analysis of the content of articles found on the ICDL 1.3.1. The methodology used The analysis of the articles found on the ICDL -which we have assumed are representative of the principal topics of research and the main conclusions reached to date on the Internet and careers guidance- can be further examined in detail. As is well known, there are two standard methods of research: quantitative and qualitative8. Quantitative research mainly involves verifying the general application of theories (Cicognani, 2002, p.16.), and principally uses the collection of numeric data and the mathematical or statistical processing of such data. Whereas qualitative research involves discovering and explaining new or little known phenomena, beginning with their observation, and is based principally on sources such as written material, active observation, individual discussions and conversations (Gobo, 2002, p.26). These sources are often used in combination in order to arrive at a better exposition of the subject9. As a rule, the bibliography on a particular subject is quoted either to illustrate or support specific arguments. The majority of articles adopt an approach which begins with the presentation of data and concludes with the formulation of a theory, but from a quantitative research perspective it is also possible to adopt the reverse approach. That is to say, by considering articles not as mere reference and corroborative sources and for the theories they expound, but for their authors’ description of their sphere of study. The great majority of authors have first-hand knowledge and experience in their field and their assertions, even when not substantiated, are no less ‘true’. For example, in an article from 1999, (Sampson, 1999a, p.1), J.P.J. Sampson, a professor at the Florida State University, pointed out that: ‘The Internet is making an enormous amount of guidance resources directly available to individuals without a counsellor or guidance professional acting as an intermediary’. This assertion was made without reference to other authors or to any specific field research carried out by the author himself. So, we can regard it as having been based on the author’s first-hand experience of the Internet and/or with guidance professionals. In a context of quantitative research, simple unsubstantiated statements such as this are unacceptable, however, in the case of qualitative research it is different, provided some steps are taken: 8 The following publications were read on this subject: Cicognani., 2002; Silverman, ed it.2002; edited by Mazzara, 2002; edited by Ricolfi, 1997; Mann, Stewart, 2000; Becker, 1998; Cryer, 2000; Phillips, Pugh, 3rd edition 2000. 9 This method is referred to as ‘use of multiple research techniques’ or ‘triangulation’. See Silverman, ed it.2002, pp. 150-151 e 251.


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1. Assess as far as possible the author’s level of knowledge of the field in question, by gathering information concerning his professional role and work (where possible check whether the author of a particular article is a professional in the field, or an expert who has carried out research in that particular field or is involved in the training of those who work in the field. You can even award each author a score according to your assessment of their first-hand knowledge). 2. Do not base your analisys on a single author, but take into consideration the observations of various authors10. Where more than one article by the same author is taken into consideration, the same ‘unit of description’ (see later for a definition of ’unit of description’ - UD) should be counted only once. Whereas corresponding UD’s contained in articles written by the same author in conjunction with other authors are counted more than once. 3. Do not base your analysis on only one source type (in our case, articles), but adopt a ‘triangulation’ approach using different types of sources to carry out your study.11. 4. Compared to information gathered by means of a questionnaire, the analysis of a series of randomly selected articles poses greater problems in codification. In a questionnaire, the questions are the same for everyone and the collected data appears more consistent. It is therefore possible to collate the various responses simply by reading all the answers given to the same question in succession12. However, in the case of articles gathered at random, there are greater problems in codification and analysis because each author develops a certain argument in very different directions. Furthermore, in our case, it is also necessary to differentiate between affirmations ascribable to the author’s own direct experience and those of other authors. Possible solutions to difficulties in analysing articles taken at random lie in determining the units of analysis (in our case the UD’s) together with the method of codification, and enabling third parties to verify the process of the formulation and interpretation of data. In this way, other experts can check the accuracy of the analysis and interpretation of data. (Silverman, ed it.2002, p.262). 1.3.2. The ‘Units of Description’ (UD’s) Our analysis seeks to systematically identify from the selected articles their authors’ affirmations regarding the ways the Internet is currently being used and, based on their first hand experience, the effects it has had up to now on careers guidance. The ‘unit of description’ (referred to from now on as UD) forms the basis for the codification of the articles13 and is defined as: an affirmation, based on research or first-hand experience, made by an author concerning:

• the current use of the Internet in providing careers guidance services • the effects the Internet has had to date on careers guidance

10 This avoids the risk of using too small a base that is insufficiently representative (Silverman, ed it.2002, p. 251). 11 See note 9. 12 This procedure has been followed, for example, in the analysis of answers to the questionnaire in Chapter 2 of this study. 13 For possible approaches to codification see Silverman, ed it.2002, pp.179-200.


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We can look at some examples of the codification (each passage has been numbered in order to identify the various sentences): ‘(1) These new technologies (Information Technologies) are affecting the career counsellor’s job in several ways. (2) First, counsellors are having to spend more time helping clients use these technologies effectively. (3) For example, helping someone to write a résumé may involve more than choosing an appropriate format and proper language and words. (4) If the client has little experience with word processing software, it may require a great deal of time to show him or her how to use the software to create a document that looks good. (5) Along with this increase in time spent in helping clients with the mechanics of using new technologies comes an increase in time counsellors will have to spend keeping up to date. (6) This means that continuous learning will be important not only in your area of expertise, but also in information technology as well. (7) This includes such things as understanding how to use search engines and Web directories to locate information, learning the latest update to word processing programs, and figuring out how the new fax machine works.’ (Kerford, 1998, pp.2-3). In this passage two UD’s can be identified:

• ‘(2) Counsellors are having to spend more time helping clients use these technologies effectively’’.

• ‘(5) Along with this increase in time spent in helping clients with the mechanics of using new technologies comes an increase in time counsellors will have to spend keeping up to date.’

The UD in (2) is clear and doesn’t require further comment. It can be shown in the analysis table as: ‘The counsellors spend a larger part of their time using ICT’. In the case of (5), a new UD is introduced following a repetition of the former. The new UD is found in the second part of the sentence: ‘an increase in time counsellors will have to spend keeping up to date’. The meaning of ‘keeping up to date’ is explained in (6) e (7): the ‘keeping up to date’ to which it refers concerns the use of the Internet (search engines, Web directories etc) and other technical devices such as the new types of fax machine. Number (5) uses the future tense - ‘increase in time counsellors will have to spend keeping up to date’ - which conjures up the idea of an expected effect that has not yet taken place (if it were actually so, the statement would not constitute a UD as we have defined the UD as referring to ‘the effects the Internet has had up to now on careers guidance’ and not to its future effects), but actually the first part (underlined) of (5) - ‘Along with this increase in time spent in helping clients with the mechanics of using new technologies comes an increase in time counsellors will have to spend keeping up to date’ - places the described events in the present. Number (5) therefore identifies a UD which can be shown in the analysis table as: ‘Counsellors14 spend a large part of their time learning how to use ICT’. As far as the other sentences in the passage are concerned: 14 In Italy there is still no common classification for professionals who work in the careers guidance sector (see ISFOL (2003) available on www.orientamento.it). Furthermore, the careers guidance profession is regulated in different ways in the various countries. In this study, the term ‘careers guidance practitioner’ is used to indicate all of the various roles which exist in the sector, and the term ‘careers guidance adviser’ is used when it is necessary to refer expressly to the role which supplies specialist careers guidance services (advice, in-depth guidance).

http://www.orientamento.it/or7o.htm


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• Number (1) contains a UD - ‘the new technologies (ICT) are affecting the career counsellor’s job’ - but it is a generalised statement which later, in the rest of the article, is gone into in more detail and therefore cannot be counted

• Numbers (3) and (4) provide an explanation of sentence (2) and therefore cannot be counted

• Numbers (6) and (7) provide an explanation of sentence (5) and therefore cannot be counted.

At this point we can move on to the analysis of the articles themselves. 1.3.3. The analysis process A structured analysis was conducted on the 16 articles previously identified from the ICDL. The procedure was as follows:

1. Information was gathered concerning the role of the articles’ authors and their work from a) biographical notes contained in the articles themselves, b) by searching the Internet, and c) from other sources (for example, some are known personally to the author of this study). Based on this information:

a. the perceived level of each author’s careers guidance knowledge was classified as general, specific or unknown

b. a score was then awarded to each author reflecting their estimated knowledge of providing careers guidance services. In this way, articles by authors whose careers guidance knowledge could not be assessed, or was judged to be scant, were eliminated.

2. The selected articles were read repeatedly, one by one, in order to identify the number of UD’s they contained. Then, all identified UD’s were transferred to a single file.

3. This file was also read repeatedly and underwent the following formulation process:

a. articles written by the same author were combined and where they contained identical UD’s, these were counted as one. Articles written by the same author in conjunction with other authors were left separate, with any identical UD’s counted individually.

b. UD’s were numbered progressively and altogether 91 were identified.15 The various UD’s were assembled logically so as to arrive at a description, based on the authors’ first-hand experience, of the current methods of using the Internet and the effects to date on careers guidance (see below). On this basis, then, the most frequent UD’s. represent the main issues relating to the Internet and careers guidance.

Stage1a of the analysis process: the classification of the various authors’ estimated knowledge levels (see Table 1.1. below):

15 Initially 90, then number 84 was subdivided into 84a and 84 b.


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Table 1.1. Tabulation of authors’ estimated knowledge of the careers guidance sector Scores Role 0 A general academic, other sector worker, or level of knowledge unknown 1 Sector worker or accademic who:

has carried out or is carrying out research into the provision of careers guidance services; trains or has trained guidance practitioners; supplies or has supplied careers guidance services

Stage 1b of the analysis process: awarding scores to authors for reliability based on the parameters identified in the previous point (the analysis was subsequently continued only on those articles whose authors were assessed as ‘1’ - see table 1.2.): Table 1.2. The selected articles together with an evaluation of their authors’ knowledge levels Code Author Pt Position

9 Malone 1 Director of Career Counseling and Training for ReadyMinds, an online Distance Career Counseling Company whose corporate office is located in New York City – private organisation

71 Jarvis 1 Director of national and international projects, National Life/Work Centre, Canada – public/private organisation

74 Harris-Bowlsbey

1 NCDA past president. Careers guidance Adviser (NCDA is the USA’s association for careers guidance advisers)

85 Woods and others

1 Members of the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee. USA federal inter-agency committee that promotes the development and use of occupational and labour market information.

103 Jarvis 1 See above

105 Sampson 1 Teacher at the Florida State University with vast experience in carrying out research and designing websites. He is known personally to the author.

107 Sampson and others

1 See above

108 Sampson and others

1 See above

110 Kerford and others

1 Careers guidance practitioner

114 Kerford 1 Careers guidance practitioner

116 Walz 0 Director of the ICDL

148 Caulum and others

1 One of the authors is Sampson (see above)

149 Sampson 1 See above





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Stage 3b of the analysis process: list of UD’s identified in selected articles. 9 Malone J.F. (2002), “Working toward effective practices in distance career counselling”

1. Internet allows the supply of distance counselling 2. Sector workers are seeking guidelines and standards from their professional

organisations 71 Jarvis P.S. (1997), “Career information and counselling in the internet era” 103 Jarvis P.S. (2000), “Career Information Delivery Systems: The Next Generation”

3. The Internet makes a large amount of information available 4. Information is not enough. Clients need help in finding and processing

information 5. The Internet provides exceptional opportunities for supplying distance guidance

services 6. The Internet affords interactive participation allowing provision of personalised

services 7. The Internet affords exceptional opportunities for the supply of information 8. The facility to publish material and provide information on the Internet. 9. The possibility of reaching more clients quickly and economically. 10. Standards need to be set with regard to publishing material, providing services,

and the accreditation of counsellors 11. Career development competencies are needed in order to find and process

information 74 Harris-Bowlsbey J.A. (2000), “Career Development and the Future”

12. Huge growth of the Internet 13. Proliferation of websites developed by those who do not have any knowledge of

careers guidance and whose credentials are not made known to users 14. On many websites there is no information as to the source of the information

they contain or when it was updated 15. Distance counselling services are in their infancy.

85 Woods J. F., Ollis H., Kaplan R. (1996), “To Spin a Web: Job, Career, and Labor Market Information on the Internet”

16. In the last 2 years (1995 and 96 - our note) use of the Internet has become widespread among families

17. The Internet is very useful for finding information on the jobs market, occupational and vocational training opportunities, and professions

18. The Internet is very useful for spreading information about occupations and the jobs market

19. Commitment to making users aware of resources available to help with career decisions

20. The sole fact that it appears on the Internet gives credibility to information 21. Users must accustom themselves to judging the quality and usefulness of sites 22. Even though US families are now familiar with the Internet, the majority are

still not connected and, therefore, there is still a need to access information through other means (publications etc.)


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23. Very rapid growth in the amount of information and number of users 24. The amount of information available can be overwhelming

107 Sampson J. P. J., Peterson G. W., Reardon, R. C., Lenz J. G. (2000) “Designing Career Services to Cost-Effectively Meet Individual Needs”

25. None 108 Sampson J. P. J., Lumsden J. A., Carr D. L., Rudd E. A. (1999a), “A Differential Feature-Cost Analysis of Internet-Based Career Information Delivery Systems (CIDS): Technical Report Number 24”

26. There are some websites with Career Information Delivery Systems (CIDS) 27. CIDS do not point out that it is necessary to go and see a careers adviser in

person when the resource cannot be used autonomously 28. Information on the credentials of the sites’ creators is absent or difficult to find 29. Information on the assessment’s validity is lacking 30. On the whole, on-line CIDS still appear to be at an initial stage of development

and lack the sophistication of those on CD ROM. 110 Kerford K. (1998), “Career counselling in a wired world” 114 Kerford K. (2000), “Career Practitioners and the net: counselling, consulting or consternation”

31. Counsellors spend a large part of their time using ICT 32. Counsellors spend a large proportion of their time learning to use ICT 33. In order to best advise their clients, counsellors have to understand how ICT

changes jobsearch 34. Thanks to ICT counsellors can communicate better with their colleagues

around the world 35. The information available on the Internet relates to: self-evaluation, the jobs

market, education and training opportunities, jobsearch techniques, C.V. data bases, job offers.

36. The Internet allows guidance services to be provided even outside of office hours

37. Counsellors who do not use the Internet offer a poor quality service 38. The material available on the Internet is continually increasing 39. With the Internet, people have a huge library at their disposal 24 hours a day 40. The poorest in society are not able to access the Internet from home 41. Using a computer motivates people 42. People tend to give more weight to information they find on a computer. 43. Information on the Web is not as detailed as that contained in written

material or on CD ROM 44. Information on a screen is difficult to read. 45. Information on the Internet can be viewed from anywhere 46. The Internet distracts people and they will often visit sites which are of no

use to them 47. The interactive nature of websites allows visitors to create their own

navigation paths 48. Too much weight can be given to the outcome of personalised navigation

paths


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49. The Internet should be used in conjunction with other available resources 50. Careers guidance is also supplied online 51. Online guides to sites are useful as they facilitate the finding of information 52. The facility to update information on line 53. There are useful discussion forums where people receive comments from

their peers 54. Various types of online guidance services exist: question-answer (forum and

email), chat. 55. On-line counselling has various limitations: confidentiality, lack of non

verbal communication, inability to intervene effectively in emergencies, difficulty in verifying true identities

56. Online services allow a greater number of people to be reached than the more traditional services, for example, the disabled; those who live in rural areas; housewives; those who for various reasons do not want to have a face to face meeting with a counsellor.

148 Caulum D., Doerr D., Howland P., Niles S., Palmer R., Pyle R., Reile D., Sampson J.P.J., Schutt D. (1997), “NCDA Guidelines for the Use of the Internet for Provision of Career Information and Planning Services: Approved 1997”

57. The Internet is used to supply information about professions 58. The Internet is used to consult online data bases concerning professions 59. The Internet is used for interactive career counselling and planning services 60. The Internet is used to consult online data bases containing job offers

154 Sampson J. P. J. (1997b), “Enhancing the Use of Career Information with Computer-Assisted Career Guidance Systems” 153 Sampson J. P. J. (1998a), “Effective Internet Use in Career Services” 158 Sampson J. P. J. (1998c), “Who is the Spider in the Web? Information Technology in Counseling: A Constructivist Perspective” 149 Sampson J. P. J. (1999a), “Effective Design and Use of Internet-Based Career Resources and Services: A North American Perspective” 105 Sampson J. P. J. (2000), “Computer-Assisted Career Guidance: Ethical Issues Bibliography”

61. The Internet allows almost free access to an immense virtual library, from home or anywhere else, without the need for expert assistance

62. The Internet allows easy interaction to take place, even from a distance, between users and service providers

63. The Internet allows the supply of information and advice to those far away, or who wish to remain anonymous, or who have mobility problems

64. The Internet allows information and software available from careers guidance centres to be supplied online

65. The professional qualifications of many online careers guidance and information providers are not known

66. Many self-help sites on the Internet do not point out when users need to seek the advice of a careers adviser in person. Sites should indicate cases where it may be necessary to go and see an adviser

67. In distance counselling there are risks regarding confidentiality of data


19


68. Poorer sectors of the population may have difficulty accessing the Internet 69. There is so much information available on the Internet that it is difficult for

both laymen and practitioners to identify and use the best resources 70. Little information exists on actual use of the Internet in careers guidance 71. In careers guidance agencies the Internet is used as a library for finding

information 72. In careers guidance agencies the Internet is used to provide CADS software 73. There are various methods of making it easier to find information: an

Internet guide available on the careers guidance centre’s website; advice from counsellors; CADS with relevant links

74. The Internet can be used for self-help, with support from counsellors where more in depth expertise is required

75. Free use of the Internet discourages development of good information resources.

76. Common guidelines are necessary for the development of good Internet sites.

77. A need to adopt standards for setting up websites. 78. Many CAGS link to Internet resources 79. The Internet allows those who live in areas without careers guidance services

to use CAGS 80. There is the possibility that information found on Internet sites may be out

of date or of poor quality 81. Risks concerning confidentiality 82. Lack of support from counsellors in person 83. Exclusion of the poorer in society 84. Internet use has increased tremendously

84b There are a large number of careers guidance websites 85. The anonymous nature of the Internet may encourage some people to use

distance services 86. The Internet increases self-help opportunities 87. Internet sites can be seen as having been developed by experts thereby

reducing personal empowerment 88. Many Internet sites take a positivist approach to career choices and can

therefore promote this kind of approach 89. Some users may think that websites alone are sufficient for their needs and

may not seek the personal help of a counsellor when necessary 90. A need to train counsellors

1.3.4. Opinions of authors on the effects of the Internet16 The methodology used up to this point now allows us to describe the changes in careers guidance brought about by the spread of the Internet according to the testimonies examined in the study.

16 Stage 4 of the analysis process


20


A17. Some authors point out the Internet’s huge growth and popularity: a continuous increase in the amount of careers guidance information (23, 38, 84) and in the number of those who use it (12, 16, 22, 23, 84), even though precise information regarding its use in careers guidance is lacking (70); it should be used in conjunction with other available resources (41); poorer sections of the population have difficulties in accessing the Internet (40, 68, 83); the use of computers motivates people (41). B. The Internet offers great opportunities for the supply of distance services, both for spreading information (7, 18, 63, 64) and for providing advice (1, 5, 50, 59, 63, 79). In particular, compared to the more traditional services, the Internet allows a greater number of people to be reached, for example, the disabled (56, 63); those who live in rural areas (45, 56, 63); housewives (56, 63); those who for various reasons do not want to meet with a guidance practitioner in person (56, 63, 85). These people can be reached at low cost (9), and even outside of office hours (36). Furthermore, the interactive nature of the Internet allows the supply of personalised services (6, 47). C. Information can be spread via the Internet as material can be easily published (8) and updated (52). The easy interaction afforded by the Internet makes it possible to provide distance advice and guidance (6, 62). It is in its infancy (15). D. The Internet makes a large amount of information available (an immense virtual library which can be accessed from home without the help of an expert, 61; a huge library that is always open 39) (3, 17, 35, 39, 57, 58, 60, 61, 71, 84 b). The information available relates, in particular, to: the job market (17, 35), occupational (17) and vocational (17, 35) training opportunities, professions (17) jobsearch techniques (35), CV data bases (35), job offers (35), as well as self assessment methods (26, 35, 72). E. There is now so much information available that both the layman and guidance practitioners have problems finding the information they need (4, 24, 69). F. It is possible to make it easier for users to find information by developing their career development competencies (11); through online guides to the best sites (51, 73); with advice from guidance practitioners (73), by links placed on careers guidance software (73, 78). The free use of sites discourages development of good information resources (75). G. Information contained on the Internet has limitations, in particular: information by itself is not enough to ensure correct careers guidance (4); websites may contain out of date information (14, 80), wrong information (13, 14, 29, 80), or may not disclose their creators’ credentials (13, 28, 65); generally, information provided on the net is not as comprehensive as that found in books, magazines or CD ROM’s (30, 43) and besides, it is difficult to read from a screen (44); the Internet can distract people who, once online, may set about visiting sites which are of no use to them (46). H. The existence of poor quality information on the Internet is a very serious problem because the Internet and computers in general lend credibility (20, 42, 48, 87, 89). I. Solutions to the problem of the poor quality of information must lie in the development of standards (10, 57, 77); in public funding for the development of quality websites (76); in educating users to judge the quality and usefulness of sites (21)

17 The letters serve to identify the sections.


21


L. The spread of the Internet increases the user’s opportunities for self-help in matters of careers guidance (74, 86), even though many sites take a direct and positivist approach to career choices (88) and users may think that websites are sufficient in themselves to help them make career choices even when it would be better to seek the help of a guidance practitioner in person (89), as many sites do not indicate when it may be necessary to consult an adviser (27). M. Distance information and guidance can be supplied through forums, email or chat rooms (54). Discussion groups also exist where people can confer with their peers (53). N. Distance information and guidance has its limitations as regards confidentiality (55, 67); the lack of non verbal communication (55); the inability to act effectively in the case of emergencies (55, 81); the difficulty of verifying the actual identity of both guidance practitioners and clients (55, 67); not being able to check practitioners’ qualifications (65). There is a need to develop standards for the supply of services and for the qualifications of practitioners (2, 10). O. Today, it is not possible to supply a quality service without the use of the Internet (37), and practitioners now spend a large part of their time learning to use (32) and using (31) ICT. Furthermore, in order to be able to best advise their clients, practitioners have to understand how ICT changes jobsearch (33). Guidance practitioners need to be trained in the use of ICT (90). Thanks to ICT practitioners can now communicate better with their colleagues around the world (34). 1.3.5. A synthesis Once the content of the articles has been broken down into UD’s, the main issues relating to the Internet and careers guidance are easily identified. They are as follows: (the number of the various UD’s relating to each issue is shown in brackets)

1. spread of the Internet (paragraph A, 11 UD’s) 2. supply of distance services18 (B, C, 21UD’s) 3. availability of information (D, E, F, G, H, I; 40 UD’s) 4. careers guidance self-help (L, 5 UD’s) 5. distance counselling (M, N; 8 UD’s) 6. practitioners (O, 6 UD’s).

Table 1.3. Issues and corresponding UD’s Issues Relative paragraphs Number of UD’s

contained % UD out of total UD

1 Spread of the Internet A 11 12 2 Supply of distance services B, C 21 23 3 Availability of information D, E, F, G, H, I 40 44 4 Self–help L 5 5 5 Distance counselling M, N 8 9 6 Practitioners O 6 7 Total 91 100

18 As already stated, this includes both supplying information and giving advice and guidance


22

The importance of each topic area can be better appreciated by the use of a graph:

1.4.Frequence % UD for topic areas

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

sprea

d of th

e Inte

rnet

supp

ly of

distan

ce se

rvice

s

avail

abilit

y of in

formati

on

caree

rs gu

idanc

e self

-help

distan

ce co

unse

lling

practi

tione

rs

%

The most frequent UD’s are shown in the table below. Table 1.4. UD’s which appear most frequently in the authors’ articles: Frequently occurring points No. of

times UD

Internet makes available large amounts of information 9 3, 17, 35, 39, 57, 58, 60, 61, 71, 84 bis

Internet is very useful in providing distance counselling 6 1, 5, 50, 59, 63, 79

Internet lends credibility even to out of date, inaccurate information and to unsound or superficial assessment techniques

5 20, 42, 48, 87, 89

Internet is widely used 5 12, 16, 22, 23, 84

Internet is very useful for spreading information, regardless of distance

4 7, 18, 63, 64



23


Internet websites can contain misleading information 4 13, 14, 29, 80 Standards need to be established for the spreading of information 3 10, 57, 77 Internet allows services to be provided to those who live in rural areas

3 45, 56, 63

Internet allows services to be provided to those who do not want to go and see a guidance practitioner in person

3 56, 63, 85

Many sites do not disclose their creators’ credentials 3 13, 28, 65 Useful careers guidance information on the Internet continues to increase

3 23, 38, 84

It is difficult to find information on the Internet, both for practitioners and the general public

3 4, 24, 69

Internet contains self-assessment tools 3 26, 35, 72 Poorer sectors of society have difficulty accessing the Internet 3 40, 68, 83

From this data it is evident that the most important effect of the spread of the Internet is the large amount of information now available (46% of all UD’s), followed by the possibility it offers for supplying distance services (both information and advice). These results will be compared with those from the field research described in the following chapter. 1.4. Some field research 1.4.1. Research carried out by the Canada Career Consortium19 The Canada Career Consortium is an association of public and private organisations whose aim is the production and distribution of careers guidance material20. The research was carried out in Canada in 1998 to get an indication as to the needs of Canadian careers guidance practitioners and their clients (current and potential) in order to then develop further information material. The research was conducted through questionnaires (given to a total of 143 careers guidance practitioners and 280 members of the public, and completed both face to face and via the Internet, CCC, 1998, p.1.), and through focus groups (52 counsellors, CCC, 1998, pp. 45-46) and interviews (51 counsellors, CCC, 1998, pp. 48-49). We have no information on the type of sampling method used. The research focuses on information in general (and not just on information found via the Internet) and therefore most of the material gathered is unlikely to be useful in this study. Nevertheless some of the information is extremely interesting. In particular, from the answers received to the questionnaires, from interviews and from those taking part in focus groups it appears that the Internet is first choice amongst practitioners as a source of careers guidance information and second in order of importance for the man in the street21. Furthermore, taking into account the 19 Canada Career Consortium CCC (1998). 20 See http://www.careerccc.org/. 21 CCC, 1998, pp.3 e 7. For the layman the main sources of information and guidance are other people (careers guidance counsellors, friends, teachers, etc.), page.6.

http://www.careerccc.org/


24


questionnaires alone, both practitioners and the public put the Internet in first place as their preferred media for accessing careers guidance information in the future. Tab. 1.5. Type of media preferred for the future (CCC, 1998, p.10)

Position/ ranking

Man in the street/Public (280 questionnaires)

Practitioners (143 questionnaires)

1 Internet (177) Internet (118)

2 Computer software (144) CD-ROM (112)

3 Newspapers (137) Computer software (107)

4 CD-ROM’s (121) Books (95)

5 Booklets (99) Video (94)

6 Books (94) Booklets (92)

7 Television (88) Newspapers (90)

8 Paper/pencil tests (82) Paper/pencil tests (81)

9 Video (78) Television (79)

10 Radio (75) Posters (73)

11 Posters (67) Audiotapes (63)

12 Audiotapes (58) Radio (59)

Two issues which the majority of practitioners emphasise are the time and cost involved in finding information (CCC, 1998, p.17). This can explain, at least in part, their current and future preference for using the Internet. 1.4.2. Research by NICEC-CSU22

The research was carried out between 2000-2001 in Great Britain, Finland and the United States. The NICEC (The National Institute for Careers Education and Counselling) is a British public body which carries out research into careers guidance and brings together leading British experts in the field23. The CSU (The Higher Education Careers Services Unit) is an organisation set up by British universities and is responsible for conducting research and providing services24. The research was carried out to study the possibilities of universities supplying distance careers guidance services using the latest technology25. The research was conducted in the following ways:

22 Offer et al., 2001. 23 Website http://www.crac.org.uk/nicec/nicec.htm. 24 Website http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/About_us/Who_are_Graduate_Prospects_/p!egijdk. 25 Offer et al., 2001, (back cover). The authors talk about technically mediated service delivery. The term covers ‘a variety of media, ranging from audio/video tape facilities, through CD ROMs, web sites and email, to telephone helplines’ (pag.4.), but the study is focused on the Internet and, in particular, on the design and use of websites and email (pag.4.).

http://www.crac.org.uk/nicec/nicec.htm

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/About_us/Who_are_Graduate_Prospects_/p!egijdk


25


• An initial questionnaire sent via email to all 155 British universities26 • Telephone interviews were conducted with half of those who replied to the

questionnaire (Offer et al., 2001, p.13) • Study of a stratified sample of 15 university websites, with regard to design,

content, navigation paths (Offer et al., 2001, p.15) • A series of focus groups looking at the careers guidance services of four

universities, with the aim of finding the best methods of organising distance guidance services (Offer et al., 2001, p.17)

• A visit to some Finnish and American universities which have already developed distance careers guidance services (Offer et al., 2001, p.17).

It is an in-depth study and the main premise is that even though all British universities have their own Internet website and use email to communicate with students and graduates, most do not use these facilities to the full. Their websites are used mainly to supply information and promote existing services which are then provided in the traditional ways (Offer et al., 2001, p.6). But new technologies offer the possibility of supplying personalised information and guidance very easily, regardless of distance, to both groups and individuals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (Offer et al., 2001, p.6). However, this requires a complete restructuring and reorganisation of supply methods throughout all the services (Offer et al., 2001, p.4). In more detail, the spread of the Internet has changed the context in which university careers guidance services find themselves working. In particular:

• It makes their work visible at international level (it is now possible to connect to the careers guidance websites of each university from any part of the world and examine and use the services they offer,) (Offer et al., 2001, p.10)

• It puts them in competition with other universities or private companies offering similar types of services27

• It gives more options for accessing services (for example, from the service’s website, or from the actual office itself) (Offer et al. 2001, p.6-7)

• It makes communication between university stakeholders (students, teachers, administrative staff, employers, etc.) a lot easier and more economical, thereby increasing the possibilities of guiding students in a more personalised way and of creating links with the local community (Offer et al., 2001, p.10)

• It makes high levels of interaction possible, regardless of distance, and can be used to provide alternative methods of supplying services or in support of the more traditional services provided by careers advisers in face to face interviews. Its interactive nature also allows distance learning programmes, for example, in the skills necessary for managing one’s career. (Offer et al., 2001, p.11)

26 The term ‘university’covers all higher education institutions including polytechnics. 27 ‘Previously, if a service was not serving its customers well, it might be criticised, but its users had fewer other places to go. The Internet, on the other hand, in theory at least, enables anyone to gain access to careers education, information and guidance from anywhere in the world; if better quality than is offered a local service is available via a web site, then users can opt to go there. The website may be run by the careers service of a neighbouring university, by a local Information, Advice and Guidance for Adults (IAGA) partnership, or by a commercial company based in the USA. (…) A global free market in guidance has potentially been opened up.’ (Offer et al., 2001, p.10).


26


According to the authors, the reasons for the slowness on the part of the majority of universities to utilise the Internet for careers guidance purposes depend not so much on the lack of funding or facilities, as on the lack of clear objectives among careers guidance managers and practitioners on how to best use it. They also point out that there is an underestimate of the Internet’s potential in careers guidance on the part of those in charge of university information services and on the part of those who decide on the allocation of areas within the universities (for example, for installing a computer for student use) (Offer et al., 2001, p.11).


2


Chapter 2. Field study 2.1. Introduction In the period 2001-2003 the author of this work obtained funding from the European Union’s Socrates programme to carry out a project on providing careers guidance to adults through the Internet28. Within the scope of the project, the Author carried out a study into the effects of the Internet on careers guidance activities. The study was conducted on a sample of European careers guidance practitioners and included:

1. the compilation of a questionnaire to submit, via the Internet, to a sample cross-section of careers guidance practitioners

2. the translation of the questionnaire (originally in Italian) into 7 other European languages (Czech, Catalan, Castilian, English, Polish, Portuguese, Rumanian)

3. the inclusion of the questionnaire on the project’s website http://www.guidanceforum.net/

4. the publicising of the study, inviting those interested to take part in it by completing the questionnaire

5. the gathering of the testimonies from the completed questionnaires and the translation into English of those in languages not understood by the author

6. the examination of the testimonies 7. the preparation of a report in English (available on

http://www.guidanceforum.net/pages/res_general/surveyresults.pdf) 2.2. The issues examined in the study and the sampling technique used The aim of the study was to identify some recurrent themes in European careers guidance practitioners’ experiences of using the Internet. For this reason a sampling method was adopted which would allow the identification and examination of a cross-section of those practitioners who might already have considerable experience of working with the Internet (in other words, it is not a generically representative sample of all European careers guidance practitioners as it does not include those who do not have experience of using the Internet)29. For this reason the questionnaire was publicised in the various countries mainly through Internet mailing lists and discussion lists aimed at careers guidance practitioners. The completion of the

28 The project, called EGA, European Experiences with ICT in Careers Guidance with Adults, co-ordinated by the Associazione Orientamento in rete (an Italian association which carries out careers guidance activities and whose Director is the author of this study) involved Vaclav Klenha and Simon Budsky from DHV (CZ), Peter Plant from the Danish Pedagogical University (DK), Montserrat Oliveras and Enric Renau from Educaonline (ES), Heidi Vilijamaa from CareerStorm (FI), Marilou Struillau from the Service Académique d’Information et d’Orientation de l’Académie de Créteil (FR), Thierry Boy from the ’INETOP Institut National d'Étude du Travail et d'Orientation Professionnelle (FR), Joanna Szczecińska from the Academy of Humanities and Economics in Lodz (PL), Maria do Ceu Taveira from the Minho University (PT), Mihai Jigau, Diana Ghinea and Mihaela Chiru from the Institute of Educational Sciences (RO), Marcus Offer and Rachel Mulvey from the NICEC National Institute for Careers Education and Counselling (UK). 29 ‘a purposeful sampling strategy’ was chosen. For sampling methods see amongst others Cicognani, 2002, pp. 33-35; Silverman, ed it.2002, p.229; Mann., Stewart, 2000, p.78.

http://www.guidanceforum.net/

http://www.guidanceforum.net/pages/res_general/surveyresults.pdf


28


questionnaire was voluntary, and we can assume that, in the majority of cases, it was practitioners with experience of using the Internet who responded. The questionnaire (shown in Appendix 2, section 1) asked:

• Personal details (questions 1-5) 1. Name 2. E-mail 3. Country where you work 4. Type of work 5. Activity of organisation in which you work

• The general extent of changes caused by the Internet (question 6): 6.a. In what way has the Internet changed your work in general? 6.b. How would you assess its impact? (low, medium, high)

• The specific impact of the Internet on careers guidance services (question7): 7.a. In what way has the Internet changed the service you offer to your clients? 7.b. How would you assess its impact? (low, medium, high):

• The impact of the Internet on clients’ self-help processes (question 8): 8.a. In what way has the Internet changed your clients’ self-help processes and job search methods? 8.b. How would you assess its impact? (low, medium, high)

• The impact of the Internet on the organisation for which you work: 9.a. In what way has the Internet changed the service provided by the

organisation for which you work? 9.b.How would you assess its impact? (low, medium, high)

2.3. The method of gathering data Once placed on the project’s website, the questionnaire was publicised by the project’s partners in the careers guidance communities of their respective countries. Practitioners were invited to visit the project’s site and complete the online questionnaire. In line with the aim of sampling those who might already have experience in using the Internet for careers guidance, the methods of publicising the questionnaire were as follows:

Italy :

• through a link from the first page of www.orientamento.it to the page containing the questionnaire at www.guidanceforum.net . Orientamento.it is a website set up by the Author of this research study and is dedicated to Italian careers guidance practitioners. It receives, on average, 5000 visits per month

• through the discussion list on www.orientamento.it (700 members) and the discussion list of AICO Associazione Italiana Operatori e consulenti di Orientamento www.aiconet.it (150 members). Both lists are aimed at careers guidance practitioners

http://www.orientamento.it/



http://www.aiconet.it/


29


France:

• through the Eurora mailing list run by one of the project’s French partners. There are about 100 practitioners on the mailing list; the great majority of whom are French.

• during training courses on the use of the Internet in careers guidance organised by one of the project’s French partners for his own guidance practitioners. 42 people participated30.

Portugal: • through the mailing list of the IEFP-Instituto Emprego e Formação

Profissional (http://www.iefp.pt/), a public organisation which manages 86 jobcentres and 31 vocational training centres in Portugal

• through the mailing list of the IOP- Instituto de Orientação Profissional, a department of the University of Lisbon, which trains guidance practitioners

• through the mailing list of the DRN- Direcçção Regional do Norte de Educação (Ministry of Education) aimed at careers guidance practitioners

• in a series of seminars organised by the project’s Portuguese partner and directed at guidance and training practitioners. A total of 160 people attended.

Spain: • through a link from the first page of www.educaweb.com to the first page of

www.guidanceforum.net containing the questionnaire. Educaweb.com is the most important Spanish portal dedicated to education, training and careers guidance. It is aimed at both practitioners and the general public and receives, on average, 300.000 visits per month.

• Through a presentation of the study in an issue of the newsletter linked to www.educaweb.com. The newsletter has 26.000 subscribers and is aimed at those working in the sector (guidance trainers and careers advisers).

Great Britain: • Through two seminars organised by the project’s British partner and aimed at

careers advisers in the education sector (40 people in total) The project’s website:

• The questionnaire was also publicised through the project’s website which is freely accessible via the Internet and can be found through the main search engines. The English version of the project’s website received 3000 visits from August 2002 to July 2003.

30 L’Académie de Créteil is a public body which administers the entire education provision (from nursery schools to universities) in the area South East of Paris. It comes under the jurisdiction of the French Ministry of Education

http://www.iefp.pt/

http://www.educaweb.com/




30


Table 2.1. Responses to the questionnaire received from the various countries (January 2002 – March 2003)

Countries Number of

responses % of total risponses

Number of advisers who responded

% of total number of advisers

Italy 18 25 14 27France 16 22 14 27Portugal 15 21 13 25Spain 7 10 5 10Great Britain 9 12 2 4Rumania 2 3 2 4Belgium 1 1 1 2

Denmark 1 1 0 0Ireland 1 1 0 0Poland 3 4 not available31 0Total 73 100 51 100

2.4. The processing of the collected data In the period January 2002-March 2003, 73 testimonies were collected. The data was processed as follows:

1. Each testimony was given a number chronologically (the lower the number, the earlier the testimony was collected)

2. The testimonies were transferred in numerical order into one file (those in French were first translated into English). In order to aid comparison between the various testimonies, their order in the file was then changed grouping together all the statements of people with similar roles, whilst still maintaining numerical progression.

3. In order to better interpret the results, it was decided that whilst all of the testimonies should be studied, only the 51 responses from those describing themselves as ‘careers adviser’, ‘conseiller d’orientation psicologue’ and ‘consulente di orientamento’32 should be statistically processed. The testimonies were read numerous times, seeking to identify the points emerging most frequently (that is to say, the Units of Description-UD’s33) from the various statements. In addition, other interesting UD’s were highlighted in blue. UD’s

31 At the time of processing the data, English translations of the Polish testimonies were not available. 32 The remainder who replied described themselves as: university professors, primary school teachers, secondary school teachers, trainee careers adviser, or simply as working in the careers guidance field. 33 The Units of Description -UD’s- were introduced in Chapter 1. The UD is defined as an affirmation on the part of an author concerning: ·the current ways of using the Internet to supply careers guidance services or ·the effects to date of the Internet on careers guidance based on research or first hand experience


31


identified in the various testimonies as being alike were marked by inserting a letter after them in brackets34

4. The lines in each of the statements containing a specific UD were copied and pasted into a new file. A new file was thereby obtained, where all the lines (taken from the various statements) containing the same UD were grouped in succession. Only those UD’s considered most significant were transferred to the new file35. At the beginning of each line appeared the code identifying the testimony.36

5. To formulate the results, a file was created in Excel showing the main elements of each testimony: identifying number, country, role of author, principal issues identified, and author’s opinion of the estimated effect of the Internet. The table thereby obtained is shown in Appendix 2, section 4.

2.5. The analysis of the data In response to questions 6.a. In what way has the Internet changed your work in general? and 6.b. How would you assess its impact? (low, medium, high), more than 80% of careers advisers claim that the Internet has a medium to high impact on their work37. In particular:

1. Due to its speed and amount of content, the Internet allows practitioners to easily find the information they require (82%) 2. The Internet makes communication amongst practitioners easier (25%)

Below we report some of the most significant statements in this regard: (Each number refers to a testimony and, when not indicated otherwise, the response was made by a careers guidance adviser38):

• 15 (FR) Thanks to the Internet I have accessible and precise information. Paper documentation does not always offer this.

• 28 (university professor ES) The Internet has had a major effect on the supply of educational and vocational information. In recent years we have gone from an almost total lack of informative material to the spread of printed material (up to

34 See Appendix 2, section 2, for the first two pages of the file. 35 In the examination of the articles carried out in Chapter 1, all identified UD’s were summarised and translated into Italian (the procedure is explained in detail in paragraph 1.3. of Chapter1). Whereas, in the case of the examination of the testimonies (which represent by far the largest amount of material looked at - 73 testimonies as opposed to 16 articles – and which have greater consistency of content), having taken into consideration the impoverishment of data which results every time a summary of the original texts is carried out, it was decided not to summarise the identified UD’s but to pick out only those occurring most frequently and to report in detail only those sentences considered most significant. 36 See in Appendix 2, section 3, the first two pages of the file. 37 It should be emphasised that impact is low or medium for some of those who replied because the organisations for which they work do not put enough equipment or Internet connections at their disposal. For example, see the following statements (the numbers relate to the testimony in question): 70 (trainee careers adviser, UK) ‘It allows my clients to help themselves and allows me to support them using a different medium. However, policy, time and resource restraints mean that this doesn't happen very often in practice. Therefore the actual impact is low’; 38 (IT) Impact unfortunately is very low: up to now, in the Centre, we’re not even connected to the Internet..., 20 (FR) Only one connected computer in the CIO is not enough., 18 (FR) I would like to use it with classes but there are problems with equipment’. All data regarding the scale of the impact is reported in Table 7 of Appendix 2. 38 All the statements can be viewed on http://www.guidanceforum.net/pages/pag_uk/survey.asp.

http://www.guidanceforum.net/pages/pag_uk/survey.asp


32


the end of the 80’s and the early 90’s). Since the end of the 90’s the principal source of careers guidance information has become the Internet.

• 4 (FR) The Internet also permits much broader and intensive contact with colleagues, and allows us to exchange ideas about our professional practices and to communicate information throughout France and even the European Union.

• 31 (IT) I use email to exchange information with colleagues in other centres – because communication is so rapid.

There are other interesting points, though mentioned less often: 3. The Internet is a valid tool for the professional development and training of guidance practitioners because of the access to information it allows:

• 4 (FR) (it is used) to train us • 28 (university professor, ES). En la formació dels orientadors es té en compte

com a font principal internet. • 54 (university professor, IR). It has allowed me to become informed of careers

initiatives throughout the world, rather than the limited information to which I formerly had access. This has allowed me to pass on to my students, examples of good practice, project and research information. Impact – High.

• 66 (trainee careers adviser, UK) useful for gathering articles on professional development from journals and newspapers.

4. The Internet (email and service providers’ websites) makes it easier to contact and follow up clients:

• 1 (IT) For 3 years I provided careers advice and information through an open discussion forum, on one of my websites. I received and answered around a 1000 messages. The Internet has made it easier to follow up clients. I now give my email address to all clients who use the Internet telling them that they can write to me, whereas before I used to give them my phone number saying that they could phone me if they needed to. Email messages are easier to manage and less intrusive than phone calls. I usually reply to them in my spare time, generally at weekends.

• 52 (RO) We use emails to keep in contact with our high-school graduates, students and university graduates. We email them with details of faculties, university admissions procedures, and job offers. What's more, it gives them the opportunity to "see us" through our webpages.

5. The Internet allows clients to find the information they need on their own:

• 47 (IT) I get those who already know how to use the Internet to look for the required information themselves.

• 25 (teacher, ES) Es muy frecuente que mis alumnos acudan, convenientemente guiados, al aula de informática para recabar información útil para su futuro universitario y/o profesional.


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6. Using the Internet motivates clients: • 50 (UK) It is immensely empowering to the client. • 24 (PT). The attractiveness of a computer based aid compared to a written aid

leads to higher motivation in searching for information. Even the use of Chat rooms for the exchange of ideas between young people from different regions or culturally different countries, has been shown to be highly motivating in the career decision-making process. High impact.39

7. One point worth emphasising is that the Internet requires special equipment, well-trained staff, and a knowledge of computers on the part of both guidance practitioners and clients.

• 2 (FR) Altogether, activities related to the Internet (navigation, forums, mailing lists, electronic mail, creation and updating of web sites, training) take up most of my working time (approximately 70%). I organise continuous training activities for the careers advisers-psychologists on the topic of ICT and guidance

• 5 (FR) Choosing to use the Internet meant making budgetary decisions: purchase of computers, telephone expenses40.

• 13 (FR) The learning of the techniques requires a lot of time and suitable training.41

• 20 (FR) The Internet requires new competencies. It has a growing impact and daily practice is necessary. We had to set up a specific website, and this requires constant updating.

• 79 (PT) Dentro da sala de aula, os docentes ainda apresentam muita resistência à utilização das TIC42.

• 46 (staff of a careers guidance organisation, IT) Problem: A quarter of my working time is devoted to the Internet and emails and it is tending to increase rapidly.

Questions 7.a. ‘In what way has the Internet changed the service you offer your clients? and 7.b. How would you assess its impact? (low, medium, high)’ focus on changes brought about by the Internet to the services practitioners provide to their clients. 65% of those who replied assess the Internet’s impact as being medium or high43.

39 Reply given to question 9.a. of the questionnaire. 40 Reply given to question 9.a. of the questionnaire. 41 Reply given to question 9.a. of the questionnaire. 42 Reply given to question 9.a. of the questionnaire. 43 In this case too, one must bear in mind what has already been said in a previous note regarding the possibility that a medium or low impact may depend not on the Internet’s limitations, but on lack of equipment or the organisations’ policies. For example see the following statements: 4 (FR) The impact is still medium because everybody does not have access to Internet yet. 20 (FR) Having only one connected computer is, at the moment, insufficient to satisfy the requests. 9. (FR) Up to now, access to the Internet is not offered to the public in the CIO... thus nil level. 7 (FR) For the time being, I consider the impact to be of a medium level, because the public uses the Internet only under our control in the CIO. 13. (FR) The impact is more indirect as far as the public is concerned: we seek information on line about a particular university, school or job, and don’t let the public handle this directly. 22 (professor at university, PT) One of the reasons for this low impact is the lack of space and computer equipment in the Service unit.


34


The points most emphasised are the following: 8. Service has improved because thanks to the information available on the Internet, guidance practitioners can supply their clients with better information more quickly (33% of those questioned).

• 4 (FR) The Internet also makes it possible to collect a lot of information, to get to know about new initiatives in schools (training possibilities, opportunities for visits...). This makes it possible for the consultant to provide better quality information.

• 6 (FR) In some cases, it is easier and faster to answer questions The answers are more precise (especially regarding studies abroad)

• 10 (FR) Speed, flexibility and the possibility of giving more precise answers in specific cases.

• 23 (PT) Given that access to information is much quicker, I am able to respond more efficiently to certain types of requests made, namely those that have to do with information.

• 31 (IT) Since my office has been connected to the Internet, the service and availability of information have improved considerably.

• 52. (RO) The Internet represents an efficient tool which helps us to provide better information and to search for career opportunities for our applicants.

• 64. (UK) It has expanded my ability to help clients by providing more information.

• 76. (PT) A Internet permitiu-me fornecer aos meus clientes uma informação mais actual e diversificada.

9. An increasing number of clients are obtaining the information they require directly by searching the Internet (25% of those questioned). 10. Many testimonies highlight how this is bringing about a change in the role of careers adviser44.

• 2 (FR) More and more young people come to the CIO with information which they have found on Internet. They ask for an individual interview to help them to analyze this information. So, the first consequence of Internet usage is an increasing demand for individual interviews. The CIO, which has computers offering free access to the public, receives more pupils, students, and adults... High impact.

• 9. (FR) However more and more pupils contact us after they have found information on the Net (for example an upper form pupil could have direct contact with a Latin teacher in Paris)... This is particularly useful for those users who live as far away as La Réunion.

• 11 (FR) An individual counselling interview with pupils includes two parts: 1 - exchange of information - on the person (pupil who needs advice), - on the occupations and training opportunities (adviser to pupil) 2 - advice (adviser to pupil). Generally, part 1 occupies most of the time of the interview, particularly,

44 Most of the replies seem to be from careers advisers.


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the search for and the communication of information about occupations and training. The use of the Internet (with its accessibility to abundant, targeted and precise information) changes the balance of the interview. The time spent on searching for information is reduced, thereby releasing more time for counselling. According to the adviser, the impact on the practice can be high, medium or low. For the reasons I have just explained, the Internet makes it possible to increase the relationship with the pupil. The psychological dimension of the interview can be further explored, and this radically changes the content of an interview which otherwise would have given only a first level answer to the initial request. As regards self-search for information carried out by pupils, impact is still low at present, but is seeing rapid expansion.

• 15 (FR). Information is increasingly easy to access, so our role consists less in looking for information and more in helping people to build a personal career plan. The guidance practitioner has more of a coaching role. High level.

• 24 (PT) The Internet has made it easier to actively search for information, while simultaneously being supervised by a 'careers adviser'. When possible options are found, an immediate and active discussion ensues, taking into consideration the suitability of the profiles, by looking at the person's aptitudes, interests, values and personality which have already been established. Similarly, youngsters may be encouraged by guidance practitioners to search for sites or chat rooms that promote discussions about attractive topics or professions.

• 29 (ES) When all students have access to the Internet, careers guidance in the form of a direct, face to face interview with a careers adviser will no longer be necessary

• 33 (IT) The impact is high because access to information on the world of work and the various forms of careers self-help is is made much easier.

• 36 (IT) I take advantage of it a lot, particularly with youngsters, as I find their attention span is greater by making them find specific information on the Internet for themselves rather than just giving them material I’ve already prepared myself.

• 21 (trainer of careers advisers, UK) The Internet offers us ways of making contact from a distance, and at times when, previously, we would not have been available. Anyone from anywhere in the world can, potentially, help anyone else. The problem is no longer finding the information we need but making sense of it, relating it to clients' needs, and helping them to identify those needs for which these resources are relevant.

Questions 8.a. - ‘In what way has the Internet changed your clients’ self-help processes and jobsearch methods? and 8.b. How would you assess its impact? (low, medium, high)’ - focus on changes brought about by the Internet on clients’ career development processes and jobsearch methods. 63% of those who replied state that the Internet has a medium to high impact45.

45 18% high, 45% medium, 10% low, 27% no reply.


36


11. Also, with regard to this question, many replies (43%) focus on the effects on clients of the increased availability of information. A large amount of information is now freely available on the net and many clients use it to search for careers guidance information themselves. This is seen as a positive effect but also one which could potentially be risky. 12. Notably, some practitioners state that there remains a need for ‘face to face’ contact with a careers adviser (for example, because too much information is available or because it is of poor quality – see the statements shown in point 13).

• 11 (FR) In general, counselling via the Internet gains from the amount of accurate information available and the different ways of searching for information what it loses in methods of analytical approach. So, its content must be put in perspective and treated on a hierarchical basis, thereby strengthening the need for a mediator

• 27 (ES) A pesar de la cantidad de informción que existe a través de internet, muchos de nuestros usuarios necesitan la formación presencial para utilizar algunos servicios.

• 29 (ES) El proceso de autoorientación se ha hecho más autónomo, de todas formas el mundo del trabajo para los alumnos con los que trabajo aún queda un poco lejos.

• 33 (IT) The impact is high because access to information on the world of work and to various kinds of careers self-help material is much easier.

• 36 (IT) Careers self-help – none, fortunately! • 37 (IT) We’ve gone from a lack of information to a glut of information which

does not respect the ‘ecology’ of communication. The client needs to be guided in the selection and evaluation process of on-line information.

• 39 (IT) Information is now an available commodity. A large number of people are able to find information but still don’t know what they’re looking for. This is the reason why the careers adviser cannot be replaced by the use of the Internet for self-help.

• 40 (ES). La autoorientación siempre requerirá a la persona orientadora, el diálogo y el intercanvio con el especialista. Las TIC serviran para informar, intercanviar información, y ayudar en la busqueda de espacios, lugares o características de los lugares de trabajo y de los estudios de las profesiones.

• 21 (trainer of careers advisers, UK). It heightens the need for an educational approach to guidance: given that careers guidance professionals can no longer control the information that is available to clients, quality control can ultimately rest only in the ability of users to analyse and critique what they are offered through the new media. This is an old liberal educational ideal - the development of informed critical users who can assess for themselves the reliability and validity of what they are offered. This is a new task also for careers education.

13. Some of those who replied (16%) highlight how a lot of clients use the Internet for jobsearch, particularly for finding out about firms and job descriptions, and for finding


3


job offers and contacting companies. Some of them express doubts concerning the Internet’s effectiveness in the search for work.

• 4 (FR) Even if we don’t know anything about a particular occupation, it is possible to get information about it on the Internet: level of qualifications required, occupation profiles, companies which recruit... All that without moving. Before, it was possible to find this kind of information but often through different organisations, and this required a more significant time investment.

• 8 (FR) The way of job searching has changed with the possibility of focusing one’s tailor-made requests from home. There is thus a high degree of precision and a great flexibility in research.

• 19 (FR) The Internet makes job searching much easier. It is no longer necessary to go from this place to that place to get information. With a computer, one can have access to all kinds of useful and necessary information. High impact.

• 30 (IT) Unfortunately, even though I continually use and consult websites dedicated to the jobs market, I must point out the excessive amount of unreliable job offers they contain – one needs to know how to protect oneself.

• 32 (IT) Work related websites of varying quality - I often notice misleading information.

• 45 (IT) Job matching sites are also used, even though practical results are not very good (particularly for the medium to low skilled).

• 58 (PT) Impacto elevado, visto que a maior parte das pessoas que sei que estão à procura de um emprego recorrem mais frequentemente a internet do que aos jornais diários e semanais.

• 63 (PT) A exploração de alguns sites realizada pelos meus clientes tornou possível o acesso mais rápido e fácil à informação sobre o mundo do trabalho

• 22 (university professor, PT). Surveys done by students at the University of Minho, over the last four years, (in the area of research activities of the CCS and in the context of other studies done at the UM) have pointed out that the Internet is the second most used method by graduates to search for jobs.

Questions 9.a. ‘In what way has the Internet changed the service provided by your organisation? and 9.b. How would you value its impact? (low, medium, high)’ - focus on how the Internet has changed services offered to clients, including the supply of usual services. The impact is considered to be medium to high by 53% of those questioned46. 14. 24% of careers practitioners who replied emphasise again how, thanks to the Internet, they can quickly find information requested by clients and thus provide a better service47. 15. Some of those who replied point out how the Internet (e-mail and their organisation’s website) is used to supply distance guidance services (20%) and spread

46 22% high, 31% medium, 20% low, 27% no reply 47 This point has already been examined in detail previously and therefore will not be elaborated further.


38


information about the services they offer (10%). Please see earlier comment regarding the ease of contacting and following up clients.

• 1 (IT) The employment offices where I work have developed websites listing their locations, opening hours, job offers, and they also accept applications for these job offers via email (previously only via fax). They also allow the public to use the Internet and there are some computers freely available.

• 4 (FR) The Internet influences the service because it forces staff to acquire training in order to be able to carry out their occupational activities. This makes it possible for the consultants, who up to now could only have face to face interviews and conversations by telephone and by mail, to use it as an additional means of finding information. The practice has now been extended to electronic mail and discussion forums. The impact is not very high for the time being but continues to increase.

• 5 (FR) The functioning of the service has not been modified but has been enriched. We continue to receive people, give information and individual advice, but in a more developed way: - through the use of the CIO (Web site) and by the various documentary resources. Medium impact.

• 30 (IT) the organisation for which I work has its own website and through this it can reach more people. Impact – high.

• 64 (UK). It has enabled the service to advertise its services in a more dynamic and up to date way.

• 77 (PT). A internet serve os profissionais da minha instituição e os seus clientes essencialmente como meio de informação. Começa agora a implementar-se a vertente comunicacional da internet em termos de proporcionar o acesso facilitado e generalizado ao serviço e, eventualmente, numa segunda fase, proporcionar efectivamente alguns serviços on line. Impacto médio.

• 21 (trainer of guidance practitioners, UK). The Internet has not necessarily changed the services provided, but made them available in different forms to different types of client. We need to re-examine how clients move through the resource systems we provide off-line and the parallel resource systems on-line in order to understand how they actually use the services we provide. There are considerable demands on guidance practitioners to keep up to date with developments and most do not have the time to do so. They need help to understand the resources newly available to them and their potential. They often lack confidence, thinking the issues are technical ones beyond their core competence, but in fact the issues are non-technical, guidance-related and managerial/political: targeting certain clients rather than others, for example, and offering different types of service while ensuring access and equal treatment for all, is not a technical issue - it is a moral, political and professional one, made more complex by new forms of access and (hence) new forms of exclusion.

• 65 (trainee careers adviser, UK). The Internet could be useful, but it needs to be used far more imaginatively. I like the bulletin board on www.barbarasher.com, for something that uses the Internet to access a lot of people, but still remains human and communicative.

http://www.barbarasher.com/


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16. Other practitioners highlight the changes within their organisations that have been brought about by the Internet.

• 1 (IT) (in) The employment offices where I work (…) the clerks use the Internet a lot for internal communications.

• 18 (FR). The Internet is a large-scale consumer of time and it is impossible to circumvent it. It is omnipresent in the life of the guidance centre (mail, downloadings, updatings, databases etc.).

• 31 (IT) (Impact) High – very high, until five months ago our office was not online, now much of our work, both the admin side and the providing of information takes place by means of the Internet.

• 72 (PT). Tornou mais fácil a comunicação entre técnicos e instituições da mesma área, proporcionando um meio mais rápido de estabelecimento de vias de comunicação.

• 75 (PT). Também tornou a comunicação entre técnicos de orientação e instituições muito mais fácil. Impacto elevado.

• 22 (university professor, PT) As far as the University’s general services are concerned, the Internet’s impact has been quite high. Different activities and services have been critically and positively affected, such as: graduate and post-graduate academic services, administrative services, public and international relations services, the support office for the development of research projects, the library, teaching and investigation activities, communication between people and groups, the relationship between all of the University’s elements and the community - to mention just a few.

2.6. An overview At this point it may be useful to list in a single table all of the points that have so far emerged. Table 2.2. Principal UD’s

Principal UD’s The % column shows the percentage of replies which pointed out a specific UD. Only the percentages above 15% are shown.

%

Question 6.a. (impact of the Internet on practitioner’s work in general):

1. Internet allows guidance practitioners to easily find information necessary for their work

82

2. Internet allows easier communication between guidance practitioners 25

3. Internet is a valid tool for the professional development and training of guidance practitioners as it allows access to information


40


4. Internet (email and service providers’ websites) allows guidance practitioners to contact and follow up clients more easily

5. Internet allows clients to find the information they need for themselves

6. Use of the Internet motivates clients

7. Use of the Internet requires special facilities, trained staff and a knowledge of computers on the part of both guidance practitioners and clients

Question 7.a. (impact of the Internet on the service provided):

8. Service has improved because thanks to information available on the Internet, guidance practitioners can quickly supply better information to their clients

33

9. A growing number of clients obtain the information they need directly by searching the Internet

25

10. The possibility that clients have of finding information for themselves is changing the role of the careers guidance practitioner

Question 8.a. (impact of the Internet on clients’ self-help processes and job search methods):

11. Thanks to the Internet it is possible to access a greater amount of information more quickly and many clients carry out an autonomous search for information and a process of self help

43

12. Many clients use the Internet for job search, particularly to gather information about firms and job descriptions, to find job offers and to contact companies.

16

13. There is still a need for an intermediary, partly because the information available on the Internet is of poor quality or there is too much of it

Question 9.a. (impact of the Internet on services provided by the practitioner’s organisation):

14. Guidance practitioners use the Internet to find information to give to their clients

24

15. Internet (email and organisation’s website) is used to provide distance counselling services

20

16. Guidance practitioners use the Internet for internal communication 16

17. Internet has brought changes to internal processes within the organisations

Individual UD’s can be examined by applying two different criteria:


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1. a purely logical criterion, aimed at highlighting the relationships and hierarchies amongst all the UD’s describing practitioners’ experiences (making a geographical parallel we could say that this equates to describing all known areas)

2. a quantitative criterion aimed at highlighting the main UD’s identified by practitioners, in other words, those identified by the highest number of practitioners (making another geographical parallel, this equates to describing the most frequented areas).

In order to have a good understanding of the subject under analysis, we need to apply both criteria. Applying the first, it is possible to obtain the following table of relationships: A. The greater availability of information on the Internet together with the ease of finding it allows:

• improved service to the client because guidance practitioners are better informed (1, 8, 14)

• easier self-training for guidance practitioners (possibility of obtaining articles, finding out about others’ experiences) (3)

• a greater number of clients to find what they need on their own (5, 9, 11, 12) o change in guidance practitioners’ role (10, 13)

B. The greater ease and speed of communication made possible by the Internet allows: • easy communication with colleagues (both inside and outside their

organisations) (2, 16) • easy communication with clients: through websites and email it is possible

o to keep in contact easily and quickly, facilitating follow ups (4) o to provide distance services (15)

C. The Internet brings about changes within organisations:• better customer service

o guidance practitioners are better informed (1, 8, 14) o guidance practitioners are better trained (3) o contact with clients is easier and quicker, and follow up is made easier (4) o supply of distance services (15)

• change of guidance practitioners’ role (10, 13) • need for equipment and trained staff (7) • ease of internal communication (16)

Applying a quantitative criterion, by far the most important point (reported by 82% of those replying to question 6.a.) is the rapid and wide availability of careers guidance information. Question 6.a. is particularly important because it asks for guidance practitioners’ general opinion (‘In what way has the Internet changed your work in general?’) and therefore allows the emergence of the most salient points, whereas the other questions could focus attention on the less immediately obvious aspects. Actually, most of the responses to the other questions were also still concerned with availability and ease of finding information. This was the case, whether describing the


42


changes in the service provided directly (7.a. ‘My service has improved because the Internet allows me to find the information I need quickly’, 46% of those replying, and ‘Some clients find the information they need for themselves on the Internet’, 25%), or whether questioning guidance practitioners about their clients’ self-help and job search techniques (‘Many clients search for information and carry out self-help processes independently’, 43%), or whether asking about the effects of the Internet on services provided by the organisation for which the guidance practitioner works (‘On the Internet we obtain information to supply to our clients’, 24%). We can better present the data from a quantitative perspective if we award scores to all UD’s that deal with the same issue and group them together. A ‘weight’ can be awarded to each UD to reflect the percentage of references highlighting them (a standard weight of 4, corresponding to at least two references, is awarded to UD’s with up to 15%48). Table 2.3. Main points Points UD Total score % Availability and ease of finding information 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 12,

14 188 59

Ease and speed of communication 2, 4, 15, 16 65 21 Self-help processes 11 43 14 Change to internal processes 7, 17 8 3 Role of guidance practitioners 10, 13 8 3 Other 6 4 1 Total 316 100

48 2/51 = 0,04%.


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2.4. Main points

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2.7. A comparison with results in Chapter 1 The aim of this study is to assess the effects of the spread of the Internet on careers guidance. The investigation has so far been conducted through a bibliographic study together with an in depth textual analysis of part of the bibliography (described in Chapter1 and from now on referred to as ‘A’), and a separate study carried out on a sample cross-section of 73 European practitioners (described in this chapter and from now on referred to as ‘B’). The aim of this section is to compare the results obtained so far in A and B, and to examine more closely some of the points that have emerged. ‘A’ provides a broader, more general picture, whilst ‘B’ focuses on the changes in professional practices of guidance practitioners and the organisations for which they work. Both sources - the bibliography 49 and 60% of those answering the questionnaire50 - show that the impact of the Internet on careers guidance is considerable (‘today, without the use of the Internet, it is no longer possible to provide a quality service’; ‘the

49 A, section 1.3.4., points B, D, E, O (from which the quotes are taken). 50 B, question 7.b., table 7 Appendix 2.



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Internet is now the primary source of information for guidance practitioners and the secondary source of information for the man in the street’, section 1.4.1.). It should be pointed out that in spite of its importance, in-depth studies on this subject are still few and far between (section 1.2.). There are various reasons why the Internet has had an impact on careers guidance, but by far the biggest is the wide range of careers guidance information available on the Internet and how easy it is to find (‘an immense virtual library which can be accessed from home at any time’, section. 1.3.4.). The availability and rapid access to information is by far the most mentioned feature both in A51, and in B52. Thanks to the Internet, careers guidance is freed from what was one of its main constraints - lack of information. The testimony of one of those who replied to our questionnaire describes the various phases of this process very well: ‘Over the years we have gone from an almost complete lack of information material, to the spread of printed material (up to the end of the 80’s and beginning of the 90’s). Since the end of the 90’s, the main source of careers guidance information has become the Internet.’ 53

Before the expansion of the Internet, sources of information available to guidance practitioners were periodicals, the latest books (some publishing houses occasionally published items on job descriptions) and publications from educational establishments and universities. A substantial part of guidance practitioners’ time was spent in consulting the daily and weekly papers, filing newspaper cuttings, and searching for and analysing the latest publications. Initially, it was difficult to find useful material - only since the beginning of the 90’s have Italian daily’s and weekly’s begun to systematically devote space to jobs and training (among the first were La Repubblica, Il Corriere della Sera, Gente Money, Gulliver). As for careers guidance data banks, in the middle of the 90’s there was only the one available in Italian, that developed by the Consorzio IN&CO of Modena. It was reserved for the Informagiovani54 and there was a fee. The Writer recalls the few careers guidance agencies in existence in the early 90’s with their walls crammed with books, and binders containing pamphlets, newspaper cuttings and photocopies. Whereas, today, in theory at least, all that is needed in a careers guidance agency is a room equipped with a dozen or so computers connected to the Internet and freely available to clients55. As far as the layman was concerned, the only way to get a thorough panorama of information was to go to a careers guidance agency (if one existed). Information was supplied almost exclusively by careers guidance agencies, and being in short supply, finding information took up a large part of guidance practitioners’ time

51 44% of UD’s found, section. 1.3.5. 52 82% of those who replied to question 7.a., section. 2.5. 53 28 (university professor ES), our translation, see section 2.5.. 54 The Informagiovani are organisations assigned with gathering and circulating information on subjects of interest to youngsters, such as, jobs, training, health, music, holidays, etc. They were developed in the 90’s to tackle the difficulties of finding information on these topics. Owing to the current availability of information these organisations are going through an identity crisis. 55 This is the plan for the careers guidance agency at the Science City in Bagnoli which is expected to open in 2004. Source: Attilio D’Andrea, in charge of the Science City’s careers guidance staff communications, personal communication.


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and resources (most of the so-called ‘back office’ work). Now, information can be easily accessed from home at low cost and, above all, there is a plentiful supply. Equally important, though not highlighted as frequently56, is the rapid and cheap communication allowed by the Internet, both amongst careers advisers themselves and between careers advisers and clients. This ease and cost effectiveness of communication makes it possible to supply online careers guidance services (both information and advice) through Internet websites, forums, mailing lists, discussion lists, and email. At present, the most important of the two seems to be communication amongst guidance practitioners, both within the same organisation and with practitioners in other organisations57. However it seems the opportunities of providing ‘distance’ advice have yet to be exploited completely. Just 20% of practitioners mentioned using the Internet for supplying distance services (but this falls to 9% if giving advice is considered on its own, section 2.4.) as opposed to the 25% who mention the use of the Internet for communication amongst guidance practitioners, B, section 2.5. Many other aspects already examined in the sections preceding this chapter and in Chapter 1 are connected with these two features: the ease of finding information and the ease of communication. These aspects have different emphases placed up on them depending on the role of the person concerned. From the practitioners’ statements (B) a greater number of aspects connected with their work58, whilst in A, a greater number of problematical aspects in using the Internet are reported: Table 2.5. Problematical aspects of using the Internet for careers guidance Issues emerging in A concerning the limitations of the Internet (table 1.6. of section 1.3.5.)

Issues emerging in B concerning the limitations of the Internet (table 2.9.of section 2.6.)

The mere fact that it appears on the Internet also lends credibility to outdated and inaccurate information or to ineffective or superficial assessment tools

The use of the Internet requires special equipment, trained staff and, a knowledge of computers on the part of both guidance practitioners and clients

Internet websites can contain misleading information There is a need to develop standards for the spread of information Many websites do not show their creators’ Credentials

There is still the need for an intermediary, partly because there is too much information available on the Internet or it is of poor quality.

56 25% of those replying to question 7.a. of B regarding communications between counsellors: 20% of those replying to question 9.a. regarding the supply of distance services (section 2.5.); 32% of the UD’s identified in A (section 1.3.5. UD’s relating to the ‘supply of distance services and ‘providing advice from a distance’ have been added). 57 AICO, Associazione Italiana Operatori e Consulenti di Orientamento, www.aiconet.it, the largest professional careers guidance association in Italy (200 members), was established initially through an Internet website and most of its work – including some general meetings of the associates - is carried out through a discussion list. The www.orientamento.it website, which is separate to AICO but is, however, aimed at Italian careers guidance counsellors, has a mailing list with almost 800 members. 58 points 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 13, 17 of table 2.2. in section 2.6.




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Both guidance practitioners and the public at large find difficult to find information on the Internet Those less well off have difficulty in accessing the Internet

The possibility that the Internet (thanks to both the availability of information and the existence of sites containing self-help tools or even special software) makes self-help processes much easier is pointed out in both A and B. The changes brought about by the new availability of information and the communication possibilities offered by the Internet oblige careers guidance (and guidance practitioners) to develop new approaches and working practices. This includes rethinking the role of the guidance practitioner, and throwing new light on old issues, such as the role of information in the decision-making process, whilst bearing in mind that careers guidance agencies are no longer the preferred places for accessing information. These issues will be examined in the following chapters.


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Chapter 3. The quality, availability, and supply of careers guidance information 3.1. The role of information in careers guidance The research carried out in Chapters 1 and 2 underlined the fundamental role that information plays in careers guidance. Before looking at this more closely, an examination of the nature and function of careers guidance information is called for. The scope of careers guidance information has been defined as ‘everything that’s useful to know about jobs, training, and other work related issues’ (Bezanson, quoted in CCC, 1998, p.1., our translation) – here the word ‘useful’ is meant in terms of ‘for making vocational or training choices’. Another definition might be ‘all information requested by clients from guidance practitioners concerning employment and training. Taking this second definition, and with reference to point D, section 1.3.4, it is possible to identify the following areas:

1. Education and training opportunities: post compulsory education courses, university and higher education courses, vocational training courses,

2. Job descriptions 3. Employment market trends and traits 4. Employment legislation, relating to types of contracts, recruitment procedures

and incentives 5. Jobsearch techniques 6. A knowledge of general regulations, including those concerning recruitment

methods applying to particular groups.59 (for those who work with specific groups, for example, the disabled, youngsters on compulsory youth training schemes, or those specialising in certain areas, for example, business start ups)

Offer (2001, pp.78-79) subdivides the employment market into: • Demand for labour (How easy is it to get a job in a particular occupation,

profession or industry?) • Progression routes, career structure and earnings (What are the prospects?

Where can I go from there?) • Geographic availability of occupations (What are the work and training

opportunities in the area – are they within commuting distance?) • Trends. (Are jobs on the increase in this occupation or industry, is it stable, or

will opportunities actually decrease in the longer term?)60

59 In a list drawn up for careers guidance agencies, Andriolo and Consolini (2000, pp.47-52), itemise: a) careers guidance: help with making choices, providing information, skills assessment (‘bilancio di competenze’), business start up guidance; b) training: post compulsory education courses, university and higher education courses, vocational training courses, European programmes and opportunitities; c) employment: regulations and incentives, jobs market, companies and job opportunities, placement opportunities, work experience, public competitive examinations, working abroad; professions. The list corresponds to our own, except for differences in detail and in the inclusion of some careers guidance methods (help with making choices and skills assessment -‘bilancio di competenze’-). The only ommissions relate to jobsearch techniques and information for specific groups. 60Ways of using information concerning employment market trends is a controversial matter, particularly with members of other professions (sociologists, economists, politicians) who think differently to those who work in


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• Transferability (If employment opportunities in this occupation or industry should decrease markedly, how else could I use the training, qualifications, and skills I’ve acquired?)

• Recruitment and selection methods (Where and how do people get jobs in this occupation?)

Each issue listed may need to be covered to a greater or lesser extent (and may require different methods of presentation) depending on the composition of the client base. Guidance practitioners should know as much as possible about these isssues but, as it is almost impossible to know everything about all the different areas (Offer, 2001, p.80, similarly referred to the employment market), they should at least know where to find the answers or, when considered appropriate, where to refer their clients. Careers information can be produced expressly for careers guidance purposes (see, for example, Brambilla et al., 1999), or for other purposes and then used in careers guidance. The latter includes a wide range of sources: sociological research (for example, Prandstraller, 2’ ed. 1990); statistical data (ISTAT, the Italian National Institute for Statistics, 2003); rules and regulations (for example, Act 56/1989, regulations appertaining to psychologists); research into training requirements (for example, ISFOL, 1991); information on businesses (Infoimprese.it), etc. Information may be produced (and in some cases supplied free of charge) by public organisations within their remit, or by private individuals or organisations for profit. The reasons information is important in careers guidance derive first and foremost from its aims. According to the ethical code of the Institute for Careers Guidance (the largest association of its kind in Britain): careers guidance ‘aims to ensure individual clients are aware of the full range of opportunities available to them in education, training and employment, and know how to access them.’ (Institute for Careers Guidance, undated). In Italy, according to AICO, the Italian Association of Careers Guidance Practitioners, ‘the aim of careers guidance is to provide everyone with knowledge of all options open to them in the fields of education, training, and employment, and to help them throughout their lives to construct fulfilling career paths in their chosen educational and vocational fields by providing information, advice and support’.61

If the aim of careers guidance is to help people construct fulfilling career paths, guidance practitioners must have at their disposal all necessary information to give to

careers guidance. For example, those in charge of regional government, who have thousands of unemployed in their region and who want to provide finance to encourage employment, have to bear in mind economic trends and promote sectors in which it is hoped hundreds of new jobs can be created. Whereas the jobseeker is looking for just one job and, in order to obtain it, personal qualities such as motivation and ability count much more than sector trends. For this reason, when requested by the client, the careers adviser must be in a position to indicate what the employment trend is in a given sector or which professions are most in demand, whilst also taking care to emphasise the risks of making career choices based on market trends. Risks are linked to errors in prediction, evaluation and market changes (once a client has finished training for a particular profession, he/she can find there is no longer the demand for that kind of work, at least to the extent assumed when he/she began training); and also to jobs which do not match the skills and interests of the client (who may find work but may not achieve job satisfaction and/or professional success). 61 AICO, Associazione Italiana Operatori e Consulenti di Orientamento, 2000, art.4.. AICO has more than 200 members. Membership is dependent on acceptance of the ethical code and we can, therefore, assume that the code reflects the points of view of at least some of Italy’s careers guidance practitioners.


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clients when required. This is important for two reasons: firstly because it is easier for the client to obtain as much information as possible from one single person, namely the careers adviser, rather than be referred to other people and, secondly and most importantly, because it is not possible ‘to help the client draw up a realistic personal action plan’ (see later) if one doesn’t have accurate information on those areas mentioned above. We could give dozens of examples but two will suffice: 1. Following a series of meetings with a careers adviser, the client (who has some GCSE’s, but did not stay on to do ‘A’ levels) decides that he would like to do social work as a community recreations officer. The job description would include organising entertainment and/or cultural activities in retirement homes, day care centres, community centres, etc. But neither the client nor the guidance practitioner is aware that in order to be accepted on a training course for this type of work, you must have ‘A’ levels or the equivalent. 2. A client goes to a careers adviser as he is extremely demoralised because, after 3 months totally devoted to looking for work, he still has not managed to find a job. The careers adviser is sympathetic towards him but, due to his lack of knowledge on the subject, does not realise that the client’s C.V. contains a major omission and that under Italian employment legislation the client falls into a category which ensures significant allowances to anyone employing him. The careers adviser places him on a programme of weekly guidance sessions from which, initially, the client comes away feeling more confident but without any useful advice as to how to go about improving his chances of finding work. Information also plays a key role from a theoretical perspective. As, for example, in the ‘traits-factors’ theory propounded by Parsons at the beginning of the twentieth century: ‘In the wise choice of a vocation there are three broad factors: (1) a clear understanding of yourself, your aptitudes, abilities, interests, ambitions, resources, limitations and their causes; (2) a knowledge of the requirements and conditions of success, advantages and disadvantages, compensation, opportunities, and prospects in different lines of work; (3) true reasoning on the relations of these two groups of facts.’ (Parsons,1909, p.5). As well as understanding oneself, Parsons places emphasis on knowledge of vocations and training. According to his approach (still widely used by amongst others, Barrett, Williams, 1992), careers guidance practitioners help people discover their aptitudes, abilities and vocational preferences, and provide them with information on occupations and courses of study most suited to their particular qualities. From the bibliographic sources examined in Chapter 1, information also proves to be one of the features which distinguishes careers guidance from other professions which offer guidance. As, according to Offer (2001, p.76): ‘This is therefore a good time to point out that interpersonal skills such as described in other chapters of this book are necessary but not sufficient for effective careers guidance. What makes that guidance effective is the application of, and reference to, expert knowledge and understanding of the labour market and its functioning. Careers guidance, in relation to counselling, we


50


might argue, is an applied discipline in a way analogous to engineering’s relationship to physics or maths’. According to Brown (1999, pp.278, 281): ‘Information (is) a commodity which underpins all guidance activities, including - but not confined to- that of informing.’ (In careers guidance) ‘Information is required as much in advising and assessing as it is in informing’ Similar thinking is also seen in Watts, Kidd, (2000). The delivery of information is one of the factors which determines the organisation of careers guidance services and the job descriptions of careers advisers. In many Italian Jobcentres (for example, in Tuscany, those in the Florence, Grosseto, Livorno, Lucca, and Siena districts), careers guidance services adopt a dual system, providing brief introductory meetings (primary level guidance services for which no appointment is necessary) in which information is provided, followed by a longer more involved interview with a careers adviser (secondary level or specialised guidance services available by appointment ). An interview is defined as ‘the supplying of information based on an in-depth examination of the client’s particular needs, and can include client and adviser working out possible solutions or drawing up action plans together and may also require a certain degree of psychological support.’ A dual approach based on information (‘presumably provided in printed or electronic form but without any other assistance being given’) and guidance (‘where an individual such as a guidance practitioner helps a student or client interpret information, broaden their horizons, explore their options, confront limitations and barriers, and otherwise move toward relevant decisions’) is also that adopted by the OECD and by some countries such as Finland (Grubb 2002b, p.17). Whereas, in the U. K. (Watts, Sadler, 2000b, p.2), Holland, Germany, and the United States (Grubb, 2002b, p.17) a tripartite system based on information, advice (‘helping with the interpretation of information and with meeting needs already clearly understood by the client’), and in-depth guidance (‘helps clients explore a range of options, relate information to their own needs and circumstances, and make decisions about their career’) (Watts, Sadler, 2000b, p.2). As can be seen, the factor which determines the organisation of services is the degree of in-depth information or, if preferred, the degree of linking information to clients’ needs. The IAEVG, International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (the most important association of its kind at international level62) lists (2003) knowledge of ‘updated information on education, training, employment trends, labour market, and social issues’ as one of the fundamental requirements (‘core competencies’) for all careers advisers (‘Educational and Vocational Guidance Practitioners’). In Italy, requirements for practitioners working in the careers guidance sector are laid down in Ministerial Decree n.166/2001.63.

62 website www.iaevg.org. 63 The Ministerial Decree sets a series of criteria (including qualifications for careers guidance staff) which must be satisfied by all public and private organisations that use funding from the European Social Fund to carry out training and/or careers guidance activities. It emphasises those aspects of the role which require in-depth knowledge of information on careers related issues. The Decree’s regulations are still current.



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The requirements for supplying careers guidance information (Article 2, pag.57) are described as:

• ‘providing information, on vocational and training opportunities that is relevant to the needs of clients’

• ‘preparing a data bank which can be used to supply useful information that is relevant to the needs of clients’

The requirements for providing careers advice and guidance are described as: • ‘carrying out a complete, in-depth analysis of the various factors and

combinations of factors which influence decision processes • ‘assisting the client in drawing up a realistic personal action plan to include

aims, timescales, courses of action, contacts, resources).’ The lack of knowledge of information is the main limitation for many practitioners in the careers guidance field. It is also one of the biggest problems for those wanting to enter the profession, as no university course can assure exhaustive knowledge of careers guidance information64. Knowledge of careers guidance information is acquired, therefore, through one’s own experience,65 by learning on the job during work experience in careers guidance agencies and by attending occasional training courses financed by the European Social Fund, or through university postgraduate or masters degree courses. The Internet can be a very valid tool for keeping oneself updated on careers guidance matters as it allows you to consult a large number of sources quickly. However, in Italy, at the present time there is a lack of on-line guides designed specifically for this purpose. 3.2. The quality of careers guidance information available on the Internet Many of those who replied to the questionnaire, as well as the experts mentioned in Chapters 1 e 2, talk about reliable material, whilst others report the coexistence of poor quality material (section 2.7.). So, just what is the quality of material available on the Internet? In the period January - December 1998, the Author of this research carried out a study on Italian careers guidance websites.66 It included sites specifically developed for careers guidance together with other useful looking sites developed for other purposes. It covered, amongst other things, the identification and examination of all available Italian careers guidance websites (in the first phase of the study more than 350 sites

64 Compared to graduates in other fields (education, sociology, law, economics), this is a particular lack of graduates in psychology. Yet, psychologists are considered as playing ‘a primary role in careers guidance’ (Boncori, Boncori, 2002, pag.13). 65 There are, however, no separate printed sources which provide general information on the most important careers guidance issues. The only exception in Italy being Sighinolfi, 1998. 66 The study was carried out within the scope of a project financed by the European Union’s ISPO Information Society Project Office and led to the creation of an on-line guide to Italian careers guidance websites Orientamento in rete which, from 1999 to 2003 could be viewed on www.aiuto.net , and an on-line guide to British websites, Careers Information and Guidance on the Web www.aiuto.net/uk.htm. For an outline of the project see Evangelista (1999). Currently, there are only some information pages remaining on www.aiuto.net.

http://www.aiuto.net/

http://www.aiuto.net/uk.htm



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were examined67) together with an evaluation of their reliability as regards accuracy, thoroughness and intelligibility. A section of the study was devoted to identifying the main information needs of careers guidance services clients. In each case, a comparison was then made between information found on the examined websites and that found using other sources (mainly bibliographic sources)68. The following evaluations were awarded accordingly: superficial: indicates that the information available on the Internet does not cover the topic sufficiently and other sources should be consulted (generally books or publications) satisfactory: indicates that the information available on the Internet covers the topic adequately but may, however, require supplementary information from other sources comprehensive: indicates that the information available on the Internet covers the topic very well and there is no need to consult other sources. In some instances, in-depth information on a particular subject is only available on the Internet. As can be seen from table 1.3. below, thanks to the Internet, in December 1999, 38% of the information needs of clients (and of careers practitioners, who have to provide information on request) could be met entirely and 48% were dealt with satisfactorily. Since then, the amount of available information has increased still further (in December 2000, at the end of the project, the number of identified websites had doubled). The situation is even more encouraging in the case of English language websites and those who speak English. Table 1.3. Evaluation summary Ratings Number of topics % Comprehensive 16 38 Satisfactory 20 48 Superficial 6 14 Total 42 100

We can, therefore, understand why, in recent years, the Internet has become the principal source of information for careers guidance practitioners69. 3.3. Who puts careers guidance information on the Web? Our sources quoted in Chapters 1 e 2 all point out that there is a huge amount of useful careers guidance information available on the Internet but fail to say where this information originated. It is interesting, then, to examine who is responsible for

67 Subsequently, in the period 1999-2001, a further 350 sites were identified and examined, making a total of more than 700 sites. Table 3.1. refers to the first 350 only. 68 At the time of carrying out the study, as I had already been giving careers advice for four years on a full time basis, I had in depth knowledge of clients needs and also available sources of information. 69 CCC (1998, p.1), discussed in section 1.4.1. It should also be noted that if the quality of information had been poor, the popularity of the Internet amongst careers guidance counsellors would have been very much less or even non existent.


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putting this information on the Internet and for developing and maintaining those sites which contain careers guidance information. Orientamento in rete, our guide to the best Italian websites for careers guidance, (to which we referred in the preceding section) can be used to pick out a sample cross-section of sites containing good quality information, and to gather public or private information concerning an individual creator. The sampling methods are explained in detail in section 2 of Appendix 3. Table. 2.3. Status of the examined websites creators Status Total %

Public 40 59

Private with public funding 2 3

Public-private 1 1

Private no profit 8 12 Private (of which 8 (12%) offer job matching) 17 25

Total 68 100

In light of the summarised results shown in the table, we can affirm that most careers guidance information on the Internet is produced by public organisations (59%). A significant proportion (12%) of websites have been set up by ‘non profit’ organisations, probably entirely or partly with public funding. Often, in Italy, the decision to form ‘non profit’ associations is connected with the aim of obtaining public funding. Private profit making organisations or individuals which have set up sites without public funds count for 25% of our sample, and half of these act as intermediaries in the jobs market (on-line data banks of jobs wanted and job vacancies). If we try to relate the characteristics of our sample cross-section to careers guidance websites as a whole, it follows that the great majority of careers guidance information is placed on the Web by public organisations and it is they who are responsible for the increase, in recent years, in the amount of information available. More than likely, prior to the Internet, they would have gathered and circulated information, but because of the nature of the media used (paper or CD Rom), supply would have been much more restricted. The prevalence of public organisations should not be surprising since as the public sector comprises a sizeable part of the economy but, above all, because the it is mainly because development of the Web has, up to now, been based on content available free of charge, and the model based on free content versus advertising has, so far, not worked. 3.4. Finding reliable careers guidance information One of the most highlighted problems for end users is being able to find reliable information quickly on the Internet70. There is so much information available that it is

70 See section 3.1.


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difficult to discriminate (‘Sometimes the amount of information can be overwhelming’, Woods et al., 1996, p.4). What is actually needed, is to be able to find reliable information, in other words information that is accurate, easy to understand and, if possible, comprehensive. The usual way of finding information on the Internet is by using search engines or website directories. As is commonly known, the term ‘search engine’ refers to websites containing indices to millions of web pages which can be viewed by simply typing in one or more key words into a box provided on the screen. The problem with this system is that if the search keys are not sufficiently detailed, thousands of page references are brought up on screen. Some search engines (for example, Google www.google.it) list the most popular (i.e. most linked) pages first. The availability of valid material is not only a problem for careers guidance and doesn’t just apply to the Internet. The same problem also applies to other media, and in the case of books, films, and CD’s, for example, it is partly resolved by reading reviews. The more something is cited, the more important it usually is. From a certain perspective, if a website contains a link to another site, it amounts to a recommendation of that site, and it is likely that the most recommended sites are those considered most valid. But the system is not perfect: the most popular pages are not always the best and, besides with the right ploys, external parties can alter the order of appearance of web pages. On-line directories are web pages or websites containing lists of links to the home pages71 of sites with similar content. In some cases only the name and a link to the site appears in the directory, in others, the content of each site is briefly described. Consulting directories is the best solution for those users (who happen to be the majority) who do not know how to use search engines or who use the Internet without having a clear idea of what they are looking for. The difficulties that exist with directories are related firstly to their authors’ ability to identify the best careers guidance websites (many on-line directories cover various sectors in addition to jobs – for example, travel, finance, health – and are compiled by people without any background in careers guidance), secondly to the criterion of inclusion (many of these directories operate on a commercial basis and may link certain websites for an economic return); and thirdly to the time it takes to find information on linked sites. (most sites are actually made up of dozens – sometimes hundreds – of pages). Even though an on-line directory may link to a limited number of sites, it can still be difficult to find the information one is seeking on a particular site. The best solution to this problem is, in each case, to link the home page and the page dealing with the topic of interest. This is the method used in Orientamento in rete. So, for example, on the page about job descriptions, the on-line data bank, ISFOL, has been linked using: ‘see (excellent) IsfolOrientaonline’, where the word ‘see’ links to the page which lists the job descriptions and IsfolOrientaonline’ links to the home page of the website. The home page should also be indicated so that the visitor knows to which site he will be direct to by clicking on ‘see’ (it is not always clear from the internal pages of a site exactly which site one is in) and, also, in order to avoid any legal problems

71 The ‘home page’ is the page which appears when the (URL) address of a particular website is keyed in. Normally it is laid out in such a way as to allow easy access to the rest of the site.

http://www.google.it/

http://www.isfol.it/orientaonline/home.asp


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with the individual owners of the linked sites (in the United States, some sites which link internal pages to other sites without indicating the names have been prosecuted). It is essential that information is readily available because otherwise, for those unable to find the required information, it might as well not exist. Difficulties with availability can also exist for guidance practitioners (the more inexperienced or those not so familiar with the Internet) and can have a serious impact on the quality of service provided. The role of on-line directories is, therefore, of very great importance. Once having identified a particular website, there is the problem of how to assess the validity of its content, and especially its accuracy. Some authors (Harris-Bowlsbey, 2000, and others mentioned in section 1.3.4.) actually emphasise that many sites have been developed by non-professionals and don’t disclose the qualifications of their creators or indicate their sources of information, when it was gathered or when it was last updated. There are various ways of solving this problem:

1. by means of special training programmes which develop the ability of the user to discriminate (Offer, Sampson, 1999, p.505)

2. by developing standards for the supply of information via the Internet, and through the voluntary adhesion to such standards on the part of the creators of careers guidance websites (Offer, Sampson, 1999, p.505; Jarvis, 1997, p.10; Caulum et al., 1997)72

3. by awarding a quality mark to the best sites, based on an examination carried out by careers advisers associations or public organisations

4. by the development of high quality sites promoted (that is to say directly set up or sponsored) by public organisations (Sampson, 1999a, p.3; Walz, 1997, p.1),

5. by the development of official guides to existing sites (promoted by public organisations).

It may be useful to combine the above solutions, but official on-line guides (point 5), if well produced, resolve the problem of the validity of on-line information. It’s no coincidence that the development of ‘official guides’ to existing websites is the strategy adopted by public organisations in countries like Canada, France and Great Britain73. At the present time, in Italy, there is a lack of comprehensive official guides to careers guidance websites. As we saw in the previous paragraph, valid information does not appear on the Internet by chance, so we need to analyse the most important information needs which remain unsatisfied (table 3.1. may be useful for this purpose) and look into the promotion of sites by public organisations in areas still not covered. There are some good examples74, but there’s still a lot to do. For example, in Italy, there’s still no

72 The most comprehensive guidelines concerning methods of gathering and circulating careers guidance information are those contained in the Association of Computer-based Systems for Career Information (ACSCI) (2002). 73 Canada: WorkinfoNET www.workinfonet.ca; Francia: Education.fr www.education.fr; UK: National grid for Learning http://www.ngfl.gov.uk/ 74 For examples of good practice in Italy, see Offerte di lavoro a mezzo stampa http://www.rete.toscana.it/sett/lavoro/offertelavoro/offerte_stampa/ns_offerte.htm which shows all job offers appearing in the daily papers in Tuscany and Liguria; Orienter http://www.form-azione.it/orienter/orienter.htm which lists all training opportunities for the Emilia-Romagna region; ISFOLonline

http://www.workinfonet.ca/

http://www.education.fr/

http://www.ngfl.gov.uk/

http://www.rete.toscana.it/sett/lavoro/offertelavoro/offerte_stampa/ns_offerte.htm

http://www.form-azione.it/orienter/orienter.htm


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website (along the lines of the French Anpe.fr www.anpe.fr, or the British Jobcentre Plus www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk) that lists all job vacancies passing through Jobcentres. 3.5. Supplying careers guidance information aimed at clients’ needs The communication of information through the Internet does not, by itself, overcome the usual difficulties (seen in every form of communication) relating to the effective use of language that is comprehensible to the audience, (Andriolo G., Consolini M, 2000, p.44). In fact, it creates further difficulties associated with the actual technical limitations of the Internet, and methods of integrating further communicative channels (texts, pictures, sounds, hypertext), and ways of organising and presenting contents of websites. The following are examples of technical limitations: pages with large dimensions require several seconds before appearing on screen; reading off a screen is more tiring than reading from paper; some special effects that can be achieved on web pages are not viewable by all visitors. In addition, websites should have URL addresses that are easy to memorise (for example, use of the data bank containing job vacancies appearing in daily papers, mentioned in the preceding paragraph, is greatly limited by its address http://www.rete.toscana.it/sett/lavoro/offertelavoro/offerte_stampa/ns_offerte.htmAs regards the integration of further channels of communication (for example, audio, written text and images), this requires special solutions and can make problems of comprehension or memorisation more difficult (amongst others, Mayer et al., 2001, pp.109-133). With regard to organisation, websites are arranged and presented in a completely different way from that traditionally used in printed material. In the case of magazines and books, pages are leafed through, whilst with websites it is possible to pass from one page to another (and from the page of one site to a page in another site) by means of hypertext links. This requires the adoption of specific methods of organising websites and positioning hypertext links. For example, web pages should not contain too many links, and no more than 3 clicks of the mouse should be required to reach other pages from the home page. These features relate to all sites regardless of content and are of secondary importance as regards the aims of this study. We shall not, therefore, examine them in depth, and deal only with one particular point which is of more interest to careers guidance. According to Tricot (Tricot, 2002, pp.5-9 e 14), one of the ways of assuring utilisation of careers guidance information by clients involved in vocational and professional choices is to select and supply material based on their likely information needs. Tricot’s claim can be applied both to the choice of information and to the ways in which the information is supplied. This point doesn’t only relate to the Internet, but applies to all methods of providing information in whatever form. However, websites are a medium apart, and their use requires special techniques.

http://www.isfol.it/orientaonline/ containing the index of occupations, ISFOL; Donna al Lavoro http://donnalavoro.ticonuno.it/homepag1.htm, a website dedicated to careers guidance for women.

http://www.anpe.fr/

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/

http://www.rete.toscana.it/sett/lavoro/offertelavoro/offerte_stampa/ns_offerte.htm

http://www.isfol.it/orientaonline/

http://donnalavoro.ticonuno.it/homepag1.htm


5


Sampson (Sampson et al., 2002), with reference to websites for careers guidance services, distinguishes between Resource-Based sites and Needs-Based sites. In Resource-Based sites, the contents are presented without reference to the information needs users, and the internal structure of the site (in other words, the method of navigating around the various pages) is aimed at allowing visitors to quickly identify and locate its contents. For example, a job centre website can contain information on how to insert job vacancies; the vacancies themselves; employment regulations; information on offices and opening hours for those in search of work and for firms, etc. The home pages of job centre sites, adopting this approach, will simply list all its internal pages, and it will then be up to the visitor to identify those required from the information available. This type of arrangement allows the required information to be found quickly once its location has been established, and provided the visitor’s information needs are well defined. However, those inexperienced in using the Internet, or who have little time at their disposal, or whose information needs are not very clear, can experience difficulties and may not find the information they’re seeking or even end up abandoning the site altogether. A good example of this type of lay-out is the website for the District of Arezzo’s employment services www.impiego.provincia.arezzo.it. The site’s home page (reproduced in a slightly modified way in order to reduce its size in section 3, Appendix 3,) contains dozens of links covering a large variety of topics. Whereas in Needs-Based sites, contents are presented with reference to the information needs users and their internal structure is laid out in the form of navigation paths geared to meet those needs. The home pages of sites organised in this way have few links and list the most important topics for the main types of visitor. For example, the main user groups of a job centre website are employers and those in search of work.. The issues of major interest for those looking for work are likely to be jobsearch methods, current vacancies, training courses available in the area, careers guidance services, etc. Whereas, employers will be interested in advertising vacancies; administrative formalities connected with employment relations; recruitment procedures for those to whom special regulations apply (the disabled, immigrants), etc. The website for the District of Arezzo’s Jobcentres (and those of other regions) could also be arranged in this way (the topics quoted are exactly the same as the other version but presented in a different format`).

http://www.impiego.provincia.arezzo.it/


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Our offices/branches: Arezzo, Montevarchi, Sansepolcro, etc., etc.

Our services

A. For those in search of work and for the general public

B. For those offering work

Active jobsearch techniques Inclusion of job offers, advertising for and pre-selection of candidates

Job offers. pre-selection, competitive state examinations, etc. etc. etc.

Administration services, regulations and incentives guide: what to do in the case of: recruitment, dismissals, classification changes, etc. etc.

Vocational, higher education and university courses, etc. etc. etc.

Apprenticeships, vocational training, internships

Careers guidance services: information and advice on career choices and jobsearch, etc. etc. etc.

Immigrant workers: etc. etc. etc.

Apprenticeships: etc. etc. etc. Employment for the disabled: etc. etc. etc

Administrative services: enrolments, cancellations etc. etc.

Targeted employment . etc. etc. etc.

Immigrants: etc. etc. etc.

Compulsory youth training schemes for 15 to 18 year olds

Helpline and discussion forum on jobs and training

Other information: etc. etc. etc. Other information: etc. etc. etc.

The lay-out of sites adopting a Needs-Based approach ensures that a greater number of visitors utilise the information they provide. It’s also possible to combine the two approaches, for



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example, by linking the home page to an internal page containing a systematic list of the entire contents, or by showing a systematic list of contents in a side bar on the home page. In any case, the main thing is that there should be a very clear, Needs-Based way of accessing the contents of the site. Resource Based and Needs-Based approaches involve organisation of websites but, as we have said, addressing clients’ information needs, can also affect the choice of information offered. The information needs of those who go to a careers guidance agency can be represented on a line which has three distinctive points.75 A. At one end, are requests for general information, in other words, information needs that can be satisfied ‘without any discussion of the merits of options for particular clients’76. For example, a question about the exams one has to pass in order to be to be accepted on a particular university course would come under this category. This type of need can be met by referring to a university prospectus detailing admissions procedures and providing a list of examinations required by the various courses. As a rule, information produced for purposes other than careers guidance adopts this approach (see section.3.1.). B. In the middle are information needs that require a superficial examination of the client’s options. For example, a question about the kind of work a recent law graduate can do would come under this category. A proportion of those who go to careers guidance agencies ask careers advisers the same questions concerning each of the main topics listed in Table 13. Information that is organised according to the most common informational needs allows clients to find answers to their questions without needing to seek the help of a careers adviser. Examples might be: a university prospectus which, in addition to those things covered in the previous point, also provides a series of information concerning the requirements for successfully attending a university faculty, how to choose a faculty and how to organise one’s studies, as well as an annotated guide to career opportunities for graduates in a particular discipline and a guide to competitive public examinations which explains where to find their announcements, the qualifications necessary to participate in the various types, and how best to approach the written and oral tests, etc. It is evident that the organisation of careers guidance information according to the most common informational needs ensures greater relevance for the client and makes their career planning much easier. C. At the other end, we find information needs which require an in-depth examination of the client’s particular options. For example, a question concerning the type of work that can be undertaken by a recent law graduate, who is also disabled can do would come under this category as there are several issues that need to be considered including, first and foremost, the nature of the disability. Even though information 75 See Evangelista, 1999. Information needs depend on the degree of difficulty of the career task and on the individual’s level of career development competencies. The ‘career task’ (in Italian ‘compito orientativo’) can be defined as ‘a significant event (of varying complexity) which the person has to confront and carry out positively in order to satisfactorily manage their own educational and professional experience’ (Consolini, Pombeni, 1999, p.25). The subdivision proposed is comparable with that of the information needs presented by Sampson (Sampson, 2000a) and with the three tier structuring of careers guidance services described in section 3.1. 76 UDACE, 1986, p.24, quoted in Brown J. (1999), “Does guidance have a future?” in British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, vol.27, 2, 1999, p.278.


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organised according to the most common informational needs can be useful, in cases like this, one or more interviews with a careers adviser may be necessary. In this particular case, the interview with a careers adviser77 can be defined as ‘the supplying of information based on a detailed examination of the client’s individual circumstances which may also include the client and careers adviser working out possible solutions or courses of action together and, perhaps, some psychological support. One point worthy of note is that, all things being equal, the more information can be easily accessed on the Internet (particularly if organised according to the most common informational needs), the less people will need to go to careers guidance agencies. The methods of presenting careers guidance information and organising careers guidance websites have, therefore, a direct effect on the day to day work of careers guidance agencies. This point will be examined in the next chapter.

77 We are leaving aside group activities which, depending on content, can fall into all three categories shown here.


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Chapter 4. The Internet and the supply of careers guidance services 4.1. The effects on users of the increased availability of careers guidance information Thanks to the availability of material on the Internet it is possible to access, from one’s own home, careers guidance information previously only available from a library (Offer, 2000, p.2). Those who do not have an Internet connection in their own home can use the Internet facilities available in public libraries or go to an Internet cafè. At one time, you had to go to a careers guidance agency in order to get all the relevant information, whereas now, it is theoretically possible to get a lot of careers guidance information without needing to seek the help of a careers adviser. Before assessing the effects of this increased availability we should, however, bear in mind that availability of information (which, from now on, we will assume is accurate, easily understood and comprehensive) is not enough to assure its use in the decision making process. In the field of psychology, dating back at least to the 1950’s and confirmed in studies carried out by the ‘Yale School of Communications’, there has been an awareness that in order for an individual to assimilate data, it is not enough to expose him/her to it78 (Arcuri 1991, p.112). According to the Yale School of Communications, data has to go through various stages of a process on the part of the individual concerned which initially include: exposure, noticing, assimilation, production, retention. Subsequently, the field of cognitive psychology has highlighted the importance, in the cognitive process, not only of the intrinsic characteristics of the data and methods of exposure to it, but also the individual characteristics of the receiver, such as, motivation, cognition, opinions etc., which then influence the thought processes (‘cognitive responses’) triggered by the data and bring about the transformation of data into information (Arcuri 1991, p.114). In careers guidance too, simply providing information is not considered sufficient to ensure everyone receives the advice and guidance they need. As, for example, Grubb (2002a, p.3) points out: ‘Countries and programs that emphasize CI&CG (Careers Information and Careers Guidance *our note) through the web have implicitly decided that information, rather than career related guidance and other activities, is most appropriate. This approach assumes that individuals are sophisticated in using information, so that information is sufficient to making appropriate decisions.’ (…) ‘But if individuals are unsophisticated in their use of information, or lack the ability to use information in their decision making, then simply providing additional information — an “information dump” — will be inadequate to improving their decision-making, about careers or any other goal. If this is a serious problem for many individuals — particularly young people in 78 Usually the terms ‘data’ and ‘information’ are used synonymously. Here by ‘data’ we mean informational elements that have not been processed by the individual, and by ‘information’ we mean data that has been processed by the individual.


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secondary school, starting to make the decisions that will affect their futures — then they will end up with mis-aligned ambitions inconsistent with their educational plans. Furthermore, if a lack of sophistication is more prevalent among certain groups — low-income groups or students whose parents have relatively low levels of education and cannot provide them much information about professional work, for example, or immigrants unfamiliar with a new country’s labour market, or children in rural areas, or aboriginal groups on reservations — then the provision of information alone will contribute to the problems of inadequate schooling and social exclusion.’ (…)

In short: ‘Information alone may be necessary to career decision-making, but not by itself sufficient.’ The problem of ensuring that careers guidance information is utilised and processed by those making educational and vocational choices, does not only apply to the Internet, but includes all activities involved with the supply of information, no matter how they are carried out. There are various solutions:

1. The organisation of information based on the likely needs of clients. This ensures that information is easier to use and has greater relevance for possible clients and, consequently, there is a greater likelihood of it being processed and taken into consideration in the decision making process (Tricot, 2002, pp.5-9 e 14). This point has already been examined in section.3.5.

2. Individual interviews. In an interview, the careers adviser can check whether the client is fully aware of his/her possible options and, if not, can provide the missing information (Boreham, Arthur, 1993)

3. Career development activities such as work experience, visits to firms and training agencies, speaking to employers and other people from various professions, etc. (Grubb, 2002a, pp. 16-23)

4. The fostering of career development competencies79 through a series of educational activities centred on the jobs market, often carried out with small groups and included within the school curriculum (Jarvis, 2000), or through the everyday learning of the usual school subjects (Italian Ministry of Education, 1997; Scandella et al., 2002).

In our opinion, in order to be able to evaluate the effects of the increase in the amount of information available ‘at home’, three points need to be considered: A). Not everyone has the same ability to process information: some have greater career development competencies than others and are more capable of making the right career choices B). Career paths are not founded on a single decision, but on a concatenation of decisions taken over a period of time (Becker, 1998, pp.28-35.) C). The likelihood of making the right career choices also depends on the situation in which people find themselves developing their career path. In other words, it also depends on the complexity of the ‘career task’80 being faced.

79 ‘Career development competencies’ can be defined as ‘the skills which allow individuals to own the problem of choice (…) and to manage the transitional period successfully’ (Bellamio et al., 2002, p. 63). 80 The ‘career task’ (in Italian ‘compito orientativo’) can be defined as ‘a significant event (of varying complexity) which the person has to confront and carry out positively in order to satisfactorily manage their own educational


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According to Grubb (2002a, pp.5-12), who takes an indirect approach and examines the problem of making career choices from an economic standpoint, in addition to being able to access valid (accurate and comprehensible) information, rational career choices require established personal references; the ability to consider a wide range of alternatives and to think probabilistically; the ability to foresee long term costs and benefits; and an awareness of the need to take decisions. Furthermore, the decision making process can be subject to numerous errors of judgement, prejudices or influences, for example, an individual’s preference for information in non written form, the influence of one’s peers, a lack of cognitive responses necessary for processing information, parental influence, the process of forming one’s own identity. Decision making is the product, therefore, of a process brought about by the interaction of various elements, and it is almost impossible to predict exactly what the effect might be on the final result of a change in one of the elements (in our case, the increased availability of careers guidance information). This means it is a stochastic process, where the end result is governed by probabilistic principles. (AA.VV., 1989, pp.1245-1246). At this point, we can go back to Grubb’s assertion (Grubb, 2002a, p.3) and affirm that spreading information by means of the Internet has a series of positive effects both for those whose career development competencies are good and also for others. This is because the increased availability of information eliminates (or at least reduces) errors in decision making that are due to a lack of information. For reasons examined previously, it is difficult to estimate precisely its extent but, all in all, we can affirm that those with good career development competencies will be capable of making a greater number of ‘right’ career choices. We can also assume that there are positive effects for those whose career development competencies are low. If we look at one feature of career development competencies (for example, using the National Career Development Guidelines which represent the reference taxonomy for the carrying out and evaluation of careers guidance in the United States81), we see that availability of information is the essential requirement (though not the only requirement) for the development of some of the competencies indicated in the second and third sections of Table 3.2. (‘Awareness of the benefits of educational achievement’, ‘Understanding the relationship between learning and work’, ‘Knowledge of skills necessary to seek and obtain jobs’, ‘Understanding the relationship between educational achievement and career planning’, ‘Knowledge of different occupations and the changing male/female roles’, etc.). Thanks to the increased availability of information, those whose career development competencies are low will be able, despite their limitations, to surmount most of the less complex career tasks or at least ‘make fewer mistakes’. It should also be emphasised that access

and professional experience’ (Consolini, Pombeni, 1999, p.25). The less complex career tasks can be brought to a positive conclusion even by those whose career development competencies are low. 81 The National Career Development Guidelines have been drawn up by the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (NOICC), an American public organisation. For further information on the NOICC and on the guidelines, see http://64.57.102.78/Old_Site/tabloid/guidelines.html. For the complete list of guidelines see section 1 in Appendix 4.

http://64.57.102.78/Old_Site/tabloid/guidelines.html


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to careers guidance information is already in itself a factor which facilitates career development competencies. It’s possible to take this line of reasoning further if we try to picture the situation before the development of the Internet, correlating in a table the level of career development competencies with the possibility of visiting a careers guidance agency. This means correlating the level of career development competencies with the possibility of accessing valid and comprehensive careers guidance information without using the Internet. Prior to the development of the Web, the only way of getting comprehensive careers guidance information on many issues was to actually go in person to a reputable careers guidance agency. Table 4.1. presents four sets of circumstances: the upper quadrants (1 and 2) comprise those with high career development competencies whilst the lower quadrants (3 and 4) comprise those whose competency levels are low. The quadrants on the left (1 and 3) indicate those who have the possibility of accessing a careers guidance agency and the quadrants on the right (2 and 4) indicate those who have no possibility of accessing a careers guidance agency. Table. 4.1. Level of career development competency and the possibility of accessing careers guidance agencies

Possibility of accessing careers guidance agencies

1

• Possibility of accessing agencies

• High competency level

2

• No possibility of accessing agencies

• High competency level

Ca

ree

r d

ev

elo

pm

en

t t

3

• Possibility of accessing agencies

• Low competency level

4

• No possibility of accessing agencies

• Low competency level

Before the development of the Web and the spread of the Internet, those in quadrant 2, despite having good career development competencies, had a high risk of making wrong decisions because they were based on incomplete or erroneous information. As regards the possibility of arriving at the right career choices, the development of the Web and spread of the Internet has brought greater benefits to those with good career development competencies who were not able to go to careers guidance agencies for reasons of distance, disability or inconvenient hours. The supply of information through the Internet is, therefore, particularly important for those areas which do not have careers guidance agencies or for those people who don’t have much time or have mobility problems. Those in quadrant 1 will not see an improvement in the quality of their career choices but they now have the advantage of being able to make decisions independently without going to careers guidance offices and, if they should decide to go and see a


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careers adviser, they will already be well informed. This has the knock-on effect for careers guidance services of a reduction in workload. Those in quadrants 3 e 4 are now better informed and will see a reduction in errors in decision making caused by a lack of information. Those in quadrant 3 continue to go to careers guidance offices but arrive at interviews better informed. The supply of information through the Internet also has other effects which should be taken into consideration. At present, computers and the Internet have a high ‘face validity’82, and there is the risk that some people, if not directed towards the best resources at the right time, will make decisions based on information that is not very reliable. Also, those whose career development competencies are limited may make decisions on their own when they should really seek the help of a careers adviser (see section 1.3.4.). So, the importance of ‘official guides’ to Web contents can be seen (see section 3.4.). In addition, careers guidance websites should clearly point out when it is necessary to go to a careers guidance office for advice, and where to find the nearest. On the other hand, it is thanks, precisely, to this ‘face validity’ that valid careers guidance information can be spread to clients who are not very interested in paper-based information. The best information concerning those who go to careers guidance agencies comes from some of the testimonies shown in Chapter 2 (It should, however, be borne in mind that it wasn’t the intention to point out this particular aspect in our research and the extent of references to it is not statistically significant). Notably, testimonies 2, 9, 11 point out that many people arrive at interviews better informed, and 2 and 36 point out that the use of the Internet and computers motivates clients, especially younger clients. As clients can gather information autonomously, it means the careers adviser can assume a supervisory or mentoring role, fostering their clients’ independence by assigning research tasks and then discussing the results. This was highlighted by one of those replying to the survey:

• 24 (PT) The Internet has made it easier to actively search for information, while simultaneously being supervised by a 'careers counsellor'. When possible options are found, an immediate and active discussion ensues, taking into consideration the suitability of the profiles, by looking at the person's aptitudes, interests, values and personality which have already been established.

Thanks to the better availability of information for clients, there is more time to concentrate on the psychological aspect of the interview:

• 11 (FR) An individual careers guidance interview with pupils includes two parts: 1 - exchange of information: - on the person (pupil who needs advice), - on the occupations and training opportunities (adviser to pupil). 2 – advice (adviser to pupil). Generally, part 1 occupies most of the interview, in particular, the search for and the communication of information about occupations and training. The use of the Internet (with its accessibility to abundant, targeted and precise information) changes the balance of the interview. The time spent on searching for information is reduced, thereby releasing more time for counselling.

82 We use the term in analogy with the tests (Boncori, 1993, p.117).


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Depending on the adviser, the impact on careers guidance practice can be high, medium or low. For the reasons I have just explained, the Internet makes it possible to increase the relationship with the pupil. The psychological dimension of the interview can be further explored and this radically changes the content of an interview which otherwise would only have given a first level answer to the initial request.

4.2.Websites as careers guidance self-help resources In The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48, 2003, self-help is defined as: ‘Developing one's capabilities or solving one's own problems, especially psychological problems, without the assistance of a professional, by independent study or by association with other individuals having similar interests.’ Various authors (Becta, 2001; Grubb, 2002b; Sampson, 1999a; Sampson, 2002; Sampson et al., 1999g) claim the Internet improves opportunities for self-help in careers guidance. This is a commonly held view but it needs examining in more detail. By the term ‘self-help’, the authors quoted are actually referring to ‘autonomous learning’(as, for example, Becta, 2001, p.10: ‘For those adults or young people motivated to manage their own career plans and who may prefer a self-help model of working, information and guidance delivered through ICT libraries can adequately meet their basic needs.’). Sampson (Sampson, 2002, p.165) states that the Internet allows ‘unprecedented access to self-help guidance resources, both assessment and information’. Here ‘information’ is referring in general to careers guidance information which can be found on the Web, whilst resources for assessment purposes are psychometric tests and ‘computer based career information delivery systems (CIDS)’, software which helps identify career areas suited to the individual characteristics of users (Sampson et al., 1999a). Psychometric tests and CIDS are still not much in evidence on line and their use on the Internet creates theoretical and ethical problems as yet unresolved (for the tests, see Savard et al., 2002; for CIDS, Sampson, 1997b), so we will not talk about them further in this section. There is no doubt that supplying information (especially information aimed at clients’ needs, see section 3.5.) allows a greater number of clients to carry out specific courses of action (for example, knowing how to obtain a scholarship allows one to apply for it) and, from this perspective, careers guidance information available on the Web is a self-help resource. But if we limit ourselves to this point, nothing is added to what has already been said in section 3.5. Instead, the point to emphasise is that the Internet can prove to be very useful in those cases where the guidance practitioner has to encourage the client to take specific courses of action and help him/her to maintain them. For example, the search for work and the construction of career paths require the ability to overcome frustration, postpone the attainment of satisfaction, and carry out a series of actions over a period of time. In the search for work, the chances of success are directly proportional to the number of contacts made with possible employers, therefore clients should contact as


6


many employers as possible. However, after the first few weeks spent full time job hunting and receiving rejections, clients lose motivation and tend instead to reduce their number of applications or even stop applying for jobs altogether. Similarly, for their professional development, jobseekers may need to attend boring or badly organised courses, carry out unpaid work experience or, whilst still pursuing their professional goals, initially take on low paid jobs or jobs in inconvenient locations. One of the careers adviser’s most important jobs, therefore, is to develop and maintain the motivation of those clients engaged in demotivating tasks. The best way of doing this is through individual interviews, small group sessions, or help groups. However, for reasons of cost or distance, some clients are not able to take advantage of these options and turn to self-help material, especially of the printed kind’.83 Many publishers (the most well known in Italy is Franco Angeli) have a series of such material. However, when having to encourage or sustain demotivating activities over a period of time, printed material which simply provides information (even if ‘linked to clients’ needs’ in the acceptation explained in section 3.5.) does not prove very effective. The best self-help guides employ a series of approaches often taken from techniques used in cognitive-behavioural therapies. We list some of them below:

• Addressing the reader and holding a conversation with him/her. • Encouraging the reader to reflect, and to direct his/her reasoning in specific

directions, by examining sets of circumstances or by compiling files. • Presenting the cases and statements of those who have managed to resolve their

problem. • Asking readers to monitor their actions and feelings by keeping a diary or using

special files There are three reasons why the Internet is an important self-help resource:

• because it allows the creation of texts that are much more interactive than printed texts (Kerford,1998). Thanks to hypertext links and on-line indices, every visitor has greater involvement and can create his/her own personal navigation path with the contents he/she thinks are most useful.

• because, through email, chat, and discussion lists, the Internet allows the setting up of virtual communities for those who are facing the same ‘career tasks’ and it allows them to interact quickly and cheaply exchanging information and supporting one another.

• because websites with these two features (interactive layout and communication facilities) have much greater reach and can be of much more use than printed material.

Whilst there are already many very active virtual communities on the Web for those who share the same interests or have similar backgrounds (see, for example, the successful www.gay.com), self-help sites are still in short supply for those in search of work and few careers advisers participate in them84. The promotion of virtual

83 In Italy, videos e cassettes have a much more restricted circulation. 84 In English, for example, see the forum on, www.barbarasher.com. An example in Italian was the Guidalavoro website www.guidalavoro.net, set up by the author of this study and promoted by the District Government of

http://www.gay.com/

http://www.barbarasher.com/

http://www.guidalavoro.net/


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communities for jobseekers seems to us to be one of the most interesting opportunities offered by the Internet. 4.3. Supplying careers information and guidance from a distance The ease and speed of communication which the Internet assures is one of the most important features to emerge in Chapters.1 and 2. But, distance information and guidance services did already exist and worked effectively before the spread of the Internet, for example, by post (covering educational subjects85) or by telephone (covering both educational subjects and personal matters)86. The Internet has, however, increased the possibilities for distance communication. The most widespread and easy to use Internet based means of communication at the present time are shown in table 4.2. (a more complete listing is to be found in NBCC, 2001): Table 4.2. Most widely used Internet-based means of communication 1 Email messages exchanged on 1 to 1 basis 2 Email messages exchanged through discussion lists 3 Open discussion forums - viewable on web pages 4 Chat (i.e. real-time written communications) conducted on a 1:1 basis, on web

pages or through special programmes

The above is a provisional list as it is likely that communication via video link will become widespread practice by the end of 200587 and the integration of various media, such as, the integration of websites and the telephone will be further developed, (Watts, Dernt, 2002, pp.30-31). However, we shall develop our argument with reference to the above list.

Arezzo. It was aimed at those in search of work or those with a particular career aim. Guidalavoro was viewable on line from 1998 to 2003, and received on average 20.000 visits a month. The site contained an interactive self-assessment path, a jobsearch guide, a discussion forum and a series of pages for sharing professional goals and jobsearch experiences. In the 5 years the site was in existence, more than 7,000 people participated in the forum and contributed to the discussion. 85 Tait, 1999, p.113. Tait talks of ‘guidance and counselling by correspondence (..) in many distance education schemes such as The National Extension College and the Open University’ 86 Watts, Dernt, 2002. Watts cites, amongst others: the telephone helpline of The Samaritans, the English organisation for those contemplating suicide, which has been active since the 1950’s; the helpline of the British National Health Service; the helpline ‘Learndirect’, which supplies information, advice and also some in-depth guidance regarding educational choices and training opportunities in Great Britain. From 1998 to 2000 Learndirect received about a million phone calls a year. 87 Communication via video link is also called video conferencing, but mistakenly, because Messenger 6 - the most widely used video link programme - at present only allows a video link between two people. Factors which lead to the mass release of new technologies are: the reasonable cost of the system which allows the technology to be used; inclusion of the system in the standard PC package; availability of easy to use software for use with the new technology. At present, (January 2004) the cost of ADSL connections, which make good quality video communication possible, is coming down but Webcam, the system which allows video communication, is not included in the standard PC package – it is not yet fitted inside the screens currently on sale.


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In all of the methods of communication shown in table 4.3, interaction takes place through written text. Verbal communication is technically possible in some forms of ‘chat’ but not very common. It is possible to classify the various systems according to synchronous/asynchronous parameters, and one to one interaction between client and careers adviser or interaction in small groups. Interaction in small groups allows participants to get information, advice and support from their peers as well as from the careers adviser, and for this reason it is generally more effective than client-adviser interaction. Asynchronous interaction methods have the advantage that advisers are not immediately required to formulate answers. This allows them to organise their working time more efficiently and, where necessary, to consider the messages received more carefully and gather more information before replying. This is one of the reasons why ‘chat’ is less used in supplying careers guidance information. Asynchronous methods are also advantageous for clients as requests for information can be sent regardless of office opening hours and, unlike the telephone, there is no risk of finding the line engaged. Table 4.3. Classification of the most frequently used systems of communication

Interaction – in pairs

Interaction – in small groups

syn

chro

no

us

• Chat 1:1

• Chat in small groups

asy

nch

ron

ou

s

• Email 1:1

• Forum • Discussion lists

In considering the expediency of using the communication methods shown in Table 4.3. for the supply of distance information and guidance, it is not so much whether these methods allow the same interaction as face to face communication that should be assessed (they don’t), but rather, whether such methods of interaction between adviser and client can have positive results (Sampson, 1998c, referring to video conferencing). Having taken for granted that the various methods of distance communication allow positive interaction (Malone, 2002; Sampson, 1998c; Tait 1999; Watts, Dernt, 2002, and various studies concerning on-line psychotherapies, Griffiths, Cooper, 2003), - we shall, however, return to this point at the end of the section - we need to understand how the technical characteristics of the various methods and the typical ways they are


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used build the relationship between client and adviser (both positively and negatively) and, based on this, how they can be better utilised (Tait, 1999, p.119). These methods of distance communication have the big advantage of allowing interaction to take place without the need for client and adviser to physically be in the same place at the same time. What’s more, e-mail and discussion forums mean that communication between client and adviser does not have to take place contemporaneously. So, the various distance communication methods allow the supply of careers guidance and information to those who, otherwise, would not be able to get it, for example, those who live in areas without careers guidance agencies, or those who, because of work commitments or disabilities, have difficulty in actually getting to careers guidance agencies (Evangelista, 1999; Tait, 1999). But the decision to use distance communication may also be as a result of individual preference. Watts (Watts, 2002, p.17), referring to reasons for the current rapid development of telephone helplines, highlights how an increasing number of consumers ‘want a service to be available when they identify a need for it, with minimum delay and minimum effort.’ Consumers are still prepared to go to the point of sale or service, but only ‘where this offers added value, either through face-to-face interaction or through access to physical resources (e.g. in the case of shopping, being able to see and touch particular goods).’ Another big advantage of using Internet based distance communication methods (already mentioned in the previous section), is the possibility of establishing virtual communities, where the advice and support of careers advisers are combined with the advice and support of one’s peers. The most significant characteristics of Internet-based distance communication methods for establishing the relationship between client and adviser are as follows (Evangelista, 2000a):

• The greater amount of effort involved in interaction compared to a face to face interview

• The client is not physically present • Using written forms of communication.

In the methods shown in Table 4.3. communication takes place using written text. In order to avoid errors in communication it is, therefore, necessary that both the client and adviser are able to express themselves in written form and possess good comprehension skills. Some clients (especially those not so well educated) may not want to use this method of communicating. A positive aspect is that writing compels both client and adviser to express themselves in a clearer and more concise way. In a personal face to face interview, intentionally or unintentionally, the client and adviser also use non verbal communication, often as a way of stressing or playing down the verbal message. In written forms of communication this is not possible. What’s more, in distance communication, the adviser is not able to examine the clients physical appearance and manner of verbal expression - elements which are often important for an overall assessment of the client’s qualities and potential. However, by far the most important factor for the formation of the client-counsellor relationship is the greater amount of effort involved in written communication compared to verbal


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communication. A 30 second verbal exchange would take at least a minute if it were, instead, a written exchange and the longer the exchange the greater the difference would become. This means that written communication needs to be structured differently to verbal communication, in particular, by condensing content and by cutting out the redundancies which are a feature of verbal communication. But this process too requires more time - several seconds or minutes longer - compared to verbal expression. This is another reason why most practitioners (and probably clients) prefer e-mail to ‘chat’. In ‘chat’ interaction is immediate and there is little time to adopt the techniques characteristic of written communication, so written ‘chat’ texts take on a conversational form and more time is wasted. In ‘chat’ within small groups it is extremely difficult to ensure an order of participation and this leads to a succession of dissociated messages. For example, A replies to B, but in the meantime C has sent a message on a new topic to which D replies, so A’s message shows up when the discussion has already moved on; B meanwhile would like to reply to A, but also to D; and in the meantime A has also replied to C, and so on. This greater amount of effort involved in communication also applies to exchanges via email (one to one messages and also those sent through forums or discussion lists). Usually, replies from careers advisers tend to be succinct, no more than 10-20 lines. If the client or adviser writes something in a message which requires further clarification, it will be necessary to wait a while (hours or days, as normally exchanges via email do not take place simultaneously) before getting a reply. This leads to fewer messages being exchanged, and a standard session of distance counselling is generally limited to a query from a client and a reply from an adviser. In cases where it is necessary to send more messages, or when the question requires a longer and more involved response, it is more ‘economical’ for the adviser to refer the client to his/her local careers guidance services, if they exist. We can look at some examples taken from messages sent to the discussion forum set up on the Guidalavoro88 website. We are showing the messages in their original form, followed by the replies given. The names and email addresses of those concerned have been changed. A. Examples of messages where information can be provided without having to go into clients’ particular circumstances.

Request for information. Sent by Claudia on January 21st 2001 at 11:50:04 Dear Leonardo,

88 Described in note 8 of this Chapter. About 2000 messages from all over Italy and abroad were sent to the forum, and about 1000 replies were given.



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My name is Claudia and I’m doing a degree in political science at the University of Siena. I want to do some work experience or training in Italy or abroad and I’m writing to ask you for some information that would be helpful to me. I’m particularly interested in working for one of the European Union organisations. Thanks very much for your help. Apprenticeships in the European Parliament. Sent by Leonardo on January 21st 2001 at 08:45:44: Dear Claudia, See http://www.europarl.eu.int/stages/, and for more general information http://www.aiuto.net/it2l.htm Bye

WORK. Sent by Alberto on January 19th 2001 at 11:05:59: Dear friends I’m studying engineering at Bologna University and I would like to go to London this Summer to learn English. I think the best way is to find a little job and somewhere to stay. If someone wants to help or tell me about their own experiences, you can write to me at: [email protected] Thank you for your assistance Re:WORK. Sent by Leonardo on January 19th 2001 at 11:51:01: See the links shown on www.aiuto.net/it2o.htm, in particular http://www.centrorisorse.org/viveur.htm Bye

B. Examples of messages where it is possible to provide information based on a brief examination of clients’ circumstances.

Seeking work. Sent by Lorena on May 11th 2000 at 04:45:21: Dear Leonardo, I am a 41 year old former foreign correspondence secretary. I lost my permanent job in 1995 due to staff reductions, and another in 1998 due to closure of the multinational office. I’ve done agency work (good as far as salary is concerned but disappointing with regard to relationships with my temporary colleagues) and now I would like to work from home using a PC to word process dissertations, hand written documents, instruction manuals, reports, business letters, etc, both in Italian and other languages. A 41 year old secretary is considered old by agencies but, if she works for the State, she is considered young.... don’t you find?. Can you give me some tips please. To whom should I


mailto:[email protected]


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apply exactly to do this type of work and how much should I ask in order to beat the competition? I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks. Bye, Lorena

Re:Seeking work. Sent by Leonardo on May 13th 2000 at: 21:45: Cara Lorena, I don’t know the rates for word processing dissertations and hand written documents, and bear in mind that they may vary from region to region. You’ll have to ask someone who already does this kind of work. A few weeks ago, in the employment supplement of the newspaper Corriere della sera there was an interview with someone who does your type of work. See if you can find a copy in the public library or a careers guidance centre. There are also some books of varying quality available on working from home. You’ll find them on www.aiuto.net/it3a.htm. As regards ways of advertising your services, you could use the Internet. I don’t know if there are specialised websites for those offering services from home, try looking on a search engine, for example, www.virgilio.it. You could also create your own web page where you can advertise what you do, perhaps through domains like www.servizidacasa.it, and www.battituratesti.it, or something similar. It costs 30 euros a year to buy a domain and some providers, for example, www.tiscalinet.it, give you space to market the site and instructions on how to set it up if you buy it through them. Another way is to contact firms directly by email, perhaps those listed on www.paginegialle.it, or those generally found on web pages given over to companies on the various search engines, or by sending letters to ones in your area, though this costs more and you may have greater difficulty in delivering work. Another possibility is to leave flyers in offices, colleges and universities (though I think that most people today type their own dissertations). Bye.

Some advice. Sent by Luigi on November 6th 1999 at 18:06:19: I’m 36 years old and last July I graduated in Economics from Venice university. Since my second year at high school where I did business studies I’ve worked my way through school and university. As I had to travel to university from my home in Padua, I took jobs where I could work either very early or late shifts so as not to lose too much time. Then, for the last four years I’ve worked with a couple of expert in commercial law and brokkeeping, but it’s a saturated market. It’s an exclusive club and as I don’t have my own portfolio of clients, I can’t set up on my own. So, I’m giving up on the possibility of going it alone and would like to try to find work in a company, but it’s not easy. To be honest, I‘m really keen on information science and technology (IT) - the Internet, telecommunications – which are the way of the future, but I fear that by also taking some courses to improve my basic knowledge of English, I’ll end up doing a bit of this and a bit of that and will not manage to achieve either of these aims,



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whilst losing sight of what I’ve done up to now (meaning my business management and accountancy experience which at the moment interests me less) and "losing" the time that I have always tried to find. Combining work and study, and employment sectors of the future. Sent by Leonardo on November 7th 1999 at 11:17:56: Dear Luigi, I understand and share your uncertainty about leaving the business management field for which, up to now, you have trained. It is always possible to retrain and work in new sectors but this requires time and money. Plus the new sector you’re talking about is very different to the kind of work you’ve done before and you will certainly need to devote yet more of your time and money (you can have a look at http://www.guidalavoro.net/arindice.htm#2, where the whole of section 2 deals with this point). Before making a decision you must be sure that there are no opportunities for you to get into the business management field in Padua. Are you sure that amongst all the expert in commercial law and brokkeeping in Padua there isn’t one you can work for, who will offer you a responsible position with a decent salary? How many commercial offices in Padua have you contacted in the last month? Did you go about contacting them in the right way? (that is to say, did you present yourself well, describe fully your past experience, and were you clued up enough?) (For further information on this see http://www.guidalavoro.net/arindice.htm#4). Another possibility to consider, before devoting yourself to the Internet and mobile phones, is to work for a company. With the experience and qualifications you have acquired it shouldn’t be difficult to find work in the business management field in a private company. Again, how many firms have you contacted in the last month? Did you set about it in the right way? I think that, in your situation, public competitive examinations are a further possibility which should not be ruled out. Do you keep an eye out for the announcements inviting applications for forthcoming competitions? Only if all these avenues are actually closed (and this must be checked out first by actively looking for work) should you think about going into other fields. Personally I don’t agree with those who put all their faith in the new professions of the future. In the new fields too there isn’t enough work for everyone, only for the best qualified and most motivated. I would also like to make a final observation, even though it doesn’t strictly apply to you. The time of the student-worker has passed. If possible (if you don’t need immediate income) it is better to finish university as quickly as possible, devoting all your time to study, even if this means being dependent on your family for a few more years. My impression is that spending years doing a degree and then maybe only getting a medium to low grade, without having any first hand experience, (fortunately this is not the case with you) is not going to be worth much when looking for a job in the private sector, but I would also like to hear opinions on this from other visitors to this site. Bye


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C. Examples of messages which require an in-depth examination of clients’ circumstances before information and guidance can be provided. In these cases, the limitations of using a forum as a method of communication makes it advisable to refer the client to a face to face interview with an adviser.

Finding a re-training course for an old woman of 48 . Sent by Marzia on January 17th 2001 at 15:58:39: Hi Leonardo, I’ve looked on your website for information on re-training but on other sites I’ve found that 30 year olds are considered old in the employment world. Even those with lots of qualifications are unsuccessful at getting a job on account of their age. I’ve also thought about starting a business but all I get is "and if you don’t succeed?". I’ve found other sites unhelpful as they have not provided any practical suggestions.

Re: finding a re-training course for an old woman of 48. Sent by Leonardo on the 2nd January 2001 at 08:52:12: Dear Marzia, The heading of your letter made me laugh. You don’t say anything about yourself: what you’ve done up to now, what you would like to do, what ties you have... Concerning training courses you can have a look at the links on www.aiuto.net/it2b.htm. However, in my opinion, the best thing to do is to go to the public careers guidance services and speak with a careers adviser face to face. He/She will be able to tell you about available training opportunities, or perhaps will suggest you attend a short careers course. You can find them by following the links on www.aiuto.net/it5a.htm (try Retravailler, this association has been set up specifically to help ‘old folks’ like yourself). Also have a look at http://sibilla.comm2000.it/. Bye.

Finding work at 49. Sent by Sandro on March the 20th 2000 at 19:33:35: I’ve worked for 25 years with computers in an office environment, ending up in computerised graphics in a high spec niche market – distance processing of transmitted images (text and pictures for newspapers). I’ve always held positions of responsibility, such as sales manager in some of the firms I’ve worked for. Now, four years on since my last job with a multinational which closed down its Italian operations, I’m out of work despite having a reasonably good curriculum vitae. I answered advertisements for my line of work, and in the rare event of receiving


http://www.aiuto.net/it2b.htm

http://www.aiuto.net/it5a.htm

http://sibilla.comm2000.it/


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a reply, I was told ‘thank you but we are looking for someone younger’. Then I also started to answer advertisements for other types of work but received similar replies. I’m now asking myself, how can I support myself until I reach pensionable age in about fifteen years time if no-one will give me the chance to work? I live in the north of Milan. Give me a chance. Cheers. Excuses of the over forties. Sent by Leonardo on March 22nd 2001 at 09:21:15: Dear Sandro, I don’t know if it’s true in your case (your letter is too short to be able to make categorical statements, and besides I don’t know whether you have some kind of technical background as well or have only worked in sales roles) but I would not like to see age being used as the final pretext for over forties like yourself when not coming to terms with other reasons (yes, real reasons) for not finding work (in some cases not wanting to come to terms with them because effectively looking for work is very demanding). I can understand that ‘advanced’ age may count against wasters who are looking for work (thinking more broadly, if I had to teach a job to someone, I would prefer a younger person because they are perhaps sharper, learn more quickly and have fewer financial requirements and responsibilities), but I don’t see how age can weigh negatively for those who are also willing to cooperate in teamwork and those who already have experience in the world of work, as in your case. If I then also take into consideration that you have a good grounding, if I understand correctly, in the IT sector where, at present, there is a huge demand for personnel (sales personnel are also always strongly in demand), I can’t figure out how come you are still out of work and are having gloomy thoughts about the next 15 years. So, I’ll address the IT sector:

• Do you show that you are also willing to work as part of a team? • Are you promoting yourself? • How many ways have you tried to get work (letters sent, phone calls

requesting interviews, word of mouth, reading job adverts, advertising in the press or on the Internet, etc.) in the last month?

• Have you tried applying for positions at a lower level than those you have held so far?

• Does your curriculum vitae show you to be over qualified for jobs you are now applying for? (if so, why not re-work it?)

• What have you done in the last four years? (have you been doing something that has no relevance to the type of work for which you are now applying, for example, an antique dealer? If so, refer to the advice given in the previous point)

• Prior to the highly specialised sector in which you worked in the past, did you acquire a broad IT background in other sectors?

• Are you willing, if necessary, to do some sort of work experience for a few months? (in other words, unpaid work in order to update your skills)


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• How do you come across at interviews? (demoralised or full of enthusiasm?)

If, instead, you have experience in the sales sector (connected with IT), in addition to the questions above, ask yourself -

• With all the software houses there are and with today buoyant market, why have you not managed to find one which needs a salesman or business manager?

Do this check list and write back to me. Three pieces of advice: • Forget about the ‘other ads’ (why do you want to apply to be a driver? Do

you think your chances will be any better?) • Read: ‘Outplacement’ by the author: QUADRIO, publisher: Franco Angeli • Speak to a careers adviser face to face, you’ll find them by following the

links on page www.aiuto.net/it5a.htm

Help! Sent by Marco on March 6th 2000 at 21:09:31: I’m 23 year old and I would like some advice on how to find a job. I’d like to be a sound technician or something along those lines, stage erecting and so on, but I don’t know where to start. Please help me, I can’t go on being a factory worker any longer – it’s driving me mad. There’s life beyond the factory. Sent by Leonardo on March 7th 2000 at 15:04:28: Dear Marco, you’re very young, you’re working in a factory and you don’t like it. Unless you’re all alone in the world or have large debts, I don’t think the situation is all that dramatic. You could put a bit of money aside, then leave work and do something you prefer for a while. You could go part time or you could leave altogether and look for temporary contract work through agencies. But, above all, you mustn’t lose your head. If you like erecting and dismantling stands and stages, you could also work with those who set up stands at exhibitions (it’s very hard work but you only work for certain periods) and in the meantime you could look for a course to train to become a sound technician. The best thing would be to speak to a careers adviser face to face who will help you to consider the various possibilities including training opportunities in the sector that interests you. You will find an adviser by following the links on the www.aiuto.net/it5a.htm page. Bye.

7 © 2005 by Edizioni Sonda




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In short, the most significant characteristic of distance communication via email or forums is the greater amount of effort involved in exchanging messages as compared to verbal communication. This makes it expedient to use these methods where the need for client-counsellor interaction is small, in other words, in cases where information can be supplied without the need to go into clients’ circumstances, or where only a brief examination of clients’ circumstances is required. In cases such as these, as client and adviser do not have to be physically in the same place at the same time, these methods together with the telephone represent the first choice. It doesn’t actually make sense for a client to go to a careers agency, at a specific time, in search of information which can easily be obtained from home by sending an email. in cases of information requests which require a detailed examination of clients’ circumstances, however, the greater amount of effort involved in exchanging messages makes email and forums second choice methods compared to face to face interviews. But email, forums, chat (and the telephone) remain the only option for clients who are unable to go to careers agencies because of distance or personal reasons. In these cases the best method is the telephone because it allows easier interaction. However, what was said at the beginning of the chapter concerning the provisional nature of the current situation should be remembered. If, as seems likely, video communication becomes a mass phenomenon, the expediency and possibility of dealing, from a distance, with information requests which require a detailed examination of the client’s circumstances will further increase.

4.4. The Internet and the supply of careers guidance information89 Traditionally, careers guidance services have been office based90 and only by actually going to an agency was it possible to have access to information material and speak to careers guidance advisers. The majority of Italian agencies, at least in Tuscany (which is running one of the pilot schemes in Italy, ISFOL, 2000, p.19), have never had a structured distance telephone information service. Every time a client’s phone call took more than a few minutes to deal with, the client was asked to go to the office to look up the information or to speak in person with an adviser. The individual, face to face interview was seen as the ‘gold standard’ of guidance services and, by and large, would have been considered appropriate to provide to everyone (Offer et al., 2002, p.39). In

89 The section deals only with the effects of the Internet on the supply of careers guidance services, even though the Internet can also have a considerable impact on the organisational methods of the services themselves. For example, since November 2003, the appointments diary for specialised careers guidance services offered by the District of Florence network of Jobcentres has been held on the Internet. This makes it possible for practitioners to easily make appointments for interviews to be held at other centres, and to very quickly obtain a report of all activities carried out each month. The on-line diary allows counsellors to amend and check their appointments schedule from home, and to know in advance the reasons why the client is coming for an interview. This section does not deal with the possibilities of using the Internet for supplying employment services in general, of which careers guidance services form a part. There are, for example, excellent possibilities of using the Internet and websites for gathering and publicising job vacancies and requests, and for communication among employment services and companies for administrative purposes, but these matters are outside the scope of this study. 90 At the beginning of the 1990’s, in Tuscany, a network of district offices was set up, in accordance with Regional Act 45/1989.


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areas of Italy which had no careers guidance centres, careers guidance effectively didn’t exist.

With the Internet, careers guidance loses its office centred identity. Now, in theory, (presuming that the organisation of services takes into consideration the possibilities offered by the Internet) going to a careers office has become optional. Most information available at careers agencies can actually also be accessed from home or from public places such as libraries or Internet cafes. Information needs which do not require any examination of the client’s circumstances, or which only require a brief examination can be satisfied by appropriately structured websites, or by participating in virtual communities or discussion forums, or through contacting careers advisers via email or telephone. A growing number of people are now able to make sound career decisions without ever contacting a careers adviser or by having a face to face interview followed up by distance communication. Going to a careers guidance agency may become an option to be used only if it assures added value compared to distance services. Those who live in areas of Italy that don’t have careers guidance offices can turn to practitioners hundreds of miles away. As they are no longer strictly linked to the existence of actual offices for providing careers guidance services in a particular region, fixed costs are very much lower. In addition, distance careers guidance services can be set up on a fee paying basis91. For those highly specialised or uncommon cases (for example, in cases of disability or for those who are extremely gifted) reference services and websites can be set up at regional or national level. Practitioners can also work from home and devote less time to the finding of information and resources. The hierarchy of services has also changed. The personal face to face interview has lost its predominant position (Watts, 2002, p.5). According to Watts ‘there has been a move in many countries towards a more open professional model, in which the concept of the guidance practitioner working with individual clients in a psychological vacuum is replaced or supplemented by a more diffuse approach, utilising a more varied range of interventions (e.g. curriculum programmes, group work, and use of ICT based resources), with a greater emphasis on the individual as an active agent rather than a passive recipient within the guidance process. As part of this, some guidance services have moved away from a service centred on long interviews to an open-access model, with information rooms containing ICT and other resources supported by brief informal interviews, and with lengthier, more involved interviews being available as a residual resource to those who need them.’ In short, the use of the Internet, the Web and the telephone allows better service to be provided to a greater number of clients at a lower unit cost. But in order for this to be possible, the following prerequisites are necessary:

• easy to consult official guides to websites (section.3.4.) • reference sites covering the most important issues (sections 3.2. e 3.5.)

91 Italy still doesn’t have this type of service. In Spain, this type of service is offered by www.educaweb.com.



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• the possibility of supplying distance services via the Internet and/or telephone (section.4.3.), including the setting up of virtual communities for those with the similar career tasks (section 4.2.)

With the expected future technological developments, in particolar: the use of Broadband; the spread of video links; the convergence of the various vehicles of communication, the supply of distance services may soon become even easier. This does not mean, of course, that careers guidance agencies will disappear. They will continue to provide a service for those who do not have Internet access or who do not wish to use the Internet92, or for those whose circumstances can only be dealt with face to face. But undoubtedly, the effect of the Internet on methods of supplying services can be significant. 4.5. The slowness in using the Internet to supply careers guidance services Offer and his associates (Offer et al., 2001, p.6), in their in-depth study on careers guidance services in British universities (see section 1.4.2.) report how almost everywhere the Internet is still used conservatively. In particular, there is a lack of distance services and websites are chiefly used for supplying information and promoting existing services. A similar picture also emerges from research carried out, as part of this study at the beginning of 2004, into websites of the public employment services in some regions of Italy. Following various legislative amendments,93 the duties and responsibilities relating to employment of workers together with a large proportion of current employment policies, previously assigned to central government, have been transferred to the regions and other local organisations. In some regions these duties are now carried out directly by regional government, in others they have instead been delegated, wholly or partially, to the districts and, in the case of lesser responsibilities, to local councils. In line with the reforms, in many areas job centres have become public amenities (alone or in collaboration with private enterprise) for supplying careers guidance services. Regulations have recently been changed with the implementation of Act 30/2003 authorising private individuals and organisations (local authorities, universities, schools, management accountants) to also act as employment intermediaries. However, the public employment services which have assumed a variety of forms94 still play a central role.

92 Sampson (Sampson, 1999b, p.247), drawing on Holland’s classification, differentiates according to ‘learning styles’: ‘an investigative type of individual who typically uses independent problem solving might prefer (and learn more effectively) using the internet to obtain career resources and services. Alternatively, a ‘social type’ individual who typically uses interaction with others in problem solving might prefer (and learn more effectively) interacting with practitioners and fellow clients in a career center.’ 93 Following the implementation of Act 59/1997, regional measures were put in place (in Tuscany in accordance with Regional Act 52/98). 94 In Tuscany, up to now, multipurpose Jobcentres have been widely set up. These supply a large number of services to a large number of different groups of clients (nearly all types of groups are catered for). Other types of Jobcentres include those which only handle job matching and administrative duties, and generally refer clients to third parties


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The study aimed to identify the availability of distance careers guidance services supplied through email, discussion forums and over the phone. For the reasons given above, it was carried out through research and the examination of public employment services websites in some regions of Italy95. In particular, Jobcentre websites (where they existed) were researched and examined followed by provincial government sites and the regional sites of Lombardy, Tuscany and Puglia. The picture which emerges is discouraging (for details of the results of the finding see table 2 in Appendix 4). Out of 26 districts, only 4 (15%) offer any kind of distance service. Only the district of Arezzo (4%) offers distance services through all three channels96. It is worth noting the difference between the massive use of the Internet on the part of practitioners for finding information (82% of replies to question 7.a. of our questionnaire, see section 2.4.) and the much rarer use of the Internet for supplying distance services (20% of replies to question 9.a. - but falling to 9% if considering the supply of distance services by practitioners and not simply the creation of a website by their organisation, section 2.4.). The hypothesis is that, for the time being, the Internet’s potential in careers guidance services is exploited solely by individual practitioners, and only as long as it does not require organisational changes. No particular ability or sophisticated technological devices are required to use the Internet for finding information or for supplying distance information and guidance. The only difference is that, unlike searching for information, supplying distance services requires the re-organisation of existing services and supply methods (see also Offer et al., 2001, p.11). The use of the Internet in careers guidance has until now taken place ‘bottom up’. Having discovered the Internet’s potential, practitioners have chosen to utilise it, but without any deliberate policy on the part of organisations who supply careers guidance services. We’re talking about a silent revolution. If the Internet disappeared tomorrow, it would have a serious effect on guidance practitioners as far as finding information is concerned, but almost no effect on their methods of supplying services. The reasons for the failure of careers guidance services to take advantage of the new opportunities offered by the Internet are mainly to do with mind-set, preconceived ideas, misconceptions, and lack of vision (it is also due partly to the fact that telephone helplines have been slow to take off - Watts, Dernt, 2002, pp.18-19). According to Offer (Offer et al., 2001, p.11) the reasons for the slowness in using the Internet depend not so much on the lack of funding or facilities, as on the absence of clear objectives amongst careers guidance practitioners on how best to use it, and on an undervaluation of its potential on the part of those responsible for information services in universities and of those who decide the allocation of areas within the universities.

for more specialised services. These specialised services are provided by a network of different organisations which cater for those with specific needs and operate on a co-operative basis to provide specific services or to focus on specific categories of clients. Each client who approaches one of the members of the network is directed to the organisation most suited to his/her needs. For further details of this please see Bresciani, 2002. 95 The sites were examined on the 6th of January 2004. 96 The service was started in September 2002, following a feasibility study carried out by the author of this work.


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The absence of vision (according to Offer, not so much on the part of guidance practitioners, but mainly on the part of those in charge of careers guidance services) is probably due to the lack of research into possible ways of organising services (see Chapter 1) and a lack of examples of good practice. Without knowing its potential, working with the Internet becomes just an additional headache. In Italy, the problem is further accentuated by the situation that many Jobcentres find themselves in following the reforms, though things are now improving. References

Andriolo G., Consolini M. (2000), Progettare l’accoglienza. Come organizzare

l’accoglienza e l’autoinformazione nei servizi di orientamento. FrancoAngeli, Milano. Anonimo (a.bon.) (2003), “Cresce il popolo di chi naviga su Internet: sono al 32,1 per

cento”, La Repubblica, 12.5.2003. AA.VV. (1989), La nuova enciclopedia del diritto e dell’economia Garzanti. Garzanti

Editore, Milano, voce “processo stocastico”. AICO, Associazione Italiana Operatori e Consulenti di Orientamento (2000), “Codice dei

principi etici di attività degli operatori di orientamento italiani. Versione 1.1. del 27.12.2000”, available on www.aiconet.it.

Andriolo G., Consolini M. (2000), Progettare l’accoglienza. Come progettare l’accoglienza e l’autoformazione nei servizi per l’orientamento, FrancoAngeli, Milano.

Association of Computer-based Systems for Career Information (ACSCI) (2002), “Handbook of Standards for Computer-based Systems of Career Information”, ICDL http://icdl.uncg.edu/.

Arcuri L. (1991), Processi costruttivi e ricostruttivi nella formazione e nel cambiamento degli atteggiamenti, in Trentin R. (a cura di), Gli atteggiamenti sociali. Teoria e ricerca, Bollati Boringhieri, Torino.

Barrett J.,Williams G. (1980, 2’ ed. 1990), Test Your Own Aptitude, Kogan Page Ltd., London, (trad. it. 1992), Scoprite le vostre attitudini, FrancoAngeli, Milano.

Becta (2001), Connecting Careers & ICT, DfEE, Nottingham UK. Becker H.S. (1998), Tricks of the trade. How to think about your research while you are

doing it, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Bellamio D., Scandella O. (2002), Il processo di orientamento nella scuola, in Scandella

O., Bellamìo D., Cicciarelli E., Vimercati M., La scuola che orienta: percorsi, ruoli, strumenti. La Nuova Italia, Milano.

Boncori (1993), Teoria e tecniche dei test, Bollati Boringhieri, Torino. Boncori L., Boncori G. (2002), L’orientamento. Metodi, teorie, test. Carocci Editore,

Roma. Brambilla E., Cabrini A., Elevati C., Lanzoni F. (1999), Mi sono laureato in Lettere e

Filosofia. Guida aggiornata agli sbocchi professionali e alla ricerca di lavoro, Alphatest Hoepli, Milano.

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Appendix 1. 1.1. Results of the ICDL study using the term ‘Internet’. The first two pages (out of a total of 22) of results obtained and the initial codification. The term ‘no’ indicates that the article deals with various aspects of the use of the Internet for careers guidance. Resource list on http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd 1. PDF Document (97k) no

Local Education Plan (CLEP) Computerized Enrollment System for Instructors (CESI): An Internet-based system for comprehensive school teachers to use to submit ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/032803-01.pdf Modified on: 2003-03-28 15:50:14 - Size: 61K Find Similar Documents

2. Untitled no the quality of career services and products whether delivered face-to-face or through the Internet. Contact Our Staff and Board Members NCDA Leadership 2002-2003 ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/sc/ncda.html Modified on: 2003-03-28 14:16:28 - Size: 4K Find Similar Documents

3. ICDL: Scroll and Search Title Index no Professional Issues Shaping Career Development A Differential Feature-Cost Analysis of Internet-Based Career Information Delivery Systems (CIDS): Technical Report ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/browzalpha.html Modified on: 2003-03-28 14:14:50 - Size: 36K Find Similar Documents

4. Associate degree: Two years to a career or a jump start to a bachelor's degree no modern machinery and laboratory equipment. Library resources and access to computers and the Internet also are essential. Career services. Check into how schools ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/030403-01.pdf Modified on: 2003-03-04 14:44:04 - Size: 44K Find Similar Documents

5. ICDL: Reference Room no and Vocational Education (ERIC/ACVE) AskERIC General Libraries & Research Centers The Internet Public Library Library of Congress Library Spot National Center for ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/reference.html Modified on: 2003-02-13 10:22:34 - Size: 5K Find Similar Documents

6. INTRODUCTION no participant universities to offer courses through alternate delivery methods, using thr Internet, summer institutes, local tutors, and-where numbers permit-bringing ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/030603-03.pdf Modified on: 2003-02-06 13:13:34 - Size: 23K Find Similar Documents

7. ICDL: Help no Browsers The ICDL is best viewed with Netscape Navigator 3.0 or higher, or Internet Explorer 3.0 or higher. Links Though the links provided in the ICDL Reference ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/help.html Modified on: 2003-01-10 11:24:31 - 857 bytes Find Similar Documents

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=68406a4364393c5e

http://icdl.uncg.edu/sc/ncda.html

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=4040508b4c2c3231

http://icdl.uncg.edu/browzalpha.html

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=0040821a2400925b

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=2819183324792e1d

http://icdl.uncg.edu/reference.html

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=587910cb1c090a3f

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=7058382238b14e4a

http://icdl.uncg.edu/help.html

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=1820780b50385418


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8. Working Towards Effective Practices in Distance Career Counseling SI 2002 FORMAT: HTML ABSTRACT: The environment surrounding current work with clients using Internet-related and technology-assisted strategies has been likened to the ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/ab/010703-01.html Modified on: 2003-01-07 10:50:50 - Size: 2K Find Similar Documents

9. Working Towards Effective Practices in Distance Career Counseling IDEM F. Malone ERIC Digest 2002 The environment surrounding current work with clients using Internet-related and technology-assisted strategies has been likened to the ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/ft/010703-01.html Modified on: 2003-01-07 10:10:28 - Size: 12K Find Similar Documents

10. WEBCareer-buildingReport no described systems for recording information and following up on job leads. I went on the Internet. It was a job. I went on the Internet. I looked in the telephone ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/010703-02.pdf Modified on: 2003-01-06 18:04:34 - Size: 65K Find Similar Documents

11. Career Development Resource Guide and User's Guide for "Career Choices in North Carolina" 2002-2003 no

PO Box 25903 Raleigh, NC 27611 (919)733-6700 FAX(919)733-8662 email: [email protected] internet: http:/www.soicc.state.nc.us/soicc/index.htm ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/ft/120302-01.html Modified on: 2002-12-03 11:57:14 - 453 bytes Find Similar Documents

12. 1new.pmd no line with an organization's standards. Also, as more people send personal information over the Internet, a few companies are hiring privacy officers to set and enforce ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/101602-02.pdf Modified on: 2002-10-16 16:44:00 - Size: 35K Find Similar Documents

13. ICDL Special Collections no the quality of career services and products whether delivered face-to-face or through the Internet. The Center for the Study of Technology in Counseling and Career ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/sc/flags.html Modified on: 2002-07-30 09:34:03 - Size: 2K Find Similar Documents

14. chris test no for Needy Families (TANF), as well as an increased emphasis on assessment, use of the Internet, and ethical issues with employment. The curriculum contains twelve ... URL: http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01.pdf Modified on: 2002-07-15 19:03:42 - Size: 346K Find Similar Documents

http://icdl.uncg.edu/ab/010703-01.html

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=5030502920094a6a


http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=1058582a48016065

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=280922713cfc58da



http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=484010022830c0b6

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=206022392c3d0c59

http://icdl.uncg.edu/sc/flags.html

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=3039723910351ee6

http://icdl.uncg.edu.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=internet&order=dd&cmd=mlt&id=00000000c8586acb3c7d5e1f


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1. 2. Brief outline of topics covered in the articles Table 1 App.1. Entries taken from the ICDL database (search term: ‘internet’) Code Address Topic 1 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/032803-

01.pdfDictionary of Internet terms

2 http://icdl.uncg.edu/sc/ncda.html National Career Development Association presentation

3 http://icdl.uncg.edu/browzalpha.html List of articles contained on the database

4 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/030403-01.pdf

Presentation of a training method

5 http://icdl.uncg.edu/reference.html Explanation of operation or content of site


Counsellors roles

7 http://icdl.uncg.edu/help.html Explanation of operation of site

8 http://icdl.uncg.edu/ab/010703-01.html

Distance guidance (abstract)

9 http://icdl.uncg.edu/ft/010703-01.html

Distance guidance (article)


Job search - women


Guide to Internet sites (abstract)


Up and coming occupations

13 http://icdl.uncg.edu/sc/flags.html Explanation of operation or site content


Conference reports on career development

15 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02e.pdf

American labour force

16 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02d.pdf

American labour force (continuation)

17 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02c.pdf


18 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02b.pdf


19 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02a.pdf




21 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01s.pdf

Careers guidance system in the USA

22 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01t.pdf

Description of IDCL

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/032803-01.pdf


















http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02e.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02e.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02d.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02d.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02c.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02c.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02b.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02b.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02a.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070202-02a.pdf



http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01s.pdf


http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01t.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01t.pdf


92


23 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01s.pdf

The elderly and the world of work

24 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01p.pdf

Description of website for students

25 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01m.pdf

Material based on Holland’s theory

26 http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01k.pdf

Holland’s theory


Promoting students’ experiences abroad


Promoting student’s experiences abroad


Job market predictions


Education and training of students

31 Etc Etc.

Table 2 App.1. Entries taken from the ICDL database (articles concerning careers guidance only. Search term: Internet) Code Title of article Main subject covered 9 Working toward effective

practices in distance career counselling

Distance counselling

72 Career information and counselling in the internet era

A review of the main, current careers guidance issues, among which, prospects offered by the Internet for the supply of services and the need for guidelines and standards for its use

74 Career Development and the Future

Current limitations of the Internet in carrying out careers guidance, and the need for guidelines and standards

85 To Spin a Web: Job, Career, and Labor Market Information on the Internet

A guide to interesting American Internet sites for careers guidance

103 Career Information Delivery Systems: The Next Generation

Presentations of a Canadian site

105 Computer-Assisted Career Guidance: Ethical Issues Bibliography

Ethical issues connected with the supply of information and guidance via Internet

107 Designing Career Services to Cost-Effectively Meet Individual Needs

How the Internet can help to organise careers guidance services

108 A Differential Feature-Cost Analysis of Internet-Based Career Information Delivery

Analysis of a series of self assessment and matching programmes usable by means of the Internet



http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01p.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01p.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01m.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01m.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01k.pdf

http://icdl.uncg.edu/pdf/070102-01k.pdf










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Systems

110 Career counselling in a wired world

How to use the Internet to supply careers guidance services

114 Career Practitioners and the net: counselling, consulting or consternation

Ways of using the Internet for careers guidance

116 Using I-Way for career development

Ways of using the Internet for careers guidance

148 NCDA guidelines for the use of the internet for provision of career information and planning services

Guidelines for the use of the Internet in careers guidance

149 Effective Design and Use of Internet-Based Career Resources and Services: A North American Perspective

How to construct Internet sites for careers guidance and how to incorporate the Internet in the supply of services

153 Effective Internet Use in Career Services

How to use the Internet in supplying services

154 Enhancing the Use of Career Information with Computer-Assisted Career Guidance Systems

How to utilise self assessment and matching programmes by means of the Internet

158 Who is the Spider in the Web? Information Technology in Counseling: A Constructivist Perspective

The use of the Internet from a constructivist perspective

Table 3 App.1. Principal issues emerging from the articles in Table 2 App.1. Principal Issues Articles’ identification codes %

Presentation of Internet sites 85, 103 13

The use of self assessment e matching programmes by means of the Internet

108, 154 13

Guidelines and ethical issues in the use of the Internet

71, 74, 105, 148 25

How to best use the Internet to supply services

9, 71, 74, 107, 110, 114, 116, 149, 153

56

Other issues 158 6

Total 16 11397

97 Articles 72 e 74 fall into two different categories.


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Appendix 2. 2.1. The questionnaire used in the study ( versions in other languages are available on www.guidanceforum.net )

You can recount your experience of using the Internet for careers guidance, by completing this form. Your testimony will be published anonymously. Thank you for your cooperation.

1. Name:

2. E-mail:

3. The Country where you work:

4. Your role:

5. Role/aims of the organisation you work for:

6.a. In what way has the Internet changed your overall professional practice? 6.b. How do you value its impact? (low/medium/high):

7.a. In what way has the Internet changed your service to your clients? 7.b. How do you value its impact? (low/medium/high):

8.a. In what way has the Internet changed your clients development process and helped them in their jobsearch? 8.b. How do you value its impact? (low/medium/high) ?

9.a. In what way has the Internet changed the services of the organisation for which you work? 9.b. How do you value its impact? (low/medium/high)?:

Other / comments (optional):

Thank you for your collaboration

2.2. Analysis file of completed questionnaires (the first two pages from a total of 44) The parts highlighted indicate the Units of Description considered particularly worthy of attention and the letters in brackets are some of the noteworthy UD’s recurring most frequently. Testimonies made by those in similar professional roles have been grouped together in numerical order.




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Careers advisers

Italy / January 2002 1

1. Your role

I am a freelance counsellor, part of a network of colleagues. Our network is currently in charge of delivering careers guidance in 14 employment offices. As a freelance I also developed two web sites for careers guidance and a website addressed to the Italian guidance practitioners

2. Work/aims of the organisation for which you work:

The employment offices offer job matching, guidance interviews, jobclubs

3. In what way has the Internet changed your work in general? How would you assess its impact? (low, medium, high):

1 The developing of the internet sites came out as a new field of work. A part of my time is now devoted to maintaining my websites and developing others. Internet has made it much easier to communicate with colleagues (B), and much easier to get the information I need for my professional development and for addressing clients' needs (A). Impact: high

4. In what way has the Internet changed the service you offer your clients? How would you assess its impact? (low, medium, high) :

1 For three years I gave information and advice through a discussion forum (which could be viewed by anyone) on one of my websites. I got and replied to about 1000 questions. For these people (and for me too) the Internet was a completely new way to get (to give) careers information and advice. For some of them (people living in parts of Italy where careers services are not developed or well known) it was a way to get information and advice they could not get in other ways (A), for others it was a simpler way to get the information and the advice they were looking for compared to visiting in person a careers service (A). In about 1/3 of cases, my answer could not be definitive, and I had to refer people to the nearest careers service. For most of the people using the forum (and for others that were reading the forum without asking questions) I can guess the impact was high. The Internet helped to create a completely new service. On the other hand, the Internet has not had such a big impact on my activity inside the employment offices. My activity there is still face to face. I meet people on an appointment basis. We asked that our emails be given to our clients before we meet them, so they could write to us with their question, and we could know in advance what their needs were. It has not been possible because officers at the information desks complied for more job (giving our emails to clients). In any case, we are not forced to use the Internet with our clients because we are paid only for our face to face work. Internet has made it easier to follow up my clients. Previously I sometimes gave my personal phone number to my clients telling them they could phone me when in need. Now I give my email to everybody who uses the Internet saying they can write to me. Emails are much easier to handle than phone calls and less intrusive I can reply in my spare time (usually on


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weekends) (B). I see excellent possibilities for the use of the Internet for follow ups after a guidance interview or during a job club. Impact: in my work in employment offices low

5. How has the Internet changed your clients self career development process and jobsearch methods? How would you assess it impact? (low, medium, high):

1 For people currently using the internet, I think the impact is significant. It depends also on what you need. For example if you need the addresses (and phone number, email, description of activity) of firms for contacting them in your jobsearch, the ultimate and definitive tool is, in Italy, the website of Italian Chambers of Commerce http://www.infoimprese.it: it lists all the Italian firms. Also, you can find on the internet all the job offers of the Italian public sector, all the job offers in newspapers (for Tuscany) and, in the near future, all the job offers in the employment offices. Part of the matching of jobs (I don't know what percentage) is done through several commercial websites. On the internet in Italian you can find also good material on self assessment (though it is risky to do self assessment without the help of a careers adviser) and databases of occupations. According to a research I did in 1998-2000 on 600 Italian websites, I estimate that more than 80% of the 40 more popular topics on careers guidance (for a list see http://www.aiuto.net/uk2liv1.htm) are covered extensively or thoroughly (compared to what you can find in books and magazines). (A) It happens frequently to me, during guidance interviews, to recommend some websites. What you miss on the internet (in Italian) is information aimed at particular kinds of clients (for example freelance, entrepreneurs, immigrants) and the possibility to get advice via internet. Internet is also used more and more as a way of communication. Emails are a cheaper and faster (and maybe at the moment more impressive) means for posting applications than by ordinary post. Impact: medium in general, depending on what you need.

6. How has the Internet changed the service provided by the organisation for which you work? How would you assess its impact? (low, medium, high) :

1 The employment offices where I work have developed websites listing their locations, job hours, job offers, and accept applications for these job offers also via email (previously only via fax). They also allow people to use the internet, there some computers on free use. The officers use internet a lot for internal communications. Impact: I would say low

FRANCE 2

My role

Guidance counsellor-psychologist, in charge of academic mission for communication technologies (ICT) in guidance (CCMATIC-O). This mission aims to support the integration of the ICT in the usual activities of guidance, by privileging the educational aspect of these activities In this objective I ensure a service of

http://www.infoimprese.it/

http://www.aiuto.net/uk2liv1.htm


9


educational and technical advice for the information and guidance services (CIO) and I organize actions of animation for the educational teams. I take part in actions with various partners (academic and European working groups, public and private institutional organizations).

Role/aims of the organisation I work in/with:

The CIO, public and free services of the National Education ministry, receive all kinds of people (pupils, parents, students, adults). Their principal functions are information, individual-counselling interviews, technical advices to the schools and observation of the education system evolution and the professional environment.

In what way has the Internet changed your overall professional practice? How do you value its impact? (low/medium/high):

2 Internet is a new tool of communication which replaced the minitel and which is added to others (telephone, fax, postal mail, paper documents) "(C).. As CCMATIC-O, I contribute to the creation and the development of web sites related to guidance for the public and the professionals of the guidance; I ensure the animation of a mailing list for the European guidance experts. At last, I organize continued training activities for the guidance counsellor-psychologists on the topic " ICT and guidance"(C). Alltogether, the activities related to Internet (navigation, forum, mailing list, electronic mail, creation and updating of web sites, trainings) fill most of my working time (approximately 70%) "(C).. Very high impact.

In what way has the Internet changed your service to your clients? How do you value its impact? (low/medium/high):

2 For the public, Internet involved modifications in 3 fields: - documentation: provision of information adapted to the public on the web sites of the CIO and of the educational district. (C) Electronic exchanges: individualized answers to the questions of the public (forum and electronic mail).(B) - Contribution to the knowledge of the jobs, employment and formations: data bases, professional web sites.(C).. More and more young people come to the CIO with information found on Internet. They ask for an individual interview to help them to analyze this information. (C) Internet thus has for first consequence an increasing request for individual interviews. (C) The CIO which have computers with a free access for the public, receive more pupils, students, adults... (E) High impact.

In what way has the Internet changed your clients self- development process and helped them in their jobsearch? How do you value its impact? (low/medium/high) ? :

-

In what way has the Internet changed the services of the organisation you work for? How do you value its impact? (low/medium/high)? :

2 Generally, Internet is better integrated than data processing, but this integration varies according to equipment factors (number of computers and of access to Internet) and human factors (available time, motivation, formation). The professional practices change little by little (answers by electronic mail, classification of documentation search for information educational guidance workshops ) A


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national Mission for the ICT in guidance accompanies integration of the ICT in the CIO: data bases on the practices in guidance related to the ICT; list of educational, web sites; software for computer-assisted counselling and applications for the observation of the district to download... Low impact. The ANPE (employment service) offers on its web site supplies and offers of jobs. As a whole, the extreme diversity of the information provided by Internet leads rather to overinformation. High impact.

Sentences containing similar UD’s taken from various testimonies and grouped together The numbers are used to identify which of the testimonies they are taken from. Question: In what way has the Internet changed your professional practice in general? A It allows me to find information for my clients more easily and/or more quickly

• 28 Internet ha modificat principalment la part de la "Informació acadèmica i professional". En una assignatura que imparteixo amb aquest últim títol desde fa uns 20 anys, hem vist passar d'una ausència gairebé generalitzda de materials sobre informació acadèmica i professional a una altra etapa de progresiva profussió de material imprés (finals dels anys vuitanta i principis dels noranta). A finals dels noranta i principis dels dos-mil la font principal d'informació és internet, on el portal Educaweb és un referent bàsic

• 16 Faster, effective, comprehensive access to information about studies. Timesaving

• 15 Thanks to Internet accessible information. Precise information which paper documentation does not always offer

• 11 changes the balance of the interview. The time spent in the search for information is reduced, which releases more time for advising.

• 64 It has cut down a lot of time spent on research, and has widened the scope of my ability to help people with quick advice and information related queries

• 65 It is good for looking up specific information, such as exam results or about particular colleges. However, there is usually a mass of other information too - it is not filtered.

• 21 how to enable clients to focus on what is relevant to them in a mass of unfocused data.

B It allows me to communicate more easily with colleagues

• 1 Internet has made it much easier to communicate with colleagues


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• 4. Internet also permits much broader and intensive contact with colleagues (B), to exchange ideas about our professional practices, to communicate information throughout France and even the European Union

• 31 I use emails to exchange information/material with colleagues in other centres – because it is such a quick way of communicating

• 50 It permits much broader and more intensive contact with colleagues which is the basis for sound advice which can thus more reliably and constantly be kept up-to-date

C Others: for instance: It allows me to improve my professional development by reading professional resources

• 66 useful to gather articles from journals and newspapers for professional development.

• 4 (used) to train us • 2 I organize continued training activities for guidance counsellor-psychologists

on the topic " ICT and guidance • 28 En la formació dels orientadors es té en compte com a font principal internet • 54 This has allowed me to pass on to my students (careers guidance

practitioners) examples of good practice, project and research information It allows me to contact and follow up my clients easily, via email and our website

• 52 we use e-mails for maintaining contact with our high-school graduates, students and university graduates. We e-mail them regarding the faculties profiles, the university admission, job offers. Additionally, it gives them the possibility to "see us" through our webpage

• 45 to communicate with clients It allows my clients to look for what they need on their own

• 66 Useful to refer clients for information gathering • 47 I invite those who already know how to use the Internet to look up the

information they need for themselves • 65 Increasingly, though, young people are able to use computers, and this can

sometimes be a client focused way of telling them to do further research if they are intimidated by libraries.

• 67 Would sometimes refer a client to a particular web site such as a University, an employer etc.

• 68 To refer clients for gathering more information, gathering articles


100


• 25 Es muy frecuente que mis alumnos acudan, convenientemente guiados, al aula de informática para recabar información útil para su futuro universitario y/o profesional. (C)

Others worthy of note

• 50 It is immensely empowering to the client • 50 Internet learning is also an immensely important tool in that it has

exponential potential for all kinds of learning , allowing flexibility essential to the modern workforce, and broadening participation, encouraging capitalisation of skills in the older workforce, among disabled workers, mothers and otherwise isolated people etc

• 50 electronic cv's are the future • 39 a dynamic method of looking for a job • 22 The clients – growing motivation and autonomy in activities that aim at

career exploration; feelings of competence in career decision-making and planning; advance in career problem solving

• 38 Impact, unfortunately is very low: up to now, at the Centre we’re not even

connected to the Internet...! • 20 Only one connected computer in the CIO is not enough. (C) • 18 I would like to use it with classes but there are problems with equipment. (C) • 70 It allows my clients to help themselves and allows me to support them using

a different medium. However, policy, time and resource restraints mean that this doesn't happen very often in practice. Therefore the actual impact is low

• 36 Advantages: speed and ease of searching and updating/collation (A).

Disadvantages: a confusing amount of information for the user (A).

• 24 Taking a European Citizenship standing, via the Internet, young people are developing a self-image within a more extensive world of training and jobs As such, they are not considering options, anymore, wholly on the basis of their original community’s practicality, but are doing so considering the possibility of studying and working in other cities and/or countries

• 20 Internet requires new competences (C). It has growing impact and daily

practice is necessary. We had to build up a specific website, which needs updating

• 2 I organize continued training activities for the guidance counsellor-psychologists on the topic ICT and guidance

• 18 technical maintenance aspect is very important • 2 Altogether, the activities related to Internet (navigation, forum, mailing list,

electronic mail, creation and updating of web sites, trainings) fill most of my working time (approximately 70%)


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• 46 Problem: a quarter of my working time has to be devoted to the Internet and E-mails and this is tending to increase rapidly.

2.4. Summary table of processed data gathered from the questionnaire NB: the first column shows each questionnaire’s identification number; column 3 the country where the person completing the questionnaire works; column 4. “role” - a code identifying the role they carry out (for example, code ‘1’ indicates a careers adviser. See table 2.5. for the complete list of codes); columns 6.a., 7.a., 8.a., 9.a. show the main issues identified in the respective replies (the individual issues are indicated by capital letters: A, B, C, D, E); columns 6.b., 7.b., 8.b., 9.b. the scale of the Internet’s impact (for example, 1 indicates high impact, see the complete list of codes in table.2.6. and a formulation of results in table 2.8.) on the elements inquired about in each of the questions 6.a., 7.a., 8.a., 9.a.. Tables 2.3. and 2.4. show data identified from responses given by individuals who are not careers advisers: the issues covered in these responses have not been systematically processed. The dash – indicates no response, unclear response or response not codified Table 1 App.2. Synthesis of testimonies

N. 3. country

4. role

6.a. impact

6.b. scale of impact

7.a. impact on service


8.a. impact on writer


9.a. impact on service org


1 IT 1 A B 1 AB 1-3 A 2 BCD 3

2 FR 1 C 1 BCE 1 - - A 3

4 FR 1 ABC 1 CDE 2 A 2 DE 2

5 FR 1 A 1 E - - 1 DF 2

6 FR 1 - 2 D 2 - 3 - 3

7 FR 1 A - E 2 A 2 - 3

8 FR 1 - - - 3 B - B 2

9 FR 1 A 1 CE 3 - - D -

10 FR 1 A 1 D 2 A 2 D -

11 FR 1 A - E 3 A - - -

12 BE 1 AC - E - A - E -

13 FR 1 A 1 E - - 3 E -

15 FR 1 A 2 C 1 - 1 - -

18 FR 1 AC 1 - 1-2 - 2 - 1


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19 FR 1 AB 1 D 1 B 1 A 1

20 FR 1 C - E - B 2 EF 2

23 PT 1 A 2 D 2 - 3 A 2

24 PT 1 C 2 C 1 A 1 A -

27 ES 1 AB 1 E 1 - 2 - 2

29 ES 1 A 1 E 2 A 3 B 1

30 IT 1 A 1 D 1 A 2 C 1

31 IT 1 AB 1 D 1 - 2 - 1

32 IT 1 A 1 - - - - - -

33 IT 1 A 1 C 1 A 1 - -

34 IT 1 A 1 E - - - - -

36 IT 1 A 2 C 2 B - - 3

37 IT 1 C 1 E 3 A 2 - 3

38 IT 1 C 3 - 3 - 3 - 3

39 IT 1 AC 1 CDE - A - - -

40 ES 1 A 3 E 2 A - - 3

41 ES 1 A 1 - - - 1 - 1

42 IT 1 AC 1 - 2 A 2 D 1

44 IT 1 C 2 CD 2 A 2 - -

45 IT 1 ABC 1 - - AB - A -

47 IT 1 ABC 2 BCE 2 AB 2 B 3

50 UK 1 ABC 1 CD 2 - - B 2

51 RO 1 ABC D 2 - 2 D 2

52 RO 1 ABC 1 D 1 - 2 - 1

56 ES 1 A - CD - - - D -

58 PT 1 A 1 CD 2 B 1 A 1

63 PT 1 A 1 CD 1 A 2 - 2

64 UK 1 A - BD 1 - 1 C 1

72 PT 1 A 1 - 2 A 1 AB 2

74 PT 1 - 3 - 3 - - A 2

75 PT 1 A 1 - 2 A 2 AB 1

76 PT 1 A 2 D 1 - 2 A 2

77 PT 1 ABC 1 - 2 - 2 CD 2


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79 PT 1 AB 1 - 2 - 2 D 3

80 PT 1 A 1 - 2 B 2 A 2

81 PT 1 A 2 - 2 A 2 A 2

82 PT 1 ABC 2 - 2 A 2 BC 2

Table 2 App.2 Testimonies of individuals who are not careers advisers, consellier d'orientation, or consulente di orientamento Number . Country . Role

16 FR 2

17 FR 2

21 UK 2

22 PT 3

25 ES 4

28 ES 3

35 IT 4

43 IT 2

46 IT 2

48 IT 2

53 DK 3

54 IR 3

65 UK 5

66 UK 5

67 UK 5

68 UK 5

69 UK 5

70 UK 5

71 PT 6

Tab. 3 App.2 Testimonies written in Polish (not translated into English) Number Country Role

57 PL ?

59 PL ?

62 PL ?


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Tab. 4 App.2 Meaning of codes contained in column 4 of table 2 App.2 Role Code

Careers adviser, consellier d'orientation, consulente di orientamento 1

Other roles in careers guidance sector 2

University teacher 3

Teacher (primary or secondary school) 4

Trainee in careers guidance 5

Other 6

Tab. 5 App.2 Meaning of codes for scale of impact contained in columns 6.b., 7.b., 8.b., 9.b. of tab. 1 App.2 Scale of impact Code

High 1

Medium 2

Low 3

Tab: 6 App.2 UD’s with frequency greater than 15% 2.4. UD’s with frequency greater then 15% Question 6.a. (impact of Internet on professional practice in general)

ID code

No of reply

% (out of 51)

1. Internet allows guidance practitioners to easily find information necessary for their work

A 42 82

2. Internet allows easier communication amongst guidance practitioners

B 13 25

Other significant UD’s C 16

Question 7.a. (impact of Internet on service provided by the careers adviser)

8. Service has improved because thanks to the information available on the Internet, guidance practitioners can supply better information to their clients and very quickly

D 17 33

9. A growing number of clients obtain information they need directly surfing the Internet

C 13 25

Other significant UD’s A, B, 21


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E

Question 8.a. (impact of Internet on clients’ development process and jobsearch techniques)

11. Thanks to the Internet it is possible to quickly access a large amount of information and many clients carry out their own independent search for information and careers self-development process

A 22 43

12. Many clients use the Internet for their jobsearch, especially for gathering information on firms and career profiles, in order to find job offers and to contact firms

B 8 16

Question 9.a. (impact of Internet on the service offered by the organisation for which the guidance practitioner works)

13. Guidance practitioners use the Internet to find information to give to clients

A 12 24

14. Internet (email and organisation’s website) is used to supply distance services

D 10 20

15. Guidance practitioners use the Internet for internal communications

B 8 16

Other significant UD’s CEF 11

2.5. Scale of the Internet’s impact Tab. 7 App.2. Scale of the Internet’s impact (% data calculated out of a total of 51 replies from careers guidance practitioners Questions Alto Med

io Basso

Non risp

Question 6.b. (impact of Internet on guidance practitioner’s professional practice in general

61 20 6 13

Question 7.b. (impact of Internet on service provided by guidance practitioner)

24 41 12 23

Question 8.b. (impact of Internet on clients development process and jobsearch techniques)

18 45 10 27

Question 9.b. (impact of Internet on the service provided by the organisation for which guidance practitioner works)

22 31 20 27


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Appendix 3. 1. The entire range of issues covered by Italian careers guidance websites In the period January-December 1998 the author of this paper carried out a study on Italian careers guidance websites98. The term ‘careers guidance websites’ is meant in a broad sense, to include sites specially developed for careers guidance purposes and also sites developed for other purposes but which may, in any case, be useful. The study, amongst other things, included the identification and examination of all available Italian careers guidance websites (in the first phase of the study more than 350 were examined99) and an evaluation of the reliability of their content. The study was conducted as follows:

1. A search for sites devoted to careers issues, by means of search engines, directories or links contained on other sites. The identified sites were listed in alphabetical order in a specially created file.

2. An in-depth examination of the contents of identified sites with regard to accuracy, thoroughness and comprehensibility.

3. The elimination of sites whose content was considered inaccurate or too difficult for the layman to understand.

4. Identification of the most frequent ‘information needs’ in careers guidance, in other words, the information most often requested by service users100. 42 issues were identified and grouped into 5 large sections - see Table 1 below

(Evangelista, 1999). 5. A comparison was made of information found on the examined sites with

information found from other sources (principally bibliographic sources)101 and an assessment was made on how well each issue was treated.:

not very thorough indicates that information available on-line does not cover the issue sufficiently, and recourse to other sources is necessary (generally books or publications) quite thorough indicates that the on-line information deals with the issue satisfactorily but that it may, however, be necessary to supplement it with information from other sources

98 The study was carried out as part of a project financed by the European Union’s ISPO Information Society Project Office and led to the setting up of an on-line guide to Italian careers guidance websites, Orientamento in rete, which, from 1999 to 2003, was viewable on www.aiuto.net, and an online guide to British sites Careers Information and Guidance on the Web www.aiuto.net/uk.htm. There is a description of the project in Evangelista (1999). Currently, only some information pages remain on www.aiuto.net. 99 Subsequently, in the period 1999-2001, a further 350 sites were identified and examined, making a total of more than 700. Table 3.1. refers to the first 350. 100 The same criteria is used by Tricot (2002, p.6). Tricot introduces the concept of ‘need for information’ defined as: ‘the questions that users ask themselves or that they ask counsellors or agencies’. 101 At the time of conducting the study, I had already been carrying out careers guidance work on a full time basis for four years and, therefore, had in depth knowledge of both service users’ needs and of available sources of information.


http://www.aiuto.net/uk.htm



10


very thorough indicates that the on-line information covers the issue extremely well and there is no need for recourse to other sources. In the case of some of the issues, in-depth information is only available on-line.

The detailed results are shown below: Table 1 All.3 Entire range of issues covered by Italian careers guidance websites (1999), subdivided into similar topic areas

1. Better understanding if abilities and aspirations, choosing a career, drawing up a personal action plan for job search. • A improving awareness of my abilities and aspirations *****

• B devising a personal action plan for working life *****

2. Finding out more about study and research opportunities, vocational training and work experience • A Italian education system *****

• B Studying in Italy as a foreigner ***

• C Learning Italian ***

• D Vocational training ***

• E Upper secondary schools ***

• F Military schools *

• G Studying at university *****

• H Research doctorates, postgraduate courses, specialist courses *****

• I Masters *

• L Distance learning courses ***

• M Studying abroad *****

• N Opportunities abroad for study, research, vocational training, work experience

*****

• O Special educational needs (the disabled, etc.) *

• P In-house training, apprenticeships, placements, work experience voluntary social work

***

• Q Working holidays, summer jobs, voluntary work *****

• R Scholarships, grants, student loans *****

3. Better knowledge of job opportunities in the various sectors

• A Employment sectors and job profiles, jobs market *****


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• B Professional associations providing further information *****

4. Better knowledge of types of jobs, employment regulations, and jobsearch planning • A How to plan jobsearch and use the various methods ***

• B Addresses of possible employers ***

• C Online job offers and requests *****

• D Outplacement ***

• E Working in the public sector and competitive state examinations ***

• F Careers in the military ***

• G Working abroad ***

• H Working in Italy as a foreigner *****

• I Employment regulations and protection, unions *****

• L Equal opportunities, protection for female workers ***

• M Employment and the disabled ***

• N Temporary work ***

• O Tele-work ***

• P Freelance and other forms of self-employed work ***

• Q Starting a business ***

• R Franchising *****

• S Business and craft enterprises *

• T No profit and voluntary work ***

• U Cooperatives *****

5. Where to find direct help with career planning

• A Who to turn to for careers guidance ***

• B Careers fairs and exhibitions *

• C Books and magazines on careers guidance *


109


Note The asterisks next to each entry indicate the quantity and quality of information available on each subject, with reference to the information needs of careers guidance services clients. Not very thorough information * Quite thorough information *** Extremely thorough information ***** Not very thorough indicates that the information available on-line doesn’t deal sufficiently with the subject and it is necessary to refer to books or publications Quite thorough indicates that the information available on-line covers the subject satisfactorily but it may however require supplementing with information from other sources Extremely thorough indicates that the information available on-line covers the subject very well and there is no need to refer to other sources. In some cases, the on-line information is not available from other sources 2. Analysis of a sample cross-section of careers guidance websites including both public and private sites. Orientamento in rete contains recommendations on the best sites. They are subdivided into subject areas, each with its own page, and grouped in turn into six large sections (the complete list is available on www.aiuto.net/it.htm). For our analysis, we can select a sample made up from all the sites included in the first six topic areas (on the first six pages) of sections 2: Finding out more about study and research opportunities, vocational training and work experience and 4: Better knowledge of types of jobs, employment regulations and jobsearch planning. We thereby obtain12 areas (shown in table 3.3.) covering aspects of both training and work related issues which should, therefore, be representative of the overall sample. Table 3.3. Subject areas examined (from pages of Orientamento in rete)

2. Finding out more about study and research opportunities, vocational training and work experience • 2.A Italian education system, studying in Italy as a foreigner

• 2.B Vocational training

• 2.C Upper secondary school

• 2.D Military schools and National Service

• 2.E University studies, studying in Italy as a foreigner, learning Italian

http://www.aiuto.net/it.htm


110


• 2.F Research doctorates, PhD, Mphil

4. Knowing how to better plan my jobsearch, and finding out about types of jobs and employment regulations • 3.A How to plan jobsearch and use the various methods (curriculum vitae, placing advertisements, etc.)

• 3.B Addresses of possible employers

• 3.C On-line job matching

• 3.D Outplacement

• 3.E Working in the public sector and public competitive examinations

• 3.F Military careers and National Service

The analysis was conducted with reference to whether the linked sites in the12 page sample identified from Orientamento in rete 102 were privately or publicly owned. Sites set up by private individuals were analysed according to whether they were ‘profit making’ or ‘no profit’ and in the case of ‘profit making’, whether the site had been developed using public funding. The table below summarises the particulars of the examined sites (the number indicates the column):

1. identifying number 2. name of site 3. address of site 4. abbreviated web address of the page in Orientamento in rete where the site is

recommended (thus, for example,‘it2a’ must be read as http://ww.aiuto.net/it2a.htm)

5. name of the site owner (in those cases where it is not clear from the name of the site)

6. owner status (public, private, etc.). Included in the table are sites which carry careers information (including data banks) or which offer on-line services such as job matching and distance courses. Each site is quoted only once, even when recommended on different pages of Orientamento in rete. However, training agency sites which simply list their training opportunities have not been quoted in the table. This is because only those agencies which offer free courses (usually conducted by ‘no profit’ public or private organisations), and have at least regional representation are recommended on Orientamento in rete, and this would have distorted the analysis results.

102 Some of the sites recommended by the guide are not viewable online at the present time, but there is no reason to believe that the distribution of publicly or privately developed sites has changed since 2001.

http://ww.aiuto.net/it2a.htm


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Table 4.3. Details of examined sites 1 2. Name 3. Address 4. 5.

Owner 6. Status

1 Murst http://www.murst.it/ It2a Minister or Univ.

Public

2 Dialogo coi cittadini e le imprese

http://citizens.eu.int/originchoice.htm

It2a E.U Public

3 Ministry of Foreign Affairs

http://www.esteri.it/ It2a Public

4 Italica http://www.italica.org/ It2a RAI Public 5 Europa Lavoro http://www.europalavoro.it/ It2b Ministry

of Welfare

Public

6 Centro Risorse http://www.centrorisorse.org/ It2b Region of Emilia Romagna

Public

7 Stradanove http://www.stradanove.net/ It2b Modena city council

Public

8 Regione Piemonte

http://194.243.85.133/orientamento/

It2b Public

9 Provincia di Bolzano

http://www.provincia.bz.it/educazione.htm#A792

It2b Public

10 Provincia di Trento

http://194.105.50.159/corsifse.htm It2b Public

11 Regione Lombardia

http://www.regione.lombardia.it/ It2b Public

12 Regione Friuli V.G.

http://www.regione.fvg.it/ It2b Public

13 Regione Liguria http://www.regione.liguria.it/ It2b Public 14 Regione Toscana http://www.rete.toscana.it/sett/orie

nt/fp/index.htmIt2b Public

15 Regione Umbria http://www.formazionelavoro.regione.umbria.it/

It2b Public

16 Regione Lazio http://www.sirio.regione.lazio.it/index.htm

It2b Public

17 Regione Abruzzo http://www.regione.abruzzo.it/formazione/

It2b Public

18 Regione Campania

http://www.orientamento.regione.campania.it/

It2b Public

19 Regione Basilica http://www.basilicatanet.it/ It2b Public 20 Regione

Siciliana http://www.regione.sicilia.it/lavoro/ It2b Public

21 Artbox http://www.undo.net/artbox/ It2b Assoc. Private 22 EducatiOnline http://www.educationline.it/ It2b Somedi

a Private

http://www.murst.it/



http://www.esteri.it/

http://www.italica.org/

http://www.europalavoro.it/

http://www.centrorisorse.org/

http://www.stradanove.net/



http://194.105.50.159/corsifse.htm

http://www.regione.lombardia.it/

http://www.regione.fvg.it/

http://www.regione.liguria.it/

http://www.rete.toscana.it/sett/orient/fp/index.htm

http://www.rete.toscana.it/sett/orient/fp/index.htm

http://www.formazionelavoro.regione.umbria.it/

http://www.formazionelavoro.regione.umbria.it/

http://www.sirio.regione.lazio.it/index.htm

http://www.sirio.regione.lazio.it/index.htm

http://www.regione.abruzzo.it/formazione/

http://www.regione.abruzzo.it/formazione/



http://www.basilicatanet.it/

http://www.regione.sicilia.it/lavoro/

http://www.undo.net/artbox/

http://www.educationline.it/


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23 Formazione a distanza

http://www.uniroma2.it/distanza/index.html

It2b Univ. Roma 2

Public

24 Skillpass http://www.skillpass.it/ It2b Skilpass spa

Public-Private

25 Ministero Istruzione

http://www.istruzione.it/welcome.html

It2b Public

26 Kw scuola http://www.kwscuola.kataweb.it/ It2c Somedia

Private

27 Marina Militare http://www.marina.difesa.it/ It2d Public 28 Aeronautica

Militare http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/ It2d Public

29 Carabinieri http://www.carabinieri.it/ It2d Public 30 Corpo Forestale http://www.corpoforestale.it/ It2d Public 31 Esercito Italiano http://www.esercito.difesa.it/ It2d Public 32 Guardia di

finanza http://www.gdf.it/ It2d Public

33 Polizia http://www.poliziastato.it/ It2d Public 34 Polizia

Penitenziaria http://www.sappecalabria.it/ It2d Union Private

no profit

35 Job on line http://www.jobonline.it/ It2d MediaLabor S.r.l.

Private

36 Universo http://www.universo.murst.it/ It2e Ministeror Univ.

Public

37 Il Sole 24 Ore http://www.ilsole24ore.com/ It2e Private 38 La Repubblica http://www.repubblica.it/ It2e Private 39 Corriere della

Sera http://www.rcs.it/lavoro/ It2e Private

40 Orienta net http://www.quipo.it/orientanet/home.htm

It2f Quipo Private with public funding

41 Donna al lavoro http://sibilla.comm2000.it/ It2f Ti con uno

Private with public funding

42 Ordine nazionale psicologi

http://www.psy.it/ordpsic.html It2f Private no profit

43 Assoc. dottorandi e dottori di ricerca

http://www.dottorato.it/ It2f Private no profit

44 Ecolavoro http://web.tiscalinet.it/ecolavoro/checosa1.htm

It2f Legambiente

Private no profit

45 Direzione della ricerca

http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/index.html

It2f Unione Europea

Public

46 Cordis http://www.cordis.lu/it/home.html It2f E.U. Public 47 APRE http://www.apre.it/ It2f APRE Private



http://www.skillpass.it/



http://www.kwscuola.kataweb.it/

http://www.marina.difesa.it/

http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/

http://www.carabinieri.it/

http://www.corpoforestale.it/

http://www.esercito.difesa.it/

http://www.gdf.it/

http://www.poliziastato.it/

http://www.sappecalabria.it/

http://www.jobonline.it/

http://www.universo.murst.it/

http://www.ilsole24ore.com/

http://www.repubblica.it/

http://www.rcs.it/lavoro/

http://www.quipo.it/orientanet/home.htm

http://www.quipo.it/orientanet/home.htm

http://sibilla.comm2000.it/

http://www.psy.it/ordpsic.html

http://www.dottorato.it/

http://web.tiscalinet.it/ecolavoro/checosa1.htm

http://web.tiscalinet.it/ecolavoro/checosa1.htm



http://www.cordis.lu/it/home.html

http://www.apre.it/


113


no profit

48 Euroinfo http://www.euroinfo.unito.it/ It2f Univ. of Turin

Public

49 Job Help http://cyberdays.stet.it/job/ It4a Stet Private 50 Infoimprese http://www.infoimprese.it/ It4b Camere

di Commercio

Public

51 Pagine Gialle http://www.paginegialle.it/ It4b Private 52 Europages http://www.europages.com/home-

it.htmlIt4b Euredit

sa Private

53 Job café http://www.jobcafe.it/ It4c Non visibile

Private

54 Job Pilot http://www.jobpilot.it/ It4c Jobpilot Italia

Private

55 Job World http://www.jobworld.it/ It4c Non visibile

Private

56 Monster Italia http://www.monsteritalia.it/ It4c Monster.com

Private

57 Secondamano http://www.secondamano.it/ It4c Editoriale Secondamano

Private

58 Mailgate http://www.mailgate.org/it/it.lavoro.richieste/index.html

It4c Mailgate srl

Private

59 Donna Moderna http://www.mondadori.com/donnamoderna/index.html

It4c Mondatori

Private

60 Istituto Nazionale Fisica della Materia

http://www.infm.it/ It4c Public

61 Lavoro org www.lavoro.org It4c Firenze Online srl

Private

62 Associazione italiana bibliotecari

http://www.aib.it/ It4c Private no profit

63 AISO Ass it società outplacement

http://www.fita.it/aiso/ It4d Private no profit

64 Regione Puglia http://www.regione.puglia.it/ It4e Public 65 Comune di Prato http://www.comune.prato.it/concor

si/home.htm It4e Public

66 The Permanet Mission of Geneva

http://missions.itu.int/%7Eitaly/index.html

It4e Ministerof Public Affairs

Public

67 UK Cabinet Office

http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/civilservice-recruitment/1999/european/guide.htm

It4e British Govt.

Public


114


68 EPSO http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/dg09/career/it/cover.htm

It4e E.U. Public


115

3. Example of Contents-based website

The District of Arezzo’s employment services website www.impiego.provincia.arezzo.it, is a good example of a contents-based site. The site’s home page, reproduced below (slightly modified to reduce the size), contains dozens of links covering many different issues.


116


117

Appendix 4. Table 1 App.4. Career development competencies according to the National Career Development Guidelines, subdivided by subject/area and age level

Career Development Competencies by Area and Age Level

ELEMENTARY MIDDLE/JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

HIGH SCHOOL ADULT

Knowledge of the importance of self-concept.

Knowledge of the influence of a positive self-concept.

Understanding the influence of a positive self concept.

Skills to maintain a positive self-concept.

Skills to interact with others.

Skills to interact with others.

Skills to interact positively with others.

Skills to maintain effective behaviors.

1.Self- Knowledge

Awareness of the importance of growth and change.

Knowledge of the importance of growth and change.

Understanding the impact of growth and development

Understanding developmental changes and transitions.

Awareness of the benefits of educational achievement.

Knowledge of the benefits of educational achievement to career opportunities.

Understanding the relationship between educational achievement and career planning.

Skills to enter and participate in education and training.

Awareness of the relationship between work and learning.

Understanding the relationship between work and learning.

Understanding the need for positive attitudes toward work and learning.

Skills to participate in work and lifelong learning.

Skills to understand and use career information.

Skills to locate, understand, and use career information.

Skills to locate, evaluate, and interpret career information.

Skills to locate, evaluate, and interpret career information.

2.Educational and Occupational Exploration

Awareness of the importance of personal responsibility and good work habits.

Knowledge of skills necessary to seek and obtain jobs.

Skills to prepare to seek, obtain, maintain, and change jobs.

Skills to prepare to seek, obtain, maintain, and change jobs.


118

Awareness of how work relates to the needs and functions of society.

Understanding how work relates to the needs and functions of the economy and society.

Understanding how societal needs and functions influence the nature and structure of work.

Understanding how the needs and functions of society influence the nature and structure of work.

Understanding how to make decisions.

Skills to make decisions.



Awareness of the interrelationship of life roles.

Knowledge of the interrelationship of life roles.

Understanding the interrelationship of life roles.

Understanding the impact of work on individual and family life.

Awareness of different occupations and changing male/female roles.

Knowledge of different occupations and changing male/female roles.

Understanding the continuous changes in male/female roles.

Understanding the continuing changes in male/female roles.

3. Career Planning

Awareness of the career planning process.

Understanding the process of career planning.

Skills in career planning.

Skills to make career transitions.

Tab.2 App.4. Particulars of examined sites Indirizzo sito 1 2 3 4

Lombardia

Reg. http://www.regione.lombardia.it - - - -

BG http://www.provincia.bergamo.it/ - X - -

BS http://www.provincia.brescia.it/centrimpiego/ X X X -

CO http://www.provincia.como.it/ - - - -

CR http://www.provincia.cremona.it/settori/02/?ss=5&sv=44 - - - -

LC http://www.leccolavoro.it/ X X X -

LO http://www.provincia.lodi.it/lavoro/PL.html X X X -

MN http://www.provincia.mantova.it/lavoro/centri_impiego/indexcentri.htm

X X X -

MI http://www.provincia.milano.it/ http://provincia.retecivica.milano.it/Provincia%20di%20Milano/PMi%20Politiche%20Lavoro%20LD/.

X X X B

PV http://www.formalavoro.pv.it/ http://www.formalavoro.pv.it/faq.asp

X X X B

SO http://politichelavoro.provincia.so.it./ X X X -

VA http://fpvarese.provincia.va.it/interfaccia/lavoroHP.htm X X -



119

Toscana

Reg. http://www.regione.toscana.it - X X - Arezzo http://www.impiego.provincia.arezzo.it/

http://www.impiego.provincia.arezzo.it/numero_verde/default.htm http://www.impiego.provincia.arezzo.it/orientamento/forum

X X X ABC

FI http://www.provincia.fi.it/cpi/ e http://www.provincia.fi.it/lavoro-formazione-sociale/cpi/index.html

X X X -

GR http://www.provincia.grosseto.it/lavoro/default.htm - X X -

LI http://www.provincia.livorno.it/attivita/lavoro/index.htm X X X -

LU http://www.provincia.lucca.it/lavoro/ X X X -

MS http://www.provincia.ms.it/portali/Lavoro/index.asp?P=3 X X X -

PI http://www.provincia.pisa.it/provincia.jsp?IdDoc=357 X X X -

PT http://www.provincia.pistoia.it/indici/el_lavoro.asp - X X -

PO http://lavoro.provincia.prato.it/ X X X - Siena http://www.impiego.provincia.siena.it/

http://www.impiego.provincia.siena.it/pages/asp/impiego_9.asp

X X X C

Puglia

Reg. http://www4.regione.puglia.it/quiregione/schede.php?op=vedischeda&artid=62

- X X -

BA http://www.provincia.ba.it/ - - - -

FG http://www.provincia.foggia.it/ - - - -

BR http://www.provincia.brindisi.it/ X X X -

LE http://www.pugliaimpiego.it/ X X X -

TA www.provincia.taranto.it - - - -

Note: 1. the ‘x’ indicates the existence of a dedicated site with own url and/or own format 2. the ‘x’ indicates the presence of information on office hours, services offered, tel. and email 3. the ‘x’ indicates the availability of careers guidance services 4. the letters indicate the presence of distance careers guidance services. A: via email, B: via forum, C: via telephone. In order to be considered as offering ‘distance services’ it is necessary that the site actually refers to this type of service, as it is not considered sufficient to just quote an email address or telephone number. Arezzo and Siena have a freephone number



http://www.icg-uk.org/






A Silent Revolution. The Impact of the Internet on Careers Guidance

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