Multiple disruptions ranging from changes in the organization of work and increasing digitalization, to the greening of economies and the COVID-19 pandemic have had a major impact on labour markets, presenting many obstacles for individuals trying to navigate the market in search of jobs and career guidance.
Recognizing the importance of career guidance in enabling access to decent work, ensuring labour market relevant skills and professional mobility, the Inter-Agency Career Guidance Working Group (IAG CGWG) has launched the first Global Careers Month, which will run from 8 November to 13 December.
Career guidance describes the services that help people of any age manage their careers and make the educational, training and occupational choices in line with their interest and personal goals. It involves a range of connected learning activities that help people access services, resources and experiences related to employment and further education and training.
"We now have growing evidence that shows that when young adults have access to quality career readiness, they can earn higher wages and are more likely to be employed and remain in secure employment as they move further along in their career," said Srinivas Reddy, Chief, ILO Skills and Employability Branch, during the ceremony kicking off the month-long series of events. "The results are strongest for individuals from under-represented populations, lower income groups and persons with disabilities."
Over the course of the month, the IAG CGWG, made of the ILO, Cedefop, the European Commission, European Training Foundation (ETF), OECD, UNESCO and the World Bank, will promote a series of global and regional events on a range of themes, in partnership with national and regional associations in the areas of career development for youth and adults.
"Career development is a continuous process throughout life. It is fundamental to the smooth transitions of young people as they, in ever greater numbers, are presented with choices about continuing education and training and to adults needing to upskill, reskill or to move within the labour market", said Xavier Matheu, European Training Foundation (ETF) Director ad interim and Head of Knowledge Hub Department. "It is not only the unemployed who are in need of career guidance. Now more than ever, as demand for labour is changing rapidly, it is also relevant to people in work who are looking to move jobs."
The Global Careers Month has several objectives, among them:
- Raise awareness about the role and importance of effective career guidance to enable access to decent work, careers and support growth efforts during economic recovery;
- Identify shared challenges to the development of career guidance systems as well as local specificities linked to local contexts;
- Showcase high quality and innovative solutions to promote career development support in diverse contexts and for learners at different stages in their educational and career pathways; and,
- Disseminate research undertaken by the collaborating agencies on the design and delivery of effective career guidance.
"In a rapidly changing world of work, more investment is needed to provide career guidance in education, training, employment services and workplaces so people can effectively manage transitions over their life course," said Florian Kadletz, Human Capital Development Expert at the ETF.
Global Careers Month will conclude with an on-line closing ceremony planned for 13 December to highlight outcomes stemming from the month-long initiative and a global community of practice containing a repository of tools and resources gathered through global and regional level activities held over the month.
