Career Guidance for Adults – Four out of ten adults having spoken to a career guidance advisor in the past five years

With support from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation as part of the firm’s commitment to the future of work, a new OECD report fills information gaps in what we know about career guidance services for adults: What share of adults use career guidance? What distinguishes users from non-users? Are some types of career guidance more effective than others? The report draws from an online survey of adults’ experience with career guidance in six countries (New Zealand, the United States, Chile, Germany, France, and Italy), as well as a policy questionnaire distributed to Ministries of Labour and Education in all OECD countries.

Contrary to perceptions that career guidance is just for young people in schools, the survey’s findings suggest substantial demand for career guidance among adults with four out of ten adults having spoken to a career guidance advisor in the past five years. Moreover, most adults have multiple interactions with career guidance advisors. The most common reasons for seeking guidance are to receive help looking for a job (32%) and learn about education and training options (25%).

However, career guidance is not always perceived as being effective, which raises issues about the quality of the guidance offered. Only 22% of adults said it was useful in achieving concrete outcomes, like finding a job, progressing in one’s job or enrolling in a training programme. Another issue is that many adults do not even get access to the career guidance they need. Those who face labour market disadvantage and low training participation use career guidance less often. In particular, older individuals (age 55+), those living in rural areas, and low-educated adults are much less likely than their counterparts to use career guidance (Figure 1).

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story @ Career Guidance for Adults in a Changing World of Work – Skills and Work