1. IAEVG
Quebec
June 4-6 2014

2. Career Development
Benchmarks-Tertiary
• Programmatic rather than practitioner competencies
• Compare
o UK Matrix standard
o AGCAS Careers Education Benchmarks
statement
o Australian Careers Education Quality
Framework

3. Benchmarks are not evaluative standards
but a guide or framework that can be used
to improve practice
Career Development Benchmarks-Tertiary
are a self-review tool
Benchmarks and standards

4. • working team from Careers NZ
• reviewing the literature
• developing a working draft
• field testing the draft with a wide range of tertiary
providers around the country
• an online survey
• peer review
• finalisation of the draft document
Throughout the process the team consulted with external
reference and governance groups, and feedback was
sought from a cultural and international perspective
Career Development Benchmarks – Tertiary
launched 2012
Development process

5. Inputs and output

6. • Employer and Industry Engagement is any
contact between tertiary organisations and
employers and industry that enables students to
develop their career management competencies.
• Student Engagement is the way in which students
connect with careers programmes and services in
order to develop their career management
competencies.
• Organisation Engagement deals with how the
tertiary organisation as a whole enables its students
to develop their career management competencies.

7. S1
Students have a strong awareness of self, their identity, language and culture, how they
relate to others and their potential for development. They can identify their social and
cultural influences and how they interact with the economy and society. Students are able to
consider, analyse and apply these competencies to the lives they currently have and aspire
to have.
S2
Students can identify, evaluate and act on the opportunities available to them in life, learning
and work. They are aware of the shifts in regional, national and global economies and
society and their influence on their life, learning and work.
S3
Students make well-informed decisions as well as implement flexible life, learning and work
plans. They are adaptable and responsive to change. They can find alternatives when faced
with obstacles and have the resilience and ability to adapt as their life, learning and work
environments change.
S4
Students develop and articulate their own personal and marketable identity which reflects
their values, skills, training, knowledge and interests. This is evident in all communications
that they share with the wider world, including prospective employers, broader networks
and in online spaces.
Career management competencies
for tertiary students

8. Action Research
• An approach of co-operative inquiry
• Abolishes the line between research and action
• Utilises a team approach to bring about change
• Overtly “political” in order to improve the
situation
• Intended to generate solutions to practical
problems

9. Action Research
• Action research is a method used for improving practice. It involves
action, evaluation, and critical reflection and – based on the evidence
gathered – changes in practice are then implemented.
• Action research is participative and collaborative; it is undertaken by
individuals with a common purpose.
• It is situation-based and context specific.
• It develops reflection based on interpretations made by the participants.
• Knowledge is created through action and at the point of application.
• Action research can involve problem solving, if the solution to the
problem leads to the improvement of practice.
• In action research findings will emerge as action develops, but these
are not conclusive or absolute.
Koshy, 2010

10. Action Research Design
• The team: The career practitioner and 2 academics
• Each team member was an “insider” who had
unique but important experiences and knowledge of
the career services and the university
• Fortnightly meetings
• Planning, Action, Reflection in cycles

11. Action Research Advantages
• Lone practitioner. Ability to reflect and discuss
with professionals
• Additional support and credibility when
promoting careers strategic plan to Faculty
• Kudos of using academic expertise to underpin
the development of the service

12. SWOT analysis
Strengths
• Senior management team
support
• Extensive employer
engagement occurring
Weaknesses
• Minimal previous
support
Opportunities
• Management support
• Framework for a quality service
• AACSB Accreditation
• Marketing potential
Threats
• Potential overload

13. O1 Organisational Engagement
Element 4.
• Effective career development & support
light on the ‘how”. Benchmarks outline “the
how.”
• Ability to enhance the employability of
graduates, marketing potential, future pressure
for destinations data.
• AACSB re-accreditation 2016

14. E1 Employer & Industry
Engagement
• Opportunity to maximise employer
engagement for employment outcomes &
Faculty engagement on many levels.
• Joining the dots between existing activities
and leveraging of these opportunities.

15. Outcomes
• The Career Development Benchmarks have
added a framework which is logical and easy to
follow for non practitioners
• The framework makes it easy to highlight how
careers can support wider faculty initiatives
(AACSB, PRME)
• Strategic plan developed that has been
- accepted by Faculty Board
-accepted by Faculty employer panel

16. Future
• The Benchmarks will be utilised to structure and
monitor career development provision in Faculty
• Findings can be utilised for the restructuring of
the central University Careers Service and
initiatives based in other faculties
• Action research hasn’t just studied the
development of career provision; it has
contributed to its future

17. http://www.careers.govt.nz/educators-
practitioners/planning/career-education-
benchmarks/tertiary-benchmarks/
Careers NZ

18. Dale.Furbish@aut.ac.nz
Robyn.Bailey@aut.ac.nz
David.Trought@aut.ac.nz