CICA Calls for Career Guidance to be Central to Tertiary Education Reform
The Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) has lodged a submission to the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) in response to its discussion paper, A More Joined-Up Tertiary System.
CICA welcomed ATEC’s focus on creating a more connected tertiary education system but emphasised that improved pathways alone are not enough. Learners must also have access to quality, impartial career guidance to help them understand, navigate and make informed decisions about those pathways.
The submission highlights the need for career guidance to be recognised as essential infrastructure within a joined-up tertiary system. CICA argues that better information platforms, stronger VET and higher education connections, and improved credit recognition arrangements will only achieve their intended impact if supported by qualified career development practitioners and a coordinated lifelong career guidance framework.
Drawing on international evidence from the OECD, ILO and other global agencies, CICA’s submission recommends greater investment in the career development workforce, sector-neutral career information, and a national approach to lifelong career guidance that supports Australians across all stages of life and work.
CICA looks forward to continuing to work with ATEC and government stakeholders to ensure that learners are not only provided with more pathways, but are also equipped with the skills, support and guidance needed to navigate them successfully.
