Media Releases & Articles
Media Releases
Lifting VET Participation Starts with Better Career Guidance in Schools – June 2025
Dreaming of Jobs That Don’t Exist New OECD Report Sounds Alarm on Teen Career Misalignment May 2025
Removing the National Careers Institute Risks Setting Back Workforce Reform – March 2025
Commending the Tasmanian Government’s Youth Jobs Strategy 2024-2030 – September 2024
CICA Commends Recommendation for National Career Advice Framework – March 2024
Jobs and Skills Summit Must Consider the Role of Career Development Support – Media Release 310822
Turning little ripples into positive choices for our children’s future – Media Release 241121
Career Development Vital for a Post COVID-19 Labour Market Revival – May 2020
Equipping the Next Generation in an Increasingly Complex Environment – 3 May 2017
National Peak Body Welcomes the Announcement of a New National Career Education Strategy – May 2016
National Peak Body Welcomes Youth Employment Strategy – 13 May 2015
Career Education Resources Reduced When Young Australian Need Them Most – 28 April 2015
Lack of Funding Deprives Career Support for Australian Students – 25 March 2015
Government Recognises the Importance of School Career Advisers – 1 September 2014
Quality Career Advice Essential to VETiS Reform – 28 April 2014
Quality Career Advice for Job Seekers – No April Fools’ – 1 April 2014
National Peak Body Calls for Improved Quality of Career Advice – 10 March 2014
News Articles
Workers with digital skills earning thousands more every year: Report – The New Daily – March 2022
Bargaining power: How to make the most of the strong jobs market – The New Daily – January 2022
Cuts to career advisers could be hurting students in university – Sydney Morning Herald – July 2017
Websites
Australia
Your Career – The Your Career website is a platform of the National Careers Institute. It is designed to provide clear and simple careers information and to help people of all ages and circumstances better plan and manage their career
myfuture – Australia’s career information and exploration service
Jobs and Skills Australia – JSA is an independent agency, responsible for providing advice to Australian Government to underpin Australia’s response to current, emerging and future labour market and workforce skills and training needs.
Future Ready – Australia’s National Career Education Strategy and the resources that support the Strategy
QILT – helps you compare official study experience and employment outcomes data from Australian higher education institutions. Create your own shortlist to compare different study areas and institutions.
Course Seeker – is a national course comparison tool that allows students to search over 7,000 undergraduate courses. Students can search, select and compare up to four higher education courses nationally.
Workforce Australia – Workforce Australia is a place Australians can search and apply for jobs or find more information on their pathway to employment.
Parent Pathways – is a voluntary service that provides personalised assistance and financial support to eligible parents and carers of children up to the age of 6 years.
Careers for Net Zero – Whether you’re a school leaver, a recent graduate or a worker with years of experience, find out more about why Careers for Net Zero is so important.
Job Jump Start – Find new ways to explore careers and prepare for work by reading articles and using the tools provided. All the information on Job Jumpstart fits into three themes: Looking for a job; Building a career, and At work
Study Assist – Information for students about government assistance for financing tertiary study
Disability Employment Services – helps people with a disability find work and keep a job
Parents and Guardian’s Guide for School Leavers – summarises the resources and information available to help you explore all the education, training, and work options available to your child.
Australian Apprenticeships – Australian Government information site for apprenticeships
National Apprentice Employment Network – the national association representing group training organisations, Australia’s largest employer network of apprentices and trainees
National Centre for Vocational Education Research – informing policy and practice in Australia’s training system
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority – ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) improves learning for young Australians through world-class school curriculum, assessment and reporting
Work Studies Years 9-10 Australian Curriculum – The Australian Curriculum: Work Studies Years 9–10 will deliver a school-based subject that provides opportunities for students to undertake vocational learning and develop work-readiness skills in preparation for further study towards a skilled occupation or further education after leaving school
International
The International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy – The main purpose of this web site is to facilitate policy learning through the international exchange of knowledge and information concerning public policy and career development issues
International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance – The International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance provides global leadership in and advocates for guidance by promoting ethical, socially just, and best practices throughout the world so that career, educational and vocational guidance and counselling is available to all citizens from competent and qualified practitioners.
Canadian Career Development Foundation – a non-profit organization that works to advance career development and the capacity of the profession to respond with compassion and skill to all clients and stakeholders in an ever-changing work environment.
Career Development Institute UK – The CDI is the single UK-wide professional body for everyone working in the fields of career education; career information, advice and guidance; career coaching, career consultancy and career management.
South African Career Development Association – SACDA is a country wide professional body for the ethical regulation and professional development of Career Development Practitioners in South Africa.
Asia Pacific Career Development Association – connects career development professionals who work in or are interested in the Asia Pacific region and provides a global forum for sharing career development ideas, research, and techniques that are effective in the Asia Pacific region
Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training – is a national policy research institute, established in 1997 with the mandate of supporting national human resources development policy and the Korean public’s lifelong skills development
Careers New Zealand – is a Crown entity established under the Education Act 1989, and governed by a board that reports to the Minister of Education
OECD Career Guidance Policy Review – effective career information and guidance systems are a key to making lifelong learning a reality for all.
The OECD Career Readiness project is designed to provide new advice to governments, schools, employers and other stakeholders on how to best prepare young people to compete in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) labour market. Drawing on international datasets, the project identifies career-related factors that make a difference to young people’s success in adult employment.
European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network – aims to assist the European Union (EU) Member States (and the neighbouring countries eligible for the EU Lifelong Learning Programme) and the European Commission in developing European co-operation on lifelong guidance in both the education and the employment sectors.
International Centre for Guidance Studies – is an applied research centre specialising in career development and employability
National Careers Service in England – This service is available to people who live in England. The National Careers Service provides high quality, free and impartial careers advice, information and guidance. Our service is available to anyone aged 13+ no matter what stage of the careers journey you’re at.
Skills Development Scotland – Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is Scotland’s national skills body. We contribute to Scotland’s sustainable economic growth by supporting people and businesses to develop and apply their skills. We work with our partners to provide services that deliver the very best outcomes for Scotland’s people, businesses and the economy.
Careers Wales – Careers Wales helps you to plan your career, prepare to get a job, and find and apply for the right apprenticeships, courses and training.
The National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE) – an agency of the Department of Education, with responsibility to support and develop guidance practice in all areas of education and to inform the policy of the Department in the field of guidance
Position & Commissioned Papers
Australia
Boosting Business with Career Services Career Services Policy Paper – VCCI October 2023
Connecting the Worlds of Learning and Work – July 2018
Youth Action Policy Paper – Career Guidance – The Missing Link July 2017
CICA Career Development Practitioner Survey Analysis – September 2012
CICA VET Career Development Services – June 2012
Career Development Guidelines for People with Disability February 2012
CICA Trial Report Career Development of Young People with a Disability Final June 2012
Engaging Parents in the Career Development of Young People – 2012
Improving the Career Literacy of Australian Students – 2009
Career More than Just a Job – Career Development understandings informing myfuture – 2008
The Public Benefits of Career Development Services – A Position Paper
Access Economics Scoping Study on Economic Benefits of Career Development Services Nov 2006
Access Economics Study response Tony Watts Notes 2006
Managing Life Learning and Work in the 21 Century – 2002
International
A Fresh Look at Guidance Practitioner Professionalism, CEDEFOP, December 2021
Career Readiness for All – The Coalition for Career Development 2019
Submissions
Submission to Building Women’s Careers Program- Informing Grant Guidelines July 2024
A National Skills Passport – Consultation Submission February 2024
Review To Inform A Better And Fairer Education System (The Review) Submission – August 2023
Inquiry into the perceptions and status of vocational education and training – March 2023
Employment White Paper – Terms of Reference Consultation, November 2022
Senate Standing Committee on Education and Employment – Jobs and Skills Australia Bill, August 2022
CICA Comment on Draft Implementation Plan Transparency of Higher Education Admission – May 2017
CICA Submission to HESP consultation on Transparency of Higher Education Admission – May 2016
CICA Response to the AWPA Skills and Workforce Development Needs Discussion Paper – August 2012
CICA Response to the National Career Development Strategy Green Paper – July 2012
Government Policy & Review
Strengthening Career Guidance for Mid-Career Adults in Australia. OECD (Paris)
In a rapidly changing world of work, adults in Australia are being challenged to upskill, retrain and consider alternative career paths. Mid-career adults are in a unique position: they have acquired considerable skills and work experience but still have many years left in the labour market before retirement. They thus may need help to build on their existing skills to progress but have time before retirement to recoup their training investments. If well designed, career guidance can facilitate employment transitions for this group and usefully inform their training choices. This report assesses the career guidance services that are currently available to mid-career adults in Australia and puts them into an international perspective. New online survey data shows Australia performs well in OECD comparison with respect to the use of career guidance services, but there is room to strengthen the inclusiveness of these services and to tailor them to the needs of mid-career adults. The report provides concrete recommendations in this regard.
This report is published under the responsibility of the Secretary General of the OECD, with the financial assistance of the Australian Department of Education, Skills and Employment. The views expressed in this report should not be taken to reflect the official position of OECD member countries.
In the Same Sentence: Bringing higher and vocational education together. NSW Review Report
The NSW Government asked David Gonski AC and Peter Shergold AC to examine vocational education and training (VET) in NSW. They were asked to provide advice on how the state’s VET system could best address ongoing and emerging skills shortages, paying particular regard to its quality, efficiency and structural complexity. It was indicated that they should consider how to integrate secondary, vocational and higher education learning opportunities, how to re-imagine industry engagement and how to improve career advice to support lifelong learning. It was also suggested that they should seek to understand any negative public perceptions of VET.
Final VET Sector Report March 2021
Productivity Commission, National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development Review, Study Report
The Australian Government asked the Commission to review progress against the targets, outcomes and performance indicators in the NASWD and to assess whether it is still an effective long‑term framework for intergovernmental cooperation on VET policy. Intertwined with that assessment, the Commission has also been asked to consider options:
- to coordinate and streamline government support
- for national consistency in VET funding and pricing that maximise efficiency, transparency and the supply of trained workers
- to promote consistency in funding and loan arrangements between the VET and higher education sectors
- to ensure government investment in VET encourages increased participation in training that is commensurate with the benefits.
Looking to the Future – Report of the review of senior secondary pathways into work, further education and training
In recognition of the important role, senior secondary education plays in preparing students for the rapidly changing world beyond school, Through Growth to Achievement: Report of the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools recommended establishing an independent inquiry into senior secondary schooling. The recommendation has been formalised in the national school reform agreement as a national policy initiative to review senior secondary pathways into work, further education and training (the Review).
The Review reported to Education Council as outlined in the National School Reform Agreement 2019-2023.
Looking to the Future Report June 2020
Future Ready: National Career Education Strategy
The National Career Education Strategy has been developed by the Australian Government to increase awareness and improve national consistency of career education.
The strategy reflects nationally agreed objectives for governments, schools and employers to support provision of high quality career education for all school students.
Future Ready – a student focused National Career Education Strategy
Victorian Government Inquiry into Career Advice in Victorian Schools
Secondary school is a time when students have to make important decisions about their future direction. They need the skills, knowledge and confidence to choose between further education, training or employment and the capacity to modify their direction as needed throughout their professional life. This Inquiry considered how well Victorian schools are preparing students to navigate the world of work and where they could improve.
Inquiry into career advice activities in Victorian schools Report
Unique Individuals, Broad Skills – Inquiry into school to work transition
On Wednesday 31 May 2017, the Minister for Employment, Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, referred to the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training (the Committee) an inquiry into how students are supported from school to work.
Unique Individuals, Broad Skills Inquiry into School to Work Transition – May 2018
Career and Skills Pathways – Research into a whole-of-system approach to enhancing lifelong career support mechanisms for all Australians
PwC were engaged by the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training to research and investigate a whole-of-system, lifelong career support model for all Australians throughout their post-schooling life.
This report provides a summary of the current career support system, an understanding of the high level users and their requirements, and an informed set of recommendations for how to enhance careers support in Australia.
This work aligns with vocational education reform initiatives, including the recently announced Skilling Australians Fund and Industry Specialist Mentoring program, as well as the National Career Development Strategy.
PwC Career and Skills Pathways Project – June 2017
National Career Development Research Project
National Career Development Strategy 2013
A research project on career development in Australia was undertaken to inform the National Career Development Strategy. The research project comprised four separate elements.
1. Literature Review
A literature review of national and international research into career development, prepared by Miles Morgan Australia to inform the National Career Development Strategy.
2. Needs Analysis
Identifies and analyses the career development needs and wants of young people (5-24 years), their parents, teachers and communities.
NCDS Element 2 Qualitative Research
NCDS Element 2 Quantitative Research
NCDS Element 2 Synthesis Report
3. Cost-Benefit Analysis
A cost-benefit analysis exploring the pros and cons of the options for the National Career Development Strategy. Prepared by Deloitte Access Economics to inform the National Career Development Strategy.
NCDS Deloitte Access Cost Benefit Analysis
4. Recommendations and Options
A rationale and options for a National Career Development Strategy provides recommendations for improving career development interventions and a range of options for the National Career Development Strategy. Prepared by Nous Group to inform the National Career Development Strategy.
NCDS Rationale & Options Nous Group
Job Guide
Job Guide Review Final Report 2013
Australian Blueprint for Career Development
6th International Symposium on Career Development and Public Policy
Report 6th International Symposium on Career Development and Public Policy
Career Guidance – A Handbook for Policy Makers OECD
Career Guidance – A Handbook for Policy Makers
OECD Australia Country Note – 2002
OECD Australia Country Note 2002
