This workshop encourages the use of client stories to complement and enrich labour market information. Extensive use is made of factual information in our work with clients: about entry requirements; career progression; employment prospects and wages. Such information has reliability: but its credibility is less certain. Law argues that 'labour-market information may not be recognisable to some clients...they know of work-life disappointments, frustrations and stresses that don't get much of mention on our databases' (Law, B (2007) Why careers workers need three brains, and why brain #3 urges 'use more stories!' [Online] Accessible: http://hihohiho.com/magazine/features/cafbrains). How can we assure clients that we know what we are talking about - when we are talking about an occupation we have never ourselves experienced at first hand? Perhaps by using our clients' own experience of work, we can get some sense of what that work feels like. So, this workshop looks at sources of 'inside info', using client stories in print and on film. The print stories come from a project with learndirect advisers (and their clients), the film stories from the web-based films made by Careersbox (http://www.careersbox.co.uk/). It should interest practitioners, managers, policy makers - and people who enjoy listening to stories.
Dr M Rachel Mulvey worked in careers services and FE, firstly as a practitioner then a manager, before joining the School of Psychology at UEL, where she heads the Centre for Training in Career Guidance. Rachel is a Fellow and Immediate Past President of the Institute of Career Guidance (ICG). |
