Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to conduct career development sessions that promote well considered solutions and opportunity oriented career and life decision making.

The unit also covers applying appropriate career development theory; assisting individuals to make informed career choices; communicating professionally to promote career development outcomes; and using resources and technology to support career development sessions.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to leaders seeking to conduct career development sessions in accordance with professional standards.

Careers are unique to each person and will vary with specific target audiences. Career development sessions may be provided in a variety of ways given the different organisational contexts, individuals involved and delivery settings. The professional expertise of the provider and their use of effective interpersonal and communication skills are central to the success of a career development session.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Apply appropriate career development theory

1.1. Research the major career development  theories and models

1.2. Analyse the differences between advice, information provision and professional standards in relation to career development

1.3. Apply theory in an appropriate manner, both to individuals involved and in relation to the context for a career development session 

1.4. Evaluate models appropriate for individual and group career development sessions

1.5. Analyse diversity  in relation to individuals and the target group, when planning a career development session

2. Conduct career development sessions

2.1. Conduct career development counselling  in a clear and unambiguous manner

2.2. Complete problem and goal clarification to the satisfaction of all involved

2.3. Utilise key skills  to successfully complete career development sessions

2.4. Identify common patterns of thinking, feeling and behaviour that limit making or acting upon well considered choices, and devise counter strategies

2.5. Effectively apply rapport building and attending skills 

2.6. Ensure participants set personal goals and make informed choices in the career development session

2.7. Consistently apply effective responding skills  when giving feedback on progress during career counselling session

3. Assist individuals make informed career choices

3.1. Assist individuals to identify career development needs

3.2. Determine individual needs and aspirations holistically, in the context of individuals' lives

3.3. Identify individual career development needs that fall outside the scope of practice of the career development service provider

3.4. Refer individuals to or inform them about, appropriate sources of further information or career development support services where required

4. Communicate professionally to promote career development outcomes

4.1. Communicate an accurate assessment of individual needs

4.2. Create a cooperative and productive environment for the conduct of a career development session

4.3. Create a climate of trust, comfort and safety for the conduct of career development sessions

4.4. Complete career development work in an ethical, cooperative and respectful manner within the team and wider organisational context

5. Use resources and technology to support career development sessions

5.1. Acquire, record and prepare relevant information prior to a career development session

5.2. Prepare accurate records and reports in accordance with professional conduct and career development standards 

5.3. Assist individuals to use relevant support resources and technology 

5.4. Monitor support resources and technology to ensure they support quality outcomes for career development services 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• analytical skills to interpret structurally intricate career development information and to develop reports which deal with complex ideas and concepts
• communication and teamwork skills to:

• provide advocacy and support for individual needs and career choices
• use a wide range of effective communication techniques, and methods and tools such as conflict resolution, negotiation, responding, creative coaching and mentoring

• planning and organising skills to:

• research career development theories and models
• plan, conduct and report on career development and counselling sessions
• keep accurate records and reports

• problem-solving, initiative and enterprise skills to:

• apply appropriate career counselling techniques and career development models to meet client needs
• establish a safe, comfortable, trusting relationship and environment within which to conduct career sessions
• conduct career development related assessments using professional and robust tools and techniques

• self-management and learning skills to:

• conduct career development sessions ethically, cooperatively and respectfully
• assist others to set personal and life goals
• refer individuals to other experts in the field where required

• technical skills to:

• use, and assist others to use, resources and technology in providing career development sessions
• monitor support resources and technology.

Required knowledge 

• common patterns of thinking, feeling and behaviour and their impact on individual career choices
• concepts and principles relating to service provision: lifelong learning, holistic career development, career counselling, career decision making, career coaching, career maintenance, work satisfaction, employability, enterprising, positive uncertainty and planned happenstance
• human psychology and needs in relation to careers counselling
• organisational policies and procedures on counselling.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• rigour in analysing, planning, implementing and evaluating individual and target group career development needs
• effective communication during a career development session and when providing information services
• using technology and other means to collect, assess and store information for use in a career development services setting
• capacity to review each individual's needs, taking into consideration the diverse perspectives individuals might hold in relation to characteristics such as their nationality, gender, ethnicity, class, age, sexuality or disability
• application of knowledge of a range of concepts and principles relating to service provision.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• access to an actual workplace or simulated environment
• competence is consistently demonstrated over time, and over a range and variety of situations providing career development sessions to a professional standard.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• applied projects or activities such as collection of resources and information in relation to career development, conduct of career information sessions
• direct observation of contextual application of skills in a number of career development sessions conducted for a range of individuals and groups
• oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of providing vocational career development counselling.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• BSBLED707A Establish career development services
• BSBLED709A Identify and communicate trends in career development.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Career development  may include:

• services intended to assist individuals of any age, and at any point throughout their lives, to make vocational, educational, training and occupational choices and to manage their careers, life, learning and work

Career development sessions  may be:

• expanding and narrowing choice, or specific to a career choice
• formal or informal
• general in relation to a number of occupations or an industry
• occupation or position specific
• one-off or ongoing

Diversity  includes variations in:

• age
• belief systems and values
• culture
• expertise, experience and working styles
• gender
• interpersonal style
• interests
• language, literacy and numeracy
• physical differences
• political viewpoints
• race and ethnicity
• religious beliefs
• sexual orientation
• thinking and learning styles

Career development counselling  may include:

• expanding and narrowing choice, or specific to a career choice
• formal or informal
• general in relation to a number of occupations or an industry
• occupation or position specific
• one-off or ongoing

Key skills  to successfully complete career development sessions include:

• advocacy
• coaching and mentoring
• conflict resolution
• creativity
• negotiation

Rapport building and attending skills  may include:

• establishing a conducive environment
• using non-verbal and verbal encouragement
• using timely and appropriate pauses, tone, intonation, gestures

Effective responding skills  may include:

• exploration of discrepancies and exceptions; positives and negatives; past, current and potential implications
• exploration of general and specific examples
• intensity hierarchies and reframing questions to assist individuals refine their choices
• open and probing questioning to explore situations and contexts, time lines, behaviour, thinking and feelings, relationships
• timely, appropriate paraphrasing and summaries

Professional conduct and career development standards  may include:

• those competencies or codes set, recognised and authorised by a national body, for instance the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA); this includes but is not be limited to the Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners (2006)

Support resources and technology  may include:

• career information and support materials
• communication technologies, such telephones, TTY and email
• electronic and information technology
• meeting rooms and facilities
• physical support services
• policies and rules for clients to complete follow-up with contact staff or service providers

Quality outcomes for career development services  may include a mix of physical and electronic means to achieve:

• adequate resource needs of the counselling service
• capacity to offer a range of choices and advice
• careers counselling
• compliance with regulatory, professional and organisational standards
• effective conflict resolution
• identification and removal of any gaps in career counselling services
• negotiation, advocacy, enterprising, coaching and mentoring skills
• relevance, currency and appropriateness of services provided to individuals
• satisfaction of needs associated with a specific context and target group

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Workforce Development - Learning and Development

Co-requisite units