NICEC Network Event: How do we learn to be career development professionals?

This NICEC Network Meeting explored some of the tensions and opportunities around initial and continuing training and development for the field including:

• Pathways and qualification levels at Levels 4/6/7
• How far training and roles can be seen as generic or context specific
• Scope and limitations on careers roles
• The relative emphasis on working with individuals and working with systems (with organisations, with policy, with other professionals)

Overview of the Session:

Gill Frigerio of the University of Warwick opened the session.

Hannah Blake from the University of Derby - co-author of thereport commissioned by the CDI into the training and qualification systemfor the career development profession: Qualifications and professionalism incareer development. Hannah reviewed the current state of play and shared the recommendations identified in the report.

Gill Frigerio drew on recent research to explore key ideas relating to competence frameworks and how professional development programmes are delivered.  

Bob Gilworth from the University of Huddersfield explored how careers professionals understand and adapt their practice to the environment they work in with a particular focus on working in the HE sector.

David Winter – Building ongoing growth and confidence - David talked about the importance of reflective practice and how to adapt that to the AI era.

The presentations and break out discussions were followed by a final plenary chaired by Gill Frigerio.