CHAPTER 4:
National Career Development Guidelines

In response to several professional groups including the National Career Development Association, American Vocational Association's Guidance Division and State Supervisors of Guidance, who encouraged the development of guidelines for career guidance programs, the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (NOICC) sponsored the National Career Development Guidelines initiative in 1987. The guidelines were field tested in 1988 and published in 1989. The National Career Development Guidelines were designed to stimulate local, state, and national activities that result in improved career guidance and counseling programs. Specifically, these guidelines are intended to

• strengthen career development programs at all levels.
• enhance the achievement of career development competencies.
• develop local and state career development standards.
• improve existing programs.
• support program evaluation.

1. Individual Career Development Competencies and Indicators
   The competencies and indicators are guidelines that describe desired outcomes of career guidance and counseling programs and are the basis for program development. Competencies are viewed as broad goals, whereas indicators describe specific knowledge, skills, and abilities students need to cope effectively with daily life; and to make decisions about secondary and postsecondary education, entering the world of work, and financing further education and training. The competencies and indicators (see Table 2) developed for the elementary, middle/junior high school, high school, and adult levels are organized around three major career developmental areas: (1) self-knowledge, (2) educational and occupational exploration, and (3) career planning.

2. Organizational Capabilities
   Organizational capabilities refer to the commitments, structure, and support (e.g., administrative support, physical facilities, and materials and equipment) required for effective and efficient career guidance and counseling programs. Crucial to the successful implementation of a comprehensive counseling program is an administrative support which
   • secures necessary commitments and resources.
   • strengthens program staff members' interests and expertise.
   • redefines staff roles and responsibilities to provide time to deliver the career guidance and counseling program.
   • implements the program in phases so that it is manageable.
   • involves internal groups such as administrators and other staff, and external groups such as employers, state agencies, and community organizations.
   • uses evaluation results to improve career programs.

3. Personnel Requirements
   This component outlines competencies needed by counselors and other career development professionals to deliver comprehensive career guidance and counseling programs. They are organized in seven major areas:
   1. counseling
   2. information
   3. individual and group assessment
   4. management and administration
   5. implementation
   6. consultation
   7. specific populations

   While career counselors who are certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors have demonstrated their skills/competencies in all areas, other career guidance and counseling personnel are expected to have attained some, but not all, of the competencies.

   The National Career Development Guidelines are designed to strengthen and improve career development programs at all levels in a wide range of settings. It is a comprehensive, competency-based approach to career development that serves as a blueprint for states, educational institutions, and other organizations to use in developing effective career guidance programs. The following products have been developed to aid in this effort:

   • Trainer's Manual
   • State Resource Handbook
   • Local Handbooks: Elementary, Middle/Junior High School, High Schools, Postsecondary Institutions, and Community and Business Organizations
   • VHS Videotape, "A Focus for Action"
   • VHS Videotape, "Career Counseling for Change: Helping Students Transition from School to Work"
   To date, the guidelines have been adapted by over forty states. Resources such as the Get a Life Career Development Portfolio use the guidelines as competency standards, and Career Information Delivery Systems (CIDS) include them as part of career searches. The guidelines also provide the foundation for establishing the career development component of School-to-Work Transition Programs.

   To obtain a complete listing of competencies and indicators for all levels and further information on the National Career Development Guidelines, contact:

   National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (NOICC)
   2100 M Street, NW, Suite 156
   Washington, DC 20037
   Phone: (202) 653-5665
   FAX: (202) 653-2123
   

   To order products, contact:

   NOICC Training and Support Center (NTSC)
   Customer Service
   1500 Water Seventh Avenue
   Stillwater, OK 74074-4364
   Phone: (800) 522-5810
   (405) 743-5197
   
   

   Reference
   

   National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee. (1989). The national career development guidelines: Trainer's manual. Washington, DC: Author.
   
   
   

   Table 2
   Career Guidance and Counseling Competencies by Area and Level
   

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   Elementary	Middle/Junior High School	High School	Adult
   SELF-KNOWLEDGE
   Knowledge of the importance of self-concept	Knowledge of the influence of a positive self-concept.	Understanding the influence of a positive self-concept	Skills to maintain a positive self-concept.
   Skills to interact with others.	Skills to interact with others.	Skills to interact positively with others.	Skills to maintain effective behaviors.
   Awareness of the importance of growth and change.	Knowledge of the importance of growth and change.	Understanding the impact of growth and development.	Understanding developmental changes and transitions.
   EDUCATIONAL and OCCUPATIONAL EXPLORATION
   Awareness of the benefits of educational achievement.	Knowledge of the benefits of educational achievement to career opportunities.	Understanding the relationship between educational achievement and career planning.	Skills to enter and participate in education and training.
   Awareness of the relationship between work and learning.	Understanding the relationship between work and learning.	Understanding the need for positive attitudes toward work and learning.	Skills to participate in work and life-long learning.
   Skills to understand and use career information.	Skills to locate, understand, and use career information.	Skills to locate, evaluate, and interpret career information.	Skills to locate, evaluate, and interpret career information.
   Awareness of the importance of personal responsibility and good work habits.	Knowledge of skills necessary to seek and obtain jobs.	Skills to prepare to seek, obtain, maintain, and change jobs.	Skills to prepare to seek, obtain, maintain, and change jobs.
   Awareness of how work relates to the needs and functions of society.	Understanding how work relates to the needs and functions of the economy and society.	Understanding how societal needs and functions influence the nature and structure of work.	Understanding how the needs and functions of society influence the nature and structure of work.
   CAREER PLANNING
   Understanding how to make decisions.	Skills to make decisions.	Skills to make decisions.	Skills to make decisions.
   Awareness of the interrelationship of life roles.	Knowledge of the interrelationship of life roles.	Understanding the interrelationship of life roles.	Understanding the impact of work on individual and family life.
   Awareness of different occupations and changing male/female roles.	Knowledge of different occupations and changing male/female roles.	Understanding the continuous changes in male/female roles.	Understanding the continuing changes in male/female roles.
   Awareness of the career planning process.	Understanding the process of career planning.	Skills in career planning.	Skills to make career transitions.

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