Public Employment Services – Workforce Guidance and Development Distinct identity for...

Public Employment Services – Public Employment Services – Workforce Workforce Guidance and DevelopmentGuidance and Development

• Distinct identity for vocational/career guidance in the PES contextDistinct identity for vocational/career guidance in the PES context

• Unique characteristics and attributes that include a focused route to Unique characteristics and attributes that include a focused route to implementation strategies of the career choice process.implementation strategies of the career choice process.

• The International Labour Office (ILO) ModelThe International Labour Office (ILO) Model

• Free, publicly managed, standards for staffing and organisationFree, publicly managed, standards for staffing and organisation

• Typical PES was hierarchical-Head Office/RegionsTypical PES was hierarchical-Head Office/Regions

• LMI/Voc guidance/sectoral specialistsLMI/Voc guidance/sectoral specialists

• European Employment Guidelines-ModernisationEuropean Employment Guidelines-Modernisation


• Modernisation of PESModernisation of PES• Fundamental Shift- 6month threshold for <25 yrs and 12 months for Fundamental Shift- 6month threshold for <25 yrs and 12 months for

>25 yrs>25 yrs• ILO 1997 Private Employment Services (PRES)ILO 1997 Private Employment Services (PRES)• Australia- contracting out. Payment based on performanceAustralia- contracting out. Payment based on performance• ProfilingProfiling• ICT-Paradigm shiftICT-Paradigm shift


• The centrality of good career/vocational guidance to the activation The centrality of good career/vocational guidance to the activation and modernisation processesand modernisation processes

• Greater awareness among management that career guidance Greater awareness among management that career guidance

approaches and tools should be more embedded in the work of all approaches and tools should be more embedded in the work of all advisers and not just the role of a specialist cadre of staff that may advisers and not just the role of a specialist cadre of staff that may not be quite in tune with the realities of the modern labour market. not be quite in tune with the realities of the modern labour market.

• In line with this approach, the Irish PES in 1998 introduced in-In line with this approach, the Irish PES in 1998 introduced in-service training in guidance and counselling for all PES advisers. service training in guidance and counselling for all PES advisers. This ranges from a general introductory course in guidance and This ranges from a general introductory course in guidance and counselling, to a two year graduate/post graduate course in counselling, to a two year graduate/post graduate course in guidance and counselling, delivered by the National University of guidance and counselling, delivered by the National University of Ireland.Ireland.

• ANPE approachANPE approach

Public Employment Services – Workforce Public Employment Services – Workforce Guidance and DevelopmentGuidance and Development

• So what are the fundamentals in the PES approach to guidance and So what are the fundamentals in the PES approach to guidance and counselling?counselling?

• Main differences in the approach of the PES guidance practitioner Main differences in the approach of the PES guidance practitioner and a traditional schools-based guidance counsellor is an and a traditional schools-based guidance counsellor is an epistemological one, in that the training of many guidance epistemological one, in that the training of many guidance counsellors is focused mainly on humanistic counselling theory with counsellors is focused mainly on humanistic counselling theory with a focus on the individual and practiced in a predefined way.a focus on the individual and practiced in a predefined way.

• PES guidance practitioners are more akin to the applied PES guidance practitioners are more akin to the applied psychologist. This is because the PES practitioners draw on a psychologist. This is because the PES practitioners draw on a variety of socio-psychological perspectives and research results that variety of socio-psychological perspectives and research results that work/fit in their applied context, in this case career development and work/fit in their applied context, in this case career development and jobseekingjobseeking


• Traditional theoretical approaches to career guidance rarely Traditional theoretical approaches to career guidance rarely consider the politics, power relationships, and ambiguity that consider the politics, power relationships, and ambiguity that surround the job-seeking process. surround the job-seeking process.

• The PES approach does include these latter perspectives through The PES approach does include these latter perspectives through its research based approach while also accepting socio-its research based approach while also accepting socio-psychological perspectives. psychological perspectives.

• Access to this wider perspective can help to prevent, or rectify the Access to this wider perspective can help to prevent, or rectify the more serious pathology of unemployment related depression and its more serious pathology of unemployment related depression and its negative effects upon the individual and their social network.negative effects upon the individual and their social network.

• The focus of the PES practitioner “is to assist, enhance optimise The focus of the PES practitioner “is to assist, enhance optimise and accelerate re-employment to the most appropriate level of and accelerate re-employment to the most appropriate level of employment reflective of individual skills and potential.employment reflective of individual skills and potential.


• The factors causing career implementation difficulties to individuals and The factors causing career implementation difficulties to individuals and that are typically addressed in a PES context, include the fact that:-that are typically addressed in a PES context, include the fact that:-

• The nature & characteristics of work (and allied life-long learning The nature & characteristics of work (and allied life-long learning

opportunities) have changed faster than the average individuals opportunities) have changed faster than the average individuals understanding of these new organisational needs and the corresponding understanding of these new organisational needs and the corresponding changes to the job seeking process. changes to the job seeking process.

• Some modern methods of work can generate high levels of tacit Some modern methods of work can generate high levels of tacit knowledge and automatic learning. This can result in a highly skilled or knowledge and automatic learning. This can result in a highly skilled or qualified person simply not being aware, or has difficulty articulating or qualified person simply not being aware, or has difficulty articulating or describing their employable worth and skills.describing their employable worth and skills.

• Personal awareness of work competencies is a primary factor in self Personal awareness of work competencies is a primary factor in self esteem, confidence, self image, and social standing. To elicit such esteem, confidence, self image, and social standing. To elicit such awareness assists in the holistic development of the person, and the awareness assists in the holistic development of the person, and the enrichment of their existence, and gradually, the social fabric of the enrichment of their existence, and gradually, the social fabric of the community.community.


• The Irish PES is one of the few EU/worldwide PES that are part of a The Irish PES is one of the few EU/worldwide PES that are part of a widerwider training training and employment agency (FAS). This has allowed it to and employment agency (FAS). This has allowed it to develop a perspective on its guidance role and work in the context develop a perspective on its guidance role and work in the context of what is in effect a national life-long learning institute that provides of what is in effect a national life-long learning institute that provides training for both the unemployed and to the employedtraining for both the unemployed and to the employed . .

• This is life-long guidance at its practical best with a deep foundation This is life-long guidance at its practical best with a deep foundation in implementation strategies and routes available with the wider in implementation strategies and routes available with the wider community but also a huge body of LLL practical possibilities within community but also a huge body of LLL practical possibilities within FAS itself both in FAS training centres and through contracted FAS itself both in FAS training centres and through contracted external trainers.external trainers.


• The Services to Business division within FAS is tasked with the up-The Services to Business division within FAS is tasked with the up-skilling of people already as at work. This it does though inter-alia, skilling of people already as at work. This it does though inter-alia, the “One Step Up” programme. .the “One Step Up” programme. .

• This is designed to provide finance to individuals for training and This is designed to provide finance to individuals for training and education courses that provide new skills in the context of their education courses that provide new skills in the context of their working environment. This is negotiated jointly between the client, working environment. This is negotiated jointly between the client, the employer and FAS.the employer and FAS.

• The brokerage role played by the FAS advisers (higher skills) and The brokerage role played by the FAS advisers (higher skills) and basic skills for work coordinators(in the case of basic literacy basic skills for work coordinators(in the case of basic literacy training), is a critical component in the delivery of the training.training), is a critical component in the delivery of the training.


• Within that context the PES recently tested out the concept of Within that context the PES recently tested out the concept of workforce guidance and counselling through a pilot in one region.workforce guidance and counselling through a pilot in one region.

• The initial response to the idea and offer was good but follow-The initial response to the idea and offer was good but follow-through by employers was weak. The reluctance of the employers to through by employers was weak. The reluctance of the employers to engage in the release of workers for a guidance intervention during engage in the release of workers for a guidance intervention during work hours would seem to indicate that the option of out–of-work -work hours would seem to indicate that the option of out–of-work -hour’s one to one provision is more likely to succeed. hour’s one to one provision is more likely to succeed.

• On the evidence to date it appears that where workforce career On the evidence to date it appears that where workforce career guidance is linked into a particular in-company training initiative, it is guidance is linked into a particular in-company training initiative, it is more likely to be accepted by employers as part of the total package more likely to be accepted by employers as part of the total package - perhaps in their mind as a way to screen out unsuitable candidates - perhaps in their mind as a way to screen out unsuitable candidates for in-company training. But that is of course not the result desired for in-company training. But that is of course not the result desired by us. by us.


• It seems therefore that pure guidance provision is more likely to It seems therefore that pure guidance provision is more likely to happen outside business/industry hourshappen outside business/industry hours

• The lessons learned from the pilot are not entirely conclusive and so The lessons learned from the pilot are not entirely conclusive and so we intend running another pilot to test other ways of approaching we intend running another pilot to test other ways of approaching employers to see if we can be more effective in our approaches to employers to see if we can be more effective in our approaches to employers.employers.

• We also intend to pursue a multi-channel approachWe also intend to pursue a multi-channel approach


• Upgrade our on-line guidance and self assessment provision to Upgrade our on-line guidance and self assessment provision to allow for significant initial self-assessment through password allow for significant initial self-assessment through password protected interest inventories and motivational questionnaires. protected interest inventories and motivational questionnaires. These will allow for a preparatory guidance on-line phase similar to These will allow for a preparatory guidance on-line phase similar to that available in the private sector HR/Guidance/coaching that available in the private sector HR/Guidance/coaching consultanciesconsultancies

• Telephone support service through our contact centre where Telephone support service through our contact centre where dedicated trained guidance staff will take calls and will also be able dedicated trained guidance staff will take calls and will also be able to access the clients profile where agreed by the clientto access the clients profile where agreed by the client

• Further one-to one provision for the more disadvantaged workers Further one-to one provision for the more disadvantaged workers may be provided on an appointment basis that we may contract out may be provided on an appointment basis that we may contract out to guidance professionals and/or in collaboration with any publicly to guidance professionals and/or in collaboration with any publicly funded adult guidance provision available in the catchment areas.funded adult guidance provision available in the catchment areas.


• Such contracted advisers would be tasked with applying the PES Such contracted advisers would be tasked with applying the PES applied research guidance model to the implementation of applied research guidance model to the implementation of strategies developed in the workforce guidance process We may strategies developed in the workforce guidance process We may also offer career guidance vouchers that can be used to buy career also offer career guidance vouchers that can be used to buy career guidance one to one services in the private sector. guidance one to one services in the private sector.

• Delivery of implementation support would be through web based on-Delivery of implementation support would be through web based on-

line resources, telephony and one to one provision where requiredline resources, telephony and one to one provision where required


• We look to using leading edge ICT based solutions to provide the We look to using leading edge ICT based solutions to provide the implementation channels. implementation channels.

• We are experimenting with a fully virtual offering where the We are experimenting with a fully virtual offering where the interaction will be face to face through the use of new interaction will be face to face through the use of new video/ICTechnologies that will allow for a virtual real-time guidance video/ICTechnologies that will allow for a virtual real-time guidance interaction for clients. interaction for clients.

• This could in the first instance be provided to clients that are facing This could in the first instance be provided to clients that are facing difficulties though remoteness of their location or issues such as difficulties though remoteness of their location or issues such as disabilities that might create travel or technology barriers. disabilities that might create travel or technology barriers.


• It is clear that PES practitioners draw on a variety of socio-It is clear that PES practitioners draw on a variety of socio-psychological perspectives and research results that work/fit in their psychological perspectives and research results that work/fit in their applied context. applied context.

• Access to these wider perspectives facilitates practical career Access to these wider perspectives facilitates practical career guidance where outcomes can be translated into guided actions. guidance where outcomes can be translated into guided actions.

• The PES brings this unique perspective to workforce guidance and The PES brings this unique perspective to workforce guidance and

is well placed to be the facilitator of innovation in its deliveryis well placed to be the facilitator of innovation in its delivery..

Public Employment Services – Workforce Guidance and Development Distinct identity for...

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