1. Developmental tasks, vocational development and career adaptability INAP Assuring the Acquisition of Expertise: Apprenticeship in the Modern Economy Beijing, China, 26 – 27 May 2011 Alan Brown and Jenny Bimrose alan.brown@warwick.ac.uk

2. Developmental Life Stages Early adulthood:  ‘getting started in an occupation’  tentative in relation to vocational development Much VET assumes:  commitment to a sector  appropriate work will follow

3. Global context Fluidity & change:  labour markets;  organisation of work;  occupational knowledge base;  organisational work process knowledge

4. Making their way: Successful life-course transitions Career identity:  Less stable than previously Occupational choice:  more tentative Developmental task:  becoming career adaptable

5. Career Adaptability ‘The capability of an individual to a series of successful transitions where the labour market, organisation of work and underlying occupational and organisational knowledge bases may all be subject to considerable change’. Reference: Bimrose et al., 2011

6. Career Adaptability: 5 ‘C’s Psycho-social competency approach: Control:exert influence Curiosity:broaden horizons Confidence:belief in oneself Concern:positive attitudes Commitment:broad focus Reference: Savickas et al., 2009

7. Research data: patterns of career development  c2000 adults since 2001  50 young people (up to age 30) making successful transitions  aerospace; banking; chemicals; ICT; media; sports marketing; health  England, Germany, Norway

8. Career Decision-making  Ability to review and reflect v. opportunistic approaches  Engagement with learning and development pathways  Upskilling, reskilling or transformational shifts in perspective  Key issues: individual proactivity; relational issues; support

9. Results: successful transitions 1  Importance of challenging work for all  Varying patterns of engagement with learning activities  Personal autonomy and meaning of career  Discussions with others about possible lines of career development  Formal learning often valued  Identification with occupation and / or organisation or skill set recontextualisation

10. Results: successful transitions 2  Proactive in shaping career and learning pathways but often need support to become more reflective  Anxieties common  Help individuals develop their own career stories: sense of direction  Career options and choices limited by context: easier message learning for personal development: personal networks and meeting new challenges

11. Results: successful transitions 3  Opportunity structures key, so adaptability more powerful message than employability  ICT: learning and career patterns often individualised  Engineering: strong linkages between learning and careers  Health: complex linkages: vertical and horizontal progression; qualifications important

12. Conclusions: successful transitions Career adaptive:  (proactive) personality;  interactions with others;  engagement with challenging opportunities

13. Conclusions: successful transitions Two groups:  happy / unhappy with current experienced skilled worker status (initial occupational choice)  Focus on career adaptability would be useful