#TheWeekInCareers - Episode 16

Welcome to?#TheWeekinCareers! If you are a first-time reader (and congratulations if so, you are now part of a 1400+ strong community!), this newsletter is my attempt at summarising some of the key?#Careers-related news from across the?#Careersphere?each week, along with some of the talking points I feel are worthy of further debate amongst the?#Careers?community! So, without further ado, on to the news!

Looking back...

We start the final #TheWeekInCareers newsletter of 2022 by looking back on what has been a seismic year, both in terms of world events and developments within the #Careers sector - may you live in interesting times, indeed! Here's what I learned from 2022 ??

The World of Work, it's a changing... - If 2020 and 2021 were the Covid years (and I say this with no small amount of trepidation, given the impact that Covid continues to have on the lives of many individuals around the world), 2022 has felt like the year that we started to get a better sense of how the world of work may be recalibrating following the pandemic. Some of this has been undoubtedly positive, for example the legislation brought forward by the UK government to give staff the right to request flexible working from day one in a new job or the glowing research findings from the global 4-Day-Week pilot:

However, we've also seen plenty of signs of where the changes in the world of work have been far less cheering, with issues such as the multitude of workers dropping out of the UK labour market (for reasons including long-term ill health, stress, low pay, the cost-of-living crisis and a general dissatisfaction with working conditions) and a depressingly inevitable (and simplistic) discourse from many organisations and individuals about why getting 'back in the office' is 'vital for productivity' (spoiler: it isn't):

We've also seen one of the tightest labour markets on record, with well over 1 million active job postings and significant candidate shortages across the piece, not least in parts of the public sector, where the crisis is now reaching a head following years of pay not catching up with inflation, resulting in a litany of strike action from Nurses and Teachers to Postal Workers, Rail Staff, National Highways Staff, Waste Disposal Workers, Border Force, University Lecturers (the list just goes on and on...) How this might jar with the forecast global recession in 2023 remains to be seen but for a helpful snapshot of developments in this space, it is well worth following LMI gurus such as Tony Wilson , Jonathan Boys , Helen Janota and Charlie Ball , who pens the always excellent UK Graduate Labour Market Update from Jisc /Prospects Luminate:

The Year of Social Justice in #Careers Work - Of course, careers professionals have been talking about social justice as a key aspect of their work since long before 2022 but this year has felt like something of a breakthrough for conversations in this space, at least in more public forums such as LinkedIn and Twitter (happy to be corrected by #Careers colleagues here - it may simply be my own ignorance!) There have been a number of really interesting thought pieces penned on the subject of Career Guidance for Social Justice, from exploring what Green Guidance looks like through to examining ethical issues around occupational choice, many of which can be found via the Career Guidance for Social Justice blog site below:

On a personal note, MeetSabiha . and I have started to fold these sort of topics into our regular #WeAreCareers episodes, including this show from earlier in the year with Sweta K. on Decolonising Career Guidance:

#Careers makes headlines... - 2022 also felt like a year where #Careers started to gain greater prominence in both the media and amongst politicians, at least compared to previous years - a huge amount of kudos has to go to the Career Development Institute for coordinating a number of media appearances from members during this year's A-Level results day, including CDI Chief Executive David Morgan and CDI President Carolyn Parry , as well as other careers professionals like Caroline Green (RCDP, MCDI, Assoc. CIPD) (and many others) who reached out to news outlets independently in order to secure the opportunity to share their expertise with a wider audience!

We also saw #Careers under the spotlight as part of the Education Select Committee's inquiry into the CEIAG system in England - although many commentators in the #Careers sector (myself included) have been disappointed with the questions put forward by MPs and the seemingly limited knowledge on display from the panel of what careers work actually is, it did provide an opportunity for advocates of the #Careers sector like Chris Percy PhD , Tristram Hooley , Rebecca Montacute and Oli de Botton to share evidence of what works and suggestions for how we might move forward with this policy conversation. You can catch up on all of the hearings in their entirety via the link below ??

...but we're still not doing enough to challenge misconceptions of #Careers work - One glaring omission from the recent Education Select Committee hearings was the notable lack of careers professionals on hand to share their experiences of what careers work actually looks like in schools/colleges/training providers and reflect on the challenges we so often hear about across the sector, from low pay to limited funding and a lack of school/college/organisation buy-in (we'll explore what this could mean for recruitment/retention in the #Careers workforce in our next newsletter item, below). It's clear that there are still some fundamental misconceptions amongst politicians and policy makers about what #Careers work actually involves (see: the relentless focus on Jobs, Jobs, Jobs) and for this reason, it's more important than ever that as careers professionals, we feel comfortable having these conversations with people outside of the sector and confident articulating the difference that we make to our clients and wider society.

Want to see some examples of this? Check out the #CareersImpact campaign from the Career Development Institute , which we highlighted in detail in last week's newsletter and also discussed with Siobhan Neary as part of our final #WeAreCareers episode of 2022, entitled What is a Careers Professional?, which explores why articulating the professional identity of the careers sector is such a tough nut to crack...

Looking ahead...

So, that was 2022 - but what of 2023? If we thought this year was a busy one for the career development sector, it looks likely to be even more jam-packed next year, with a host of potential policy changes, reviews of CEIAG and some brilliant careers events on the horizon. Read on, for my 'ones to watch' for 2023 ??

Developments in the #Careersphere - 2022 saw the release of a range of reports and reviews which have informed debate around careers-related issues over the past 12 months, from Lord Blunkett's Learning and Skills report to the more recent Work Experience for All report from Speakers for Schools - things show no sign of slowing down in 2023, so here are some of the key developments careers professionals may want to keep an eye on over the next 12 months...

?? The long-awaited new careers strategy for England is still conspicuous by its absence but there may be developments on this front around the corner, as this week saw the publication of Sir John Holman's recommendations to the government of what a future all-age CEIAG system could look like. School and college-based careers professionals will no doubt already be prepared for the upcoming changes to Provider Access Legislation but the creation of a comprehensive, holistic careers strategy is long overdue and now that the recommendations from Sir John Holman have been published, hopefully we'll see the conversation move forward at a less glacial pace. The full list of recommendations for an all-age CEIAG system can be found via the link below but I'd also highly recommend reading Career Development Institute Chief Executive David Morgan 's response on Twitter, which provides some valuable challenge regarding many of the points made by Sir John Holman:

?? Don't forget about Ofsted! Just when you thought the recommendations from Sir John Holman and the findings from this year's Education Select Committee were enough to be getting on with, we found out a few weeks ago that Ofsted will also be throwing their hat in the ring and undertaking a year-long 'thematic review of careers guidance' in mainstream and specialist schools, further education and skills providers, which will look at a number of areas, including how education leaders meet the current statutory guidance, how schools, colleges and providers engage with local employers/careers networks and how the curriculum helps students make 'informed choices' about their futures. What their conclusions will be is anyone's guess (particularly if they neglect to seek out careers professionals to inform this review) but the broad scope does at least give me hope that they might return some recommendations regarding careers provision for apprentices and challenge the government on the recent decision to axe traineeships (although I am forever an optimist...):

?? The Career Development Institute 's Big Listen Survey is now LIVE and available to complete prior to Monday 16th January - if you are a CDI member, it's well worth taking the time to share your experience of working in the career development sector and the challenges you face in your work. The results from previous Big Listen feedback has been used to inform the latest report from Careers England on Workforce Recruitment and Retention in the Career Sector, which identified a number of challenges facing the careers workforce (as identified by practitioners), not least high turnover, low pay and limited opportunities for progression/professional development, all of which are likely to be high on the agenda as we move into 2023 and the forecast economic downturn:

?? Higher Education has also been in the firing line this year, with the government obsessing over 'low-value courses' (such as the infamous/non-existent 'Harry Potter Studies') and international student numbers, to name just a couple of hot topics - keep an eye out in 2023 for conversations around how universities are funded moving forward and what the future of international higher education could look like, as well as more of the same from politicians and policy makers about what = graduate success and what makes a 'low-value course' (spoiler: there's a 99% chance they'll conclude it's something to do with the creative arts ??). To end on a slightly more optimistic note, a reminder from Diana Beech in the Higher Education Policy Institute blog of why HE does matter:

?? Could 2023 be the year that we start to see a consensus reached on the language around 'Skills'? The subject of 'Skills' has once again been a recurring theme in much of the discourse around education/employment this year, from skills shortages in the labour market to questions around whether skills should feature more prominently in curriculum and assessment within the education system, although it still feels like we're no closer to a common language around soft/transferable/essential/professional/power (*delete as applicable) skills, despite the best efforts of organisations like Skills Builder Partnership and the publication of myriad 'Skills of the Future' reports. Regardless of whether the CEIAG recommendations from Sir John Holman (which draw reference to the Local Skills Improvement Plans) and suggestions from other stakeholders like NCFE to adopt a single skills framework for schools come to fruition or not, there is one thing careers professionals can all probably agree upon - the skills debate is not going away!

?? Will 2023 finally be the year when we see the disability employment gap addressed properly? With the ONS returning regular statistics evidencing a near 30% gap in the disability employment rate, Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell , CEO of The 10,000 Interns Foundation argues that it's time for British business to step up inclusivity in this space in order to tackle an issue that affects not only disabled individuals but the productivity of the entire nation. It's also worth keeping an eye on what the government may do next in relation to employment support schemes (more generally and in supporting disabled individuals into work), now that the UK National Audit Office have returned their verdict on the Restart scheme:

A Few Dates for the Diary - There are some fantastic careers-related opportunities, events and campaigns planned for next year, many of which are FREE to get involved with, so check out the following and get that HOLD in your calendar while you remember...

? The Employability Lab is back for 2023! This FREE conference on Thursday 26th January, hosted by Gradconsult and Handshake , aims to drive forward the employability agenda by digging in to some of the key innovations and challenges currently appearing in the HE careers space. Speakers for the event include Rosie Tressler OBE , Emma Moore , Mike Grey FRSA and many others, with topics including Data Literacy, 'Mental health, wellbeing and graduate transitions' and 'the ways that social interactions influence and shape jobs and careers'. Should be well worth your CPD time!

? Also taking place in a packed end to January 2023, the Career Development Institute are running two days of workshops about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th January, entitled the EDI Big Conversation, with the aim of drawing out the key issues and barriers affecting each community being discussed (Gender, Ethnicity, Disability, Religion, Sexual Identity, Socioeconomic and Intersectionality) and what the CDI might be able to do in their work to help address them. The workshops are FREE for anyone working in career development to attend (regardless of whether you are a CDI member or not) - I'll be at the Gender workshop myself!

? Keeping with the Career Development Institute theme, nominations have recently opened for the 2023 UK Career Development Awards, the annual awards celebrating excellence across the career development sector! There are 9 award categories in total that careers professionals can nominate themselves or others for, including Careers Leader of the Year, Private Sector Careers Coach/Consultant of the Year and Use of Technology in Career Development, with nominations open until Monday 15th February and the awards themselves taking place on 26th June - full details below! ??

? National Apprenticeship Week 2023 and National Careers Week 2023 - Always great events to follow on social media for a blast of much-needed optimism about the state of the world, National Apprenticeship Week 2023 (6th-12th February) and National Careers Week 2023 (6th-11th March) have been in the calendar for some time, with a range of resources already created to help careers professionals, educators, employers and any other interested parties get involved and celebrate respectively the value of apprenticeships and the importance of talking about career development. Keep an eye out for more updates on the activities and events taking place as part of #NAW2023 and #NCW2023 nearer the time, especially from the good folks at Amazing Apprenticeships and National Careers Week !

? Careers Live 2023 - For those who haven't come across the Careers Live events previously, they were a brilliant way to keep updated on current careers strategy/policies and network with like-minded careers professionals working in schools, colleges or training providers. As far as I know, this is the first Careers Live event since before the pandemic and is conveniently taking place on Wednesday 8th March (during National Careers Week) at Leeds City Museum in Leeds, so check out the link below to register for your FREE ticket!

? Finally, the always fab Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis from Amazing If have a new initiative they are launching from January - the Squiggly Careers Clinic - FREE virtual lunchtime sessions on LinkedIn where participants can pose Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis any careers-related questions they might have. Avid fans of the Squiggly Careers Podcast like myself will be there with bells on!

And finally...Do Androids Dream of CEIAG?

In last week's newsletter, we spotlighted the emergence of ChatGPT, an open-source AI tool that has been garnering a lot of airtime of late, given its power to create and amend code/writing in a matter of seconds, using only inputs from the user. Professionals are already using the tool to do everything from creating social media posts, writing marketing copy, generating code and producing long-form content, which raises the question of how far how soon AI might go in reducing work-related tasks for particular industries (copywriting, for one...)

With this in mind, I thought it would be worth breaking down in more detail how ChatGPT could be used within our work as careers professionals ??

As a career professional, we know that it's important to stay on top of the latest tools and technologies that can help us better serve our clients and make our job easier. ?? ChatGPT is a powerful language generation model that can help us write high-quality, personalized content quickly and efficiently. ?? This can be especially useful when it comes to writing resumes, cover letters, and other career-related documents, as it can save us time and help us create more compelling and effective content. ??

In addition to generating text, ChatGPT can also be used to answer questions and provide information on a wide range of topics. ?? This can be particularly useful when working with clients who have questions about the job market, their career options, or other relevant topics. With ChatGPT, we can provide quick and accurate answers, helping to build trust and credibility with our clients. ??

Another reason why ChatGPT can be useful for career professionals is that it can help us stay up to date with the latest industry trends and developments. ?? By training ChatGPT on relevant articles and resources, we can have it generate summaries and insights on the latest developments in our field, helping us stay informed and be better equipped to advise our clients. ??

However, while ChatGPT can be a useful tool for career professionals, it's important to be aware of its potential drawbacks as well. ??

One potential concern is that ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence, and as such it can only generate content based on the data it has been trained on. ?? This means that if the data is biased or lacks diversity, the content generated by ChatGPT may also be biased or lack diversity. ?? It's important for career professionals to be aware of this potential issue and to consider the source and diversity of the data used to train ChatGPT.

Another potential issue is that ChatGPT is not a replacement for human expertise and judgment. ?? While it can generate high-quality content quickly and efficiently, it's still important for career professionals to review and edit the content to ensure it meets their standards and aligns with their values and goals. ?? ??

Finally, it's worth noting that ChatGPT is a tool, and like any tool, it has limitations. ?? While it can be useful for generating text and answering questions, it's not a replacement for the human connection and personalization that is often an important part of a career professional's work. ??

Overall, ChatGPT can be a valuable tool for career professionals, but it's important to be aware of its potential drawbacks and limitations and to use it in a way that complements rather than replaces human expertise and judgement. ??

For readers wondering why the quality of writing in the newsletter improved markedly over the last 8 paragraphs, a gold star to you - the majority of this newsletter item was in fact WRITTEN BY CHATGPT! In just under a minute, I was able to produce the piece of text above that starts with 'As a careers professional...' and ends with '...rather than replaces human expertise and judgement', using only the following three inputs:

• Write a post explaining why careers professionals should use ChatGPT
• Add in potential drawbacks of using ChatGPT as a careers professional
• Add emojis and make language slightly less formal

We'll be exploring the broader implications of what AI tools like ChatGPT could mean for the work of careers professionals in a future newsletter and a dedicated episode of #WeAreCareers in 2023 but in the meantime, you can try out ChatGPT via the link below - one caveat of the tool is that it is not connected to the internet and only has limited knowledge of world events after 2021, but nonetheless, it is still an impressive piece of technology and well worth having a play around with!

As a starter for 10, check out this excellent video from Paddy Jobsman about how he created a CV using ChatGPT - the insights and comments in the comment thread make a really interesting starting point for debates around where this technology might aid and impact #Careers work (and roles within other industries) in the future...

What are your thoughts on ChatGPT? Gimmicky flavour-of-the-month or the shape of things to come? Answers, as always, on a #TheWeekInCareers postcard ?? (post-marked for 2023, please ??...)

The Best of the Rest: My Hot Picks from the wider?#Careersphere

Supporting difficult conversations with clients?- Up first, a cracking LinkedIn post (and accompanying comment thread) from Mark Saunders , which asked careers professionals how they support clients who may in some way be restricted in their career choices due to familial or cultural reasons ??

The responses from the #Careers community are fascinating, insightful and serve as a brilliant CPD session, in and of themselves, so well worth a look if you have encountered clients facing similar challenges in your work as a careers professional to date!

Paralysed by Indecision? How to Make BIG Career Decisions?- Careers coach Raj Sidhu is back with another excellent short-form YouTube video, this time on career decision-making. In the video, Raj Sidhu breaks down four top tips for avoiding decision paralysis and moving forward with making career decisions, including challenging the confidence threshold needed to make decisions, revisiting how we've made good decisions in the past and the importance of remembering that 'the optimal career choice is unknowable'. A valuable watch!

CareerMag for Lifelong Learning?- The good folks at Careermap Media Group have put together another excellent digital careers magazine, this time targeted at adult career changers/lifelong learners - the issue is jam-packed with everything from information on work programmes and training to business start-up tips and interview advice, and is ideal for anyone currently looking for a career change or hoping to return to education or employment following a gap. Kudos to Sharon Walpole FRSA FIEP and the team for putting this FREE resource together! It's also worth keeping an eye on a further development for Careermap Media Group , CareerMapTV, which is set to take off in 2023...

Swim Jump Fly: Advent Calendar of Change?- Chartered Occupational & Coaching Psychologist Charlotte Housden (Sheridan) is back with the latest offering from her Advent Calendar of Change, which draws on bite-sized exercises from her book Swim Jump Fly: A Guide to Changing Your Life - in her latest post, Charlotte Housden (Sheridan) explores 7 potential 'trip hazards' in life and how to avoid them, including the use of music, apps and the Japanese art of Kintsugi!

Global Careers Month: Closing Ceremony?- This Tuesday saw the end of #GlobalCareersMonth, which involved a series of events, activities and discussions on all things career development from careers organisations around the world - the closing ceremony can be watched in full via the link above, and saw the partners involved in #GlobalCareersMonth reflecting on the take-aways of the events organised by regional partners, discussing priorities for action in the near future at global and regional level and presenting follow-up actions to consolidate the global community of practice in career guidance. One to watch for 2023, for sure!

And finally (finally)...

A little Christmas offering, from #TheWeekInCareers to you, in part to celebrate my semi-successful return to language learning in 2022 - Feliz Navidad, everyone! ??

WATCH #TheWeekInCareers CHRISTMAS VIDEO MESSAGE

I'm always keen to hear what people think of this weekly newsletter format (e.g. Is it helpful? Does it add value to what is already out there on LinkedIn? What might make it better/more digestible?) so please do drop me a DM if you have any thoughts!

That wraps up #TheWeekInCareers for 2022! I'll be taking a few weeks off to recharge the batteries for 2023 but the newsletter will return on Friday 6th January with news and views from the #Careersphere in the first week of 2023! See you then! ??