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The Career Development Services and Supports Survey
asked respondents to provide a working definition of career
development. Definitions varied along a continuum that started from a
more traditional vocational approach focusing on immediate educational
and occupational/ employment choices towards a broader approach that
also included the development of long-term career management skills
that could be applied over a lifetime.The traditional definition of
career development is focussed on the goal of preparing for the world
of work. It is seen as encompassing the development of the whole
person, but places a critical emphasis on gaining the skills and
experience for work in order to find one's vocation in life. The
primary goal of this approach is directed to improving one's
employability for obtaining meaningful work.The second view of career
development defines it as a lifelong process of becoming aware of,
exploring and experiencing factors that influence various aspects of a
person's life. The knowledge, skills and attitudes that evolve through
this path of discovery enable planning and decision making not only
about work exploration and related employment and vocational choices
but also about personal management and life/work skills. Career
development is part of lifelong learning, in that personal and
vocational skills constantly change and expand during a lifetime in
response to career changes and emerging opportunities.Reaching
consensus on a common definition of career development will be a
challenge that needs to be addressed in any proposed career development
strategy. This definition will need to be flexible enough to gain the
support of all stakeholders.
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