Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assist clients identify their career aspirations and develop career plans through the effective conduct of career interviews.
This unit applies to individuals working in career development or a career related field.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Assist clients to identify career aspirations | 1.1 Confirm the role of the career practitioner and the client’s rights and responsibilities 1.2 Develop rapport and a trusting working relationship with client, using effective communication practices and a person-centred approach 1.3 Identify the client’s expectations and needs using appropriate questioning techniques and reflective listening 1.4 Discuss with clients the potential impact of career management, the concepts of change and career transition in the context of lifespan career development 1.5 Review and consider current labour market conditions and career information 1.6 Provide information to assist clients to identify opportunities and options related to career goals |
2. Assist clients to identify career interests and needs’ | 2.1 Use exploratory activities and assessment tools to assist clients to identify their work-related interests, skills, knowledge and values’ 2.2 Identify barriers to effective entry into a career or employment 2.3 Modify assessment tools to match client needs and cultural variations 2.4 Provide appropriate guidance, support and monitoring to support client understanding of the purpose and function of career assessment tools 2.5 Provide the client with information about how their assessment relates to job profiles, educational and training pathway requirements and employment opportunities |
3. Identify career and employment opportunities and resources | 3.1 Assist clients to understand and apply labour market information to their work search, career objectives and decision-making 3.2 Identify a range of realistic opportunities and options available to clients relevant to their profile 3.3 Encourage client to take an innovative approach to exploring/creating opportunities for work 3.4 Explain employment application protocols and processes to clients |
4. Assist clients to develop a strategy to address their needs and interests | 4.1 Assist client to identify priority areas for further investigation and develop workable strategies to address identified priorities 4.2 Assist client to develop their own action plans to address their preferences and needs 4.3 Identify areas where clients may require referral to specialists agencies or other professionals 4.4 Identify the range of support services able to be provided to the client by the organisation and other organisations 4.5 Develop and document the plan with the client defining any additional support required 4.6 Document and maintain confidentiality of client information and records in line with organisation requirements and privacy legislation |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:
conducted career guidance interviews with at least 3 different clients from different backgrounds and in 3 different situations selected from the following
a job seeker
a person seeking an education or training pathway
a person seeking to change their education or training pathway
a person who has been made redundant
a person seeking retirement
a person seeking voluntary work
a young person exiting secondary schooling
a school aged person exploring their career options and school subject selections
a person seeking promotion
a person seeking career change
collaboratively developed and documented at least 3 different career action plans with clients.
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
legal and ethical considerations (national, state/territory) for career guidance interviews, and how these are applied in organisations:
children in the workplace
codes of practice – the Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners
discrimination
duty of care
equal employment opportunity (EEO)
mandatory reporting
practitioner/client boundaries
privacy, confidentiality and disclosure
records management
specific legislation and its application to career development
work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
work health and safety
principles of person-centred and strengths-based practice
key aspects of career development including:
major career development theories
concepts of change and transition in the context of lifespan career development
factors influencing individual decision-making
generic work skills and their application to address employment and career development opportunities and requirements
career development resources and information and associated educational and training opportunities and resources
adult learning styles and principles
employment information including:
current knowledge of the world of work
accepted methods for defining jobs
current labour market trends and information sources, including local, regional, national and international labour markets
occupational groups, clusters and networks
pathways to occupational areas
local options and support networks available
role of key players such as recruitment agencies, professional associations, employment services and funding bodies
assistance available to employers
training and education information:
options and pathways
funded training opportunities
financial aspects of education and training, including:
costs
incentives
assistance (national, state/territory, local)
services and agenices for referral when client needs cannot be met by the organisation or are outside the scope of job role
effects of unemployment on clients and barriers to employment and retention
features of assessment tools and how they are used
career plans and their features, formats and inclusions.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. The following conditions must be met for this unit:
use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
client information
client assessment tools
organisation policies and procedures
modelling of industry operating conditions, including:
scenarios that involve interactions with other people
scenarios that involve problem-solving.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.