A Competency Framework for Career Development ...

1 Competency Framework for Career Development Practitioners in South Africa Department of Higher Education and Training For Public Comment closing date: 15 January 2015 Please submit your comments via the online form (you may copy and paste into the form): Comments may also to be emailed to: Page 2 of 105 Abbreviations and Acronyms ALCDP Advanced Level Career Development practitioner CAPES Confederation of Associations in the Private Employment Sector CAPS Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement CAS Career Advice Services CDP Career Development practitioner CEDEFOP European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training CICA Career Industry Council of Australia DBE Department of Basic Education DCS Department of Correctional Services DHET Department of

2 Higher Education and Training DOL Department of Labour ELCDP Entry Level Career Development practitioner ESP Employment Services practitioner ESSA Employment Services South Africa FET Further Education and Training HEI Higher Education Institution HPCSA Health Professional Council of South Africa IAEVG International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance IPM Institute for People Management LLUK Lifelong Learning UK NICE Network for Innovation in Career Guidance and Counselling in Europe NPO Not for Profit Organisation Page 3 of 105 NQF National Qualification Framework NSDS National Skills Development Strategy NYDA National Youth Development Agency OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OFO Organising Framework for Occupations RPL Recognition of Prior Learning SAACDHE Southern African Association for Counselling and Development in Higher Education SACDA South African Career Development Association SAQA South

3 African Qualifications Authority SCDP Specialist Career Development practitioner SCQF Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework SETA Sector Education and Training Authority SSP Sector Skills Plan SSS Student Support Services SSSU Student Support Services Units Page 4 of 105 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 8 2. A South African Overview for a Career Development practitioner Competency Framework 10 Academia and Career Psychology in South Africa 10 Government Statements and Career Service Delivery in South Africa 12 General Competency Guidelines 12 What government documents suggest 13 a) The functions of Career delivery services 13 b) The relationship to existing Competency frameworks 13 c) The status quo of Career Development services in South Africa 14 d)

4 A Competency Framework requires Competency designated levels 15 e) A Competency Framework requires minimum standards 16 f) A Competency Framework requires consultation 16 g) A Competency Framework requires an implementation strategy, monitoring and evaluation 17 What Career delivery services suggest 18 Summative Guidelines 19 3. The current role of Career Development Practitioners in South Africa 21 Schools 21 a) Type of services provided 21 b) Education level of persons providing the services 22 Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges 23 a) Type of services provided 23 b) Education level of persons providing the services 24 Universities 24 a) Type of services provided 24 a) Education level of persons providing the services 25 Department of Labour 25 a) Type of services provided 25 b)

5 Education level of persons providing the services 26 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) 26 a) Type of services provided 26 b) Education level of persons providing the services 27 South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) 27 Page 5 of 105 a) Type of services provided 27 b) Education level of persons providing the services 28 National Youth Development Agency 28 a) Type of services provided 29 b) Education level of persons providing the services 29 Department of Correctional Services 29 a) Type of services provided 29 b) Education level of persons providing the services 29 Libraries 30 a) Type of services provided 30 b) Education level of persons providing the services 30 Recruitment Agencies 30 a) Type of services provided 30 b) Education level of persons providing the services 31 Organisations 31 a) Type of services provided 31 b)

6 Education level of persons providing the services 31 Private Practice: Psychologists, Psychometrists and Registered Counsellors 32 a) Type of services provided 32 b) Education level of persons providing the services 32 Private Practice: Lay Career Development Practitioners 33 a) Type of services provided 33 b) Education level of persons providing the services 33 NPO s including religious institutions, community centres, etc 33 a) Type of services provided 33 b) Education level of persons providing the services 34 Web-Based Services opportunistic versus pedagogic 34 a) Type of services provided 34 b) Education level of persons providing the services 35 Section Summary 35 4.

7 Career Development Competencies: International and National Examples 38 Background 38 International Examples of Competency Frameworks 38 a) International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG) 39 b) European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) 40 Page 6 of 105 c) Network for Innovation in Career Guidance and Counselling in Europe (NICE) 43 National Examples of Competency Frameworks 45 United States of America 45 Canada 48 Republic of Ireland 55 Australia 57 UK Career Development Occupational Standards 62 Scotland 64 Points to note 68 5.

8 The South African Competence Framework 70 Purpose and Rationale 70 Terminology 70 Principles of the Framework 73 Levels of Career Development practitioner 73 The competencies 73 Types of Career Development practitioner 75 The core and specialised competencies required for each type of Career Development practitioner 77 Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes and Values required for each level of Career Development practitioner 85 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) 90 Conclusion 90 6. Implementation of the Framework 91 Change to the Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO) 91 Practitioners need to be informed 92 Employers need to be informed 92 Education programmes need to be developed 93 Professional bodies need to take leadership going forward 93 Feedback loop into the Competency Framework 94 7.

9 Monitoring and evaluation of implementation 95 8. Action Plan 96 Table 1: Summary Table of Career Development Activities in South Africa 36 Table 2: The CEDEFOP competence Framework 42 Table 3: NICE Core Competencies 44 Table 4a: Canadian Standards and Guidelines for Career Development Core Competencies 50 Page 7 of 105 Table 4b: Canadian Standards and Guidelines for Career Development : Areas of Specialisation 52 Table 5: National Guidance Forum Competency Framework for Guidance Practitioners 55 Table 6.

10 CICA Competency Guidelines 60 Table 7: Typical roles , SCQF levels, entry level requirements and occupational titles 65 Table 8: Common tasks, competencies and attributes of Career Development workforce 67 Table 9: Core Competencies 77 Table 10: Specialised Competencies 83 Table 11: Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes and Values for the Core competencies as they apply to Entry Level CDPs and Advanced Level CDPs. 85 Figure 1: Career Development Functional Map 62 Figure 2: Career Development practitioner levels 75 Annexure 102 Annex 1: The Competency Framework Summary 103 Annex 2