The Systems Theory Framework of career development: 20 years of contribution to theory and practice

The development and sustained contribution of the Systems Theory Framework to career development theory and practice is well documented in national and international literatures. In addition to its contribution to theory integration, it has added to the growing literature on connecting career theory and practice, in particular for non-Western populations. In addition, it has been the basis of the development of a broad array of constructivist approaches to career counselling, and indeed specific reflective career assessment activities. This article begins with a brief history of the Systems Theory Framework which is then followed by a rationale for its development. The contribution of the Systems Theory Framework to theory and practice is then described prior to concluding comments by the authors.

The Systems Theory Framework of career development: Applications to career counselling and career assessment

Since its inception, the Systems Theory Framework of career development has afforded ready translation into practice, especially into career counselling and qualitative career assessment. Through its clearly articulated constructs and the clarity of its diagrammatic representation, the Systems Theory Framework has facilitated the development of qualitative career assessment instruments as well as a quantitative measure. This article briefly overviews these practical applications of the Systems Theory Framework as well as its application in career counselling through a story telling approach. The article concludes by offering a synthesis of and considering future directions for the Systems Theory Framework’s practical applications.

Estudio de la madurez vocacional de los estudiantes españoles de Educación Secundaria mediante el Career Development Inventory-School Form.

Resumen tomado de la revista

Competencies for providing quality careers services: a look at canadian standards for career development. 'Competencias necesarias para proporcionar servicios de orientación de calidad : directrices canadienses para el desarrollo de la carrera'.

Resumen basado en el de la publicación

Career development year in emergency nursing: using specific educational preparation and clinical support to facilitate the transition to specialist practice

This article outlines the development, implementation and evaluation of the Career Development Year (CDY) in the Emergency Department (ED) at Dandenong Hospital in Victoria, Australia. As a consequence of a shortage of emergency nurses, hospitals have recruited inadequately prepared nurses to staff their EDs. The resultant increase in stress of qualified and experienced emergency nurses has had a major impact on the retention of emergency nurses. The CDY aims to provide nurses with little or no experience in emergency nursing with supported entry into this area of specialist practice. The CDY is based on three factors identified as important in the transition to emergency nursing; knowledge, clinical support and professional development. By providing beginning emergency nurses with supported entry to a new and challenging clinical environment, the CDY has been an effective recruitment and retention strategy. In addition it has demonstrated that a committed ED team has the capability to teach and nurture the emergency nurses of the future.

Gender issues in the career development of IT professionals: a global perspective

Each period of technological change carries with it high expectations of societal and organizational restructuring that will favour the disadvantaged. The same is true for the Information and Communication Technologies. The fast expansion of the IT labour market, the need for diverse talents, the shift in the demand from technical to more general management and business skills, and the government's and employer's initiatives to improve women's representation in the IT sector created an image that? IT is one of the best-equal opportunity areas 'that provide wider opportunities for women to enter and succeed in this industry'. Nevertheless, the validity of these claims is yet to be established through empirical analysis.

The career development year : responding to the emergency nursing shortage in Australia

Background: The Career Development Year (CDY) is a 12 month supported entry program at one health care service in Victoria, Australia. The program targets Division One Registered Nurses with little or no emergency nursing experience. The intent of CDY is to improve recruitment to, and retention in, emergency nursing by educational and experiential preparation for emergency nursing practice.

Method: This study used a retrospective exploratory design to examine recruitment and retention of emergency nurses recruited via CDY (n = 72) and compare these findings with recruitment and retention data for a cohort of non-CDY participants (n = 15). CDY data was collected by self-report questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, correlations and inferential statistics were calculated using SPSS.

Results: CDY was found to promote recruitment of novice nurses to emergency nursing, with almost half the respondents (n = 25, 48.1%) reporting they would not have entered emergency nursing were it not for the supported entry program. Further, comparison with non-CDY participants revealed that CDY promoted retention within emergency nursing, with both short-term (n = 47, 90.4% vs. n = 8, 53.4%) and long-term retention doubling (n = 50, 96.1% vs. n = 7, 46.6%) following the introduction of CDY.

Conclusion: CDY was a valuable recruitment tool and successful retention strategy in the ED. Future research using a larger sample may demonstrate potential applicability to other clinical areas.

Developing multimedia materials : a professional development initiative at Rangsit University

This study consisted of four professional development investigations and a dissertation on professional development for academic staff at Rangsit University in Thailand. The dissertation includes professional development activities on the design and production of a CDROM. The research utilised some of the principles of action research.

Managing the career development of Australian coaches

The sustainability of the sport industry is dependent upon skilled coaches. This thesis has demonstrated that unlike the corporate setting, career development in the profession of coaching is missing from both policy and practice. This omission was found to have profound detrimental impacts on sport industry sustainability and coaches' lives.