West Australia – big state, big workforce issues

What an experience to be at the WA Department of Training and Workforce Development Career Centre in downtown Perth the morning after the Australian Budget is delivered! I was there to deliver a presentation to celebrate National Career Development week-and that went really well – but I was intrigued with the workforce issues of West Australia. The budget offered substantial resources for a myriad of programs including workforce training and apprenticeships mentoring and support, all targetted at addressing the massive skills shortage in WA. Whilst rich in resources it is short on the skilled population to fulfill the demands of a growing state and projected developments in the resources industry. The Careers’ Centre people, led by Shaun Guyton are engaged in revising their website, in line with new initiatives. They have headlined their website with the theme  ‘Self + Skills= Possibilities’ and you might recognise this phrase from my presentations. The team are also using my Choices and Hands On programs as  decision-making tools within the website, at present under development.

I visit Margaret River in the south, home of the wineries, great surfbreaks and every brand of alternative therapy (signs read ‘No coal mining here!). The far north, where so many people commute to work in the mines or exploration fields  (two weeks on, two weeks off) could not be more opposite. There is a desire ‘not to waste a single worker ‘ and of course, this sets me thinking again on the need for good careers assistance at crucial decision-making times. From what I read about their new budget initiatives, it sounds like this will be increasingly available.

Boys, achievement, and careers

Anne Tolley is right, there are lots of theories about boys underachievement, but I am convinced by the motivational difference I see in young men who have found their sense of direction , that when they know what would really suit them, and what all the learning is for, and how it applies, they become much more achievement oriented. Just ask any parent who has seen this happen.

Many young men get advised or influenced out of their own dreams and aspirations – and often they haven’t even verbalised them – so that they end up doing subjects they don’t much like, and plodding through, and often failing courses that don’t inspire them.  When boys make choices that they don’t really like, they are setting themselves up for lesser achievement. Young men need much more help to find their direction and the subjects and courses that will motivate and satisfy them more. 

What I have noticed about boys thinking

• they have dreams but they are not sure they are right so are easily influenced to other paths. They are easily put off when their ideas and interests are denigrated by parents or friends
• they are motivated by good career management strategies and challenges that connect to their future

The story of Harry-

Harry, a young, bright business (but not very school) focussed 16 year old said to me recently in a counselling appointment, ” I want to make a lot of money, what should I do? ” He was hoping I would tell him what subjects and work to aim for.  I gave him my standard reply for young people , because I get this question a lot. “To make a lot of money you have to be very very good at what you do. Find the course and the work that suits your talents, your interest and your abilities and become very very good at it.”

“Its like a craft, I said, ‘you start off with the basics and work to become better and better at it. The basics are here in school.”

Harry looked at me for a minute then he said, “But won’t everyone else have the same idea?”

“No Harry, “I said, ” sadly, not many will have thought of it.”   

Harry went away with his career direction sorted and a strong desire to do very very well in his chosen subjects, after all, they were going to contribute to his future success, and he knew how and why. 

 

Book Launch at Vidals Winery

Last week saw a book launch with 50 friends and family at Vidals Winery in Hastings – the winery that takes our Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes. We celebrated the book and the 2008 Vidals Cabernet Merlot, a stunning wine and partly from our vineyard. Your 21st Century career is being very well received, those that bought it for their children are reading it themselves and feedback is excellent.  A client bought the book one night and saw me the next day with all the exercises completed- he was well on his way to his next step and could see clearly some new options. The first  overseas orders are coming in on my website, and I’m hoping for feedback  from those.  

Book launch

Support from daughters!

Book and the wine

Your 21st Century Career

A good place to start with a fascinating 24 hours in the capital. Made a flying trip to Wellington for a brief appearance on TVNZ Good Morning show, to talk about Your 21st Century career. How do you put a book in sound bytes?   I always find it difficult but Brendan Pongia, the interviewing host made it all very ease with his interest and his understanding of the book- he had taken it home the night before, found it useful, and really liked it. Here’s the result- any tips on TV presentation are welcome, I am still working on that skill set. View Video

The night before I met for the first time two very interesting  kiwis, Michael Peters and Tina Besley, both academics at the University of Illinois, a couple with very distinguished academic careers and previous  connections to Auckland University. Both are prolific writers and authors of many books, some written together, eg. Subjectivity and Truth: Foucault, Education and the Culture of Self (Peter Lang, 2007). Tina’s latest work is a large edited collection, Assessing Quality in Higher Education: a comparative study, 2008. We found other connections of an interest in youth counselling,  Waiheke Island, and the wine industry. Like us they have a vineyard with accommodation, as well as their multiple day jobs. They were talking about their company, Waipara River Estates with Heather Idoine Riley, my friend and manager of the Holiday Inn in Wellington, so I joined the tasting – a beautiful 2009 Reisling.

What does all this have to do with careers? More evidence I thought of the fascinating development of careers in the older age group – that they are so mobile, global and take multiple forms. When I finally get to a book about that I will be asking them for case study material.

New Ventures

A new book demands a new updated website, and of course a blog. Partly to respond to questions and requests for information from those in the careers industry, from parents and others interested in the world of careers. This will make it simpler. A common query at present is about study in the careers field, and in my workshops I have been meeting many with an interest in ongoing learning. I get asked ” What can I do next?’, or even “I’m thinking about doing a PhD….” . It has got me thinking about who our researchers are, their projects, who is teaching Career Management studies and where? Look at the Career Studies page for information that will grow as I find it. And don’t hesitate to let me know what you are studying and where.   And as I start teaching again, this time as a lecturer (mostly online) in the Career Practice thread of the Social Services degree at Otago Polytechnic, I look forward to encouraging a new group of converts to the field. If they are like me, they will never leave.

I have just finished another round of workshops on the NZCER Self Directed Search Certification, and Identity and Career Choices-Young people and a good start. These have been immensely satisfying to teach and I’ve had very receptive and interesting groups. Let me know by email if you want your name added to future lists - I will develop a new schedule for next year. I arrived home to the first advance copy of my new book -Your 21st Century- new paths for personal success. It’s always exciting to see it in print, and I’m looking forward to having it available, and talking to you about it at various presentations.

Recent presentations to parents revealed again the sons and daughters at university who have started in the wrong programme- they put up with it until year 2 then it all gets too hard, they know it’s not for them, and they hate it. I hear these stories over and over again. I’m still very much on the mission of promoting ways to get the good start – the one that suits them.