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| In defence of careers advisers | In defence of careers advisers |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Careers advisers come in for perennial stick in celebrity interviews and now they are under fire for not doing enough to push girls towards well paid jobs. But do they really enjoy raining on youngsters' parades? | Careers advisers come in for perennial stick in celebrity interviews and now they are under fire for not doing enough to push girls towards well paid jobs. But do they really enjoy raining on youngsters' parades? |
| Riffle through a pile of newspaper interviews with celebrities - be they actors, writers, pop stars, artists or even maverick tycoons - and you'll see a particular anecdote crop up and up again. | Riffle through a pile of newspaper interviews with celebrities - be they actors, writers, pop stars, artists or even maverick tycoons - and you'll see a particular anecdote crop up and up again. |
| It's the Careers Adviser Anecdote. | It's the Careers Adviser Anecdote. |
| They had me fill in a questionnaire - I was born to be a dental hygienist Actress Daniela Nardini Gender pay gap 'not being closed' 'Glass ceiling' blocking top jobs | |
| However disparate the backgrounds of these stars, they always seem to be obsessed with refuting pessimistic prognoses proffered by practically-minded careers advisers many moons ago. | However disparate the backgrounds of these stars, they always seem to be obsessed with refuting pessimistic prognoses proffered by practically-minded careers advisers many moons ago. |
| Actor Martin Shaw's told him he should be a librarian. Artist Tracey Emin's said she should try factory work. Poor Jimmy Nail was told: "For kids like you there are three alternatives - the building site, the pit or the boatyard. You'd better get used to that." | Actor Martin Shaw's told him he should be a librarian. Artist Tracey Emin's said she should try factory work. Poor Jimmy Nail was told: "For kids like you there are three alternatives - the building site, the pit or the boatyard. You'd better get used to that." |
| "They had me fill in a questionnaire and its results were conclusive: I was born to be a dental hygienist," This Life star Daniela Nardini once confided. Comedian Les Dennis informed his careers adviser he wanted to be an actor and was told: "Have you thought about going into the Navy?" | "They had me fill in a questionnaire and its results were conclusive: I was born to be a dental hygienist," This Life star Daniela Nardini once confided. Comedian Les Dennis informed his careers adviser he wanted to be an actor and was told: "Have you thought about going into the Navy?" |
| Bombarded with these triumphs over the mean-minded realists of the careers service, it would be easy to build up an impression of people who were less concerned about nourishing dreams and more about supplying a steady supply of young people willing to work in slightly more mundane pursuits. The advisers themselves beg to differ | Bombarded with these triumphs over the mean-minded realists of the careers service, it would be easy to build up an impression of people who were less concerned about nourishing dreams and more about supplying a steady supply of young people willing to work in slightly more mundane pursuits. The advisers themselves beg to differ |
| "That is an inaccurate portrayal," says long time career adviser Maggie Cowan, who works with VT Enterprise, a private firm contracted to do work in schools for Connexions, the government body in England. | "That is an inaccurate portrayal," says long time career adviser Maggie Cowan, who works with VT Enterprise, a private firm contracted to do work in schools for Connexions, the government body in England. |
| "The first important thing is to open up young people's understanding of opportunities and help to link this to their own personal aspirations." | "The first important thing is to open up young people's understanding of opportunities and help to link this to their own personal aspirations." |
| Coffin handler | Coffin handler |
| When pupils come into a one-on-one session wanting to be sports stars, actors or singers they are not ridiculed or treated to exasperated eye-rolling, but are given genuine advice, while being gently told of potential pitfalls. | When pupils come into a one-on-one session wanting to be sports stars, actors or singers they are not ridiculed or treated to exasperated eye-rolling, but are given genuine advice, while being gently told of potential pitfalls. |
| She told me it wasn't very appropriate for someone my age to be working at a funeral directors [and] made me work for a week in a benefits agency Undertaker Daniel Taylor, aged 20 | She told me it wasn't very appropriate for someone my age to be working at a funeral directors [and] made me work for a week in a benefits agency Undertaker Daniel Taylor, aged 20 |
| "[For some occupations] I would say it is one of those jobs where there is a lot of competition. I had a young person a couple of weeks ago who said she wanted to be a film director. | "[For some occupations] I would say it is one of those jobs where there is a lot of competition. I had a young person a couple of weeks ago who said she wanted to be a film director. |
| "You are charting out a road where you might have to do several things before you make this aspiration. We are not there to tell people what to do." | "You are charting out a road where you might have to do several things before you make this aspiration. We are not there to tell people what to do." |
| As well as full-time careers advisers, there are often "careers co-ordinators" on the teaching staff. While provision is contracted out in England, in Scotland it is provided by Careers Scotland. Careers Wales and the Careers Service Northern Ireland are the bodies in the other nations. | As well as full-time careers advisers, there are often "careers co-ordinators" on the teaching staff. While provision is contracted out in England, in Scotland it is provided by Careers Scotland. Careers Wales and the Careers Service Northern Ireland are the bodies in the other nations. |
| Sometimes young people face frustration in their efforts to pursue an unusual career. Daniel Taylor, 20, was one such unfortunate. Aged 13, a chance viewing of a documentary called Don't Drop the Coffin persuaded him he wanted to be an undertaker. | Sometimes young people face frustration in their efforts to pursue an unusual career. Daniel Taylor, 20, was one such unfortunate. Aged 13, a chance viewing of a documentary called Don't Drop the Coffin persuaded him he wanted to be an undertaker. |
| When he took his unconventional choice to the teacher in charge of work experience placements a year or so later, having already researched and organised a stint at a local firm, he was faced with opposition. | When he took his unconventional choice to the teacher in charge of work experience placements a year or so later, having already researched and organised a stint at a local firm, he was faced with opposition. |
| "She told me it wasn't very appropriate for someone my age to be working at a funeral directors. She made me work for a week in a benefits agency. | "She told me it wasn't very appropriate for someone my age to be working at a funeral directors. She made me work for a week in a benefits agency. |
| The computer says... | The computer says... |
| "After that I definitely knew I wasn't wanting to do a 9-5 office job." | "After that I definitely knew I wasn't wanting to do a 9-5 office job." |
| Instead he was left to sort his own placements in school holidays and do his own research into qualifications. At 16 he left to work full-time at Mason and Stokes funeral directors in Cheltenham where he still remains happily employed. | Instead he was left to sort his own placements in school holidays and do his own research into qualifications. At 16 he left to work full-time at Mason and Stokes funeral directors in Cheltenham where he still remains happily employed. |
| Do you want to make tea at the BBC? The Clash's paean to careers advice | Do you want to make tea at the BBC? The Clash's paean to careers advice |
| "It is quite fascinating. And it is nice after you have done a funeral, you get a feeling that you have helped someone." | "It is quite fascinating. And it is nice after you have done a funeral, you get a feeling that you have helped someone." |
| Some will have hazy memories of answering a stream of questions on a computer program before being told to consider marine biology or antiques dealing or some other left-field form of career. | Some will have hazy memories of answering a stream of questions on a computer program before being told to consider marine biology or antiques dealing or some other left-field form of career. |
| Youngsters are still finding themselves fairly perplexed by descendants of just such a program. | Youngsters are still finding themselves fairly perplexed by descendants of just such a program. |
| Thomas Hampson, 18, has just finished his A-levels at a sixth form college in Liverpool. He found the computer's suggestions wayward. | Thomas Hampson, 18, has just finished his A-levels at a sixth form college in Liverpool. He found the computer's suggestions wayward. |
| "They print off a sheet that says these are jobs that suit you. I got accountant and stuff like that." | "They print off a sheet that says these are jobs that suit you. I got accountant and stuff like that." |
| But Thomas found careers advice more helpful in establishing what was necessary to go into the law, his chosen career. | But Thomas found careers advice more helpful in establishing what was necessary to go into the law, his chosen career. |
| Amy Scott, 20, a student at the University of Hertfordshire, also recalls a similar program at school. | Amy Scott, 20, a student at the University of Hertfordshire, also recalls a similar program at school. |
| Ghost-bluster? | Ghost-bluster? |
| "It was quite helpful discussing my options." But for some of her peers the options discussed seemed more curious. | "It was quite helpful discussing my options." But for some of her peers the options discussed seemed more curious. |
| "Binman. That came up for a friend. It was a very broad range." | "Binman. That came up for a friend. It was a very broad range." |
| But a prescriptive system, of matching people scientifically with jobs by analysing their characteristics, is no longer in vogue in the UK, says Ms Cowan. | But a prescriptive system, of matching people scientifically with jobs by analysing their characteristics, is no longer in vogue in the UK, says Ms Cowan. |
| 'Sounds like your carburettor, guv' - Kylie, poster girl for female mechanics | 'Sounds like your carburettor, guv' - Kylie, poster girl for female mechanics |
| Informed by a school of thought known as "traits and factor theory", such an approach had its heyday several decades ago. But Ms Cowan suggests few now subscribe to "[the idea] that you can mark out a series of points on a graph and link them to a job". | Informed by a school of thought known as "traits and factor theory", such an approach had its heyday several decades ago. But Ms Cowan suggests few now subscribe to "[the idea] that you can mark out a series of points on a graph and link them to a job". |
| Now things are "client centred". Children and young people are given "ideas to get them thinking". | Now things are "client centred". Children and young people are given "ideas to get them thinking". |
| And the influences on young people's career aspiration are various, says Ms Cowan. | And the influences on young people's career aspiration are various, says Ms Cowan. |
| "When Neighbours was big and Kylie became a motor mechanic I saw droves of young women who wanted to be motor mechanics. I didn't watch Neighbours, so it took me ages to work out what was going on." | "When Neighbours was big and Kylie became a motor mechanic I saw droves of young women who wanted to be motor mechanics. I didn't watch Neighbours, so it took me ages to work out what was going on." |
| Bearing in mind that women are well represented in the field of careers advice, the allegations that teenage girls are being pushed towards certain categories of job is mystifying | Bearing in mind that women are well represented in the field of careers advice, the allegations that teenage girls are being pushed towards certain categories of job is mystifying |
| "There isn't a rogue group of careers advisers out there trying to push women into low paid jobs," insists Ms Cowan. | "There isn't a rogue group of careers advisers out there trying to push women into low paid jobs," insists Ms Cowan. |
| And while the advisers are easily able to cope with all the children earnestly tilting at pop stardom and the Hollywood A-list, they do still get the odd googly. | And while the advisers are easily able to cope with all the children earnestly tilting at pop stardom and the Hollywood A-list, they do still get the odd googly. |
| "I once had a ghostbuster," says Ms Cowan. "I asked him 'how do you think you would find employment?'. He replied: 'I will write a really good book and do a lecture tour of the US.'" | "I once had a ghostbuster," says Ms Cowan. "I asked him 'how do you think you would find employment?'. He replied: 'I will write a really good book and do a lecture tour of the US.'" |
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