Developing the Careers Quality Framework

As the NCSS was being developed, stakeholder feedback consistently highlighted that people are better able to make effective careers decisions when they can access high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG).

The Careers Quality Framework was developed in response to that feedback. Dr Lynette Reid, New Zealand career development specialist and academic, led the process, collaborating closely with key stakeholders across the careers system: representatives from professional bodies, community and government organisations, as well as career specialists and the NCSS advisory panel.

Three key findings emerged:

• Access to careers knowledge needs to be easier and shared more widely.
• Creating career knowledge needs to be more inclusive, including partnering with communities and whānau. 
• The careers workforce has a specific skillset, working in complex situations, but there are differing views on how these skills should be defined and obtained. 

Supporting the NCSS Action Plan

The Framework for CEIAG is a foundational piece of work. It supports delivery of Action 1.4 of the NCSS Action Plan – Determine criteria for quality CEIAG. This action focuses on building quality at every level of the careers system, including:

• providing wide-ranging support, from specific careers information through to long-term strategic planning
• being used in a range of situations – not only careers-specific settings
• being accessible, inclusive, people-centred, responsive and connected.

The Framework’s key principle and criteria

The findings above led to development of the Careers Quality Framework’s key principle and five criteria. These underpin the delivery of high-quality CEIAG.

Download the Careers Quality Framework:

Quality framework for career education, information, advice and guidance (PDF 378 KB)

Applying the Careers Quality Framework

The framework informs the way we develop other parts of the NCSS Action Plan: supporting the capability of the careers workforce, developing and sharing quality information, and building on the Tahatū Career Navigator website.

We are also creating best-practice guidance for applying the criteria to a variety of situations and settings. This is particularly important if we are to improve the quality of careers information across the whole system.

This support material will include examples of the framework criteria in everyday practice, and will be an essential resource for people providing careers information and advice – particularly those who may be less familiar with the careers system.