Careers Profession Alliance (CPA) Blueprint for Register of Career Development Professionals and Career Progression Framework (CPF)

(1)

Careers Profession Alliance- Register and CPF blueprint - Final (V3) Page 1

Careers Profession Alliance (CPA)

Blueprint for Register of Career

Development Professionals and Career

Progression Framework (CPF)

Prepared for the CPA Register Task Group and

CPA Executive Group

Final

(2)

Introduction

1. The purpose of this document is to:

 Describe the context within which a national Register of Career Development Professionals (“The Register”) and career progression framework (CPF) has been developed by the CPA

 Set out a model for a professional standards framework for the CPA/successor body within which the Register of Career Development Professionals and associated CPF will sit

 Set out a blueprint for the national Register of Career Development Professionals including the qualification and competency requirements for The Register

The context for The Register

2. The online Register of Career Development Professionals and associated career progression framework is being developed within the context of the CPA’s remit to bring together the professional bodies engaged in career development in the UK to create a careers profession comparable to other Chartered professions, both in public standing and in the rigour of its supervision of members. The vision for the CPA is to achieve:

‘ A profession that inspires confidence in the public, dedicated to delivering high quality career development activities and services that help individuals achieve their full potential and support economic productivity while ensuring equality of opportunity for all’ 1

3. The CPA is also currently making arrangements for the future governance and structure of a successor body for the CPA. The CPA Executive group have agreed that by January 2013 there will be a single professional body which during the 2012 transition period will operate as a federation. The transition body is likely to be a continuation of the CPA but with new protocols and roles and responsibilities for members of the Executive2. The Career Development Institute (CDI) is agreed as the working title for the unified organisation.Consideration of the future development of The Register and career progression framework

1

CPA Briefing Note 2 (November 2011)

2

(3)

should be viewed alongside decisions relating to the future of the CPA/successor body overall.

4. Current members of the Careers Profession Alliance are the:

 Institute of Career Guidance (ICG)

 Association of Careers Education and Guidance (ACEG)

 National Association for Education Guidance for Adults (NAEGA)

 Association of Career Professional International (UK) (ACPI)

Background

5. The CPA Executive Group, in January 2011, commissioned work on a set of Draft Professional Standards that covered:

 A Code of Ethics for career development professionals

 A public facing summary of the Code of Ethics called - What to expect from a career development professional

 A draft Professional Standards Framework that proposed categories of membership for the CPA or its successor body, pending decisions on the future governance of the CPA.

 Referencing the National Occupational Standards (NOS) as the basis for a competency framework and to support a career progression framework.

6. The CPA, in August 2011, supported by DBIS, established a Task Group, chaired by Trevor Mason of the CPA Executive Group to deliver, by March 31st 2012:

 An online Register of Career Development Professionals and;

 An associated career progression framework to support individuals in developing their skills, competence and qualifications and allow progress on to The Register.

7. This blueprint has been written based on the work of the Task Group, including drawing on previous work from January to March 2011 and lessons learned from the Institute of Career Guidance (ICG) pilot of a revised ICG register of professional practice.

8. The blueprint for The Register has also been tested against the expectations of career development professionals through consultation and user testing via: setting up an informal reference group, mini consultations on qualifications and

(4)

the competency framework, a workshop event in February 2012, user testing and trialling in February 2012 and further user testing in March 2012.

9. The CPA/successor body Professional Standards Framework, Register and career progression framework is intended to be ‘fit for purpose’ for the rapid pace of change in the landscape of career development provision. For example, the increase in range and type of careers provision delivered in the private sector and in the changing nature of services delivered to young people in schools and government funded Back to Work provision.

10.It is critical to the remit and success of the CPA/successor body that the Professional Standards Framework and Register of Career Development Professionals meets the needs of and represents all those working in the career development profession.

Definition of the Career Development Profession

11.Career development professionals provide activities and services which assist individuals or organisations seeking support to affect a wide range of career transitions. These may be associated with life and career stages, including the development of the career ideas of young people. Contexts include educational choices, work experience and internships, labour market entry, skills and vocational training, job search, sector/management level change, promotion or transfer, redundancy, entrepreneurial business development, working identity change, disability and stress related career development issues, adjustments to life-work balance, returners to the labour market, portfolio working and pre-retirement choices.

12.Such activities and services may be delivered in schools, universities, colleges, training organisations, public employment services, the workplace, community or voluntary sector and the private sector. They may be provided on an individual or group basis and may be face-to-face or at a distance (including help-lines and web-based services). They include the provision of information, ideas, tools and resources (verbal, printed, web-based or other forms), administration of assessment and self-assessment tools, career guidance interviews, career education programmes, career coaching, taster programmes, work search programmes, outplacement, redundancy and transition services, retention and talent management reviews, career progression or promotion, training, or other

(5)

forms of career development-related consultancy, research and professional development3.

Career Development Professionals

13.There are many job titles and descriptions for those working in ‘careers’ across the UK, as evidenced in research by Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK)4 and others. The CPA has adopted the term career development professional as an inclusive description of all individuals working across the whole of the ‘footprint’ of careers related services and activity as definition in paragraphs 11 and 12.

A national Register

14.The Register should meet the needs of career development professionals working in each of the four home nations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Some work has been undertaken to share understanding of the needs of career development professionals in the four countries including, of course, building on the existing remit of some Professional Associations, such as the ICG, whose membership is already UK wide, and this will be further developed during 2012.

Employers of career development professionals

15.The involvement and commitment of employers of career development professionals is key to achieving and maintaining a strong careers profession, including their continued support for raising the level of qualifications and competence of their staff, through qualification routes, training and support for CPD. Examples of employers in this context will include, careers companies, Headteachers and college leaders, Government agencies and others delivering contracts or providing services in the voluntary and/or private sector.

16.The CPA/successor body will work with employers of career development professionals to support consistency and coherence between the needs and responsibilities of employers for creating a skilled workforce and the imperative for individuals to take responsibility for their own professional practice and career development.

3_{Adapted by CPA (2011) from the OECD (2004) definition}

(6)

17.The CPA/successor body is engaging with specific parts of the sector to ensure that the national Register of Career Development Professionals and career progression framework takes account of a range of specialisms and supports movement across the sector. For example, we are working with the Professionalisation of Welfare to Work Expert Reference (Power) Group, with Providers of qualifications for the profession and private sector career management companies.

Working with policy makers, funders, and other stakeholders

18.The CPA/successor body will be an independent, member-led professional organisation. However it will work alongside Government and other policy making stakeholders, regulators and standards setting bodies, and quality assurance bodies to promote the profession, membership of the CPA/successor body and The Register.

19.To these ends the CPA is working with DBIS to secure an expectation that the professional standards of the CPA/successor body are reflected in expectations set out in Statutory Guidance to schools and embedded in contracting arrangements for the new National Careers Service to be launched in April 2012.

Quality Assurance

20.In March 2011 the CPA and Careers England produced a joint statement of progress for the Careers Profession Task Force (CPTF), an independent task force set up by the Government in England to provide the vision for high-quality delivery of careers education, information, advice and guidance. The statement set out the importance of a coherent approach to three elements of a quality assurance framework:

‘The CPTF believes that in ‘making arrangements for the provision of career guidance to young people’ (and adults), all organisations must ensure that there are strong links between the three elements of the quality assurance framework:

i. professional standards for the careers advisers delivering the services; ii. CEIAG quality awards for schools and colleges which meet the new kite

mark and;

iii. a single national quality standard for all providers of careers services for young people and adults (whether procured directly by Government or secured by schools under their proposed new duty)’.

(7)

21.The matrix Standard, (a quality framework for organisations delivering information, advice and/or guidance on learning and work) states that ‘for careers guidance staff in England this should include professional standards and qualifications determined by the Careers Profession Alliance or other representative bodies’. This is a welcome move that creates a clear expectation for organisations aiming to achieve the matrix Standard that they must adopt the professional standards of the CPA/successor body. The matrix standard is a contract requirement for all providers delivering the National Careers Service in England.

22.Careers England, the trade association for employer organisations involved in the provision of products and services promoting careers education and guidance in England, have now published the Quality in Careers Standard (QiCS) in England which sets out overarching standards for evaluation criteria of careers education, information, advice and guidance in schools and this also includes a reference to taking account of the standards set by CPA.

23.Careers Wales has developed the Careers Wales Mark in partnership with learning providers to support improved outcomes for all learners. Further information can be found on: www.careerswales.com. This single national quality award for careers and the world of work has been in place since 2005. The award was further developed and trialled in summer 2010 with the latest version, Career Wales Mark (CWM), now available to schools.

24.In Scotland, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is charged by the Scottish Government with the development of a quality standard process and CPD framework for careers staff and this is currently under development.

Professional Standards framework of the CPA/successor body

25.The Register of Career Development Professionals is an integral part of a wider Professional Standards Framework which will be established and led by the CPA/successor body. The Professional Standards Framework is integral to membership structure of the CPA/successor professional body and supports entry to the aspirational level of The Register of Career Development Professionals.

26.The CPA proposes Student, Associate/Corporate, Member, and Fellow membership categories alongside the Registered Career Development

(8)

Professional designation for the new professional body. This model offers an inclusive approach while maintaining rigour and upholding commitment to QCF Level 6 or above for The Register.

Professional Standards Framework

27.The Professional Standards Framework below sets out how the CPA/successor body representing a unified careers profession will support career development professionals and raise the standards of the careers profession. Four types of membership are proposed, plus the Registered Career Development Professional designation:

Associate and

corporate member:

Open to any interested party as individuals or as an organisation

Student member: Anyone working towards a relevant recognised

career development professional qualification who is not currently working in the profession. (Typically HE route career development qualifications)

Member: Open to those with any level of qualification or

none who are currently practising, or have practised in career development. Members must commit to the Code of Ethics and CPD requirements and be subject to the complaints and discipline process of the CPA/ successor body.

Fellow: An honorary title. A minimum of 10 years

practice in the career development sector; and must be and have been a Member of the CPA/successor body (or previous CPA Professional Association) for at least 2 years immediately prior to nomination; and must demonstrate a significant contribution to the career development profession through the development of professional practice.

Required to sign up to Code of Ethics and subject to complaints and discipline processes.

Registered Career Development Professional:

Open to those qualified to QCF level 6 or above in a specified career development qualification or optionally those with alternative qualifications equivalent to QCF level 6 or above who can also provide robust assessed evidence of competence equivalent to QCF Level 6 or above in career

(9)

development based on National Occupational Standards (NOS).

In addition, there is a two year conditional entry available for those with specified NVQ4 qualifications.

Sign up to Code of Ethics and must commit to complete CPD as required by the CPA/successor body.

Must be currently practising and have practised career development for at least a year.

Membership of the CPA/successor body

28.Membership of the CPA/successor body is open to all who are either practising or have practised in the career development profession as defined by the CPA/successor body. All full members of the CPA/successor body will be required to sign up to the professional standards of the CPA, including a commitment to the Code of Ethics, completing 20 hours continuous professional development a year, and be subject to the complaints and discipline process of the CPA/successor body.

29.The wider membership offer of the CPA will deliver a range of benefits that would be expected of any strong and progressive professional body. This will be delivered through the overall remit and business planning for the new professional body by January 2013 and is not part of this project. However, the CPA/successor body will offer all its members, including those on The Register:

 Access to a network of fellow professionals

 Access to the qualifications framework which are based on National Occupational Standards and recognised throughout the UK

 Access to appropriate learning resources

 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities and the chance to progress in their career

 Subsidised training and events

 Recognition outside the careers sector (by employers, contractors and the general public)

 Access to information about the profession and the stakeholder environment

 Opportunity to influence the future of the profession

(10)

30.The ambition of the CPA/successor body is to be an international centre of excellence in career development by supporting and enabling members to acquire and develop qualifications and professional practice standards and provide access to resources, networks, services and relationships that will progressively improve the effectiveness and impact of the profession. The CPA/successor body will continue to provide the services and resources that the individual membership associations have provided for members which include:

- newsletter and e-bulletins - professional journal - web-site

- training/CPD events - annual conference

- approved/endorsed initial qualifications - branch networks

- professional interest networks - members helpline

- recruitment service - campaigning/lobbying

CPD support for progression

31.Members of the CPA/successor body, including Registered Career Development Professionals will also have access to a range of CPD supports through the online resource. This range of CPD resources and support will be available to all members, including those who are planning for entry to the Register of Career Development Professionals and those who wish to remain only as members of the CPA/successor body. CPD support will include:

 Keeping track of CPD hours completed

 The ability to record the type of learning activity undertaken such as: - Self (Planned Reading; Reflective Learning; Supervision; Research;

Self-directed Education; External Courses)

- Peer (Practice Forums; Shadowing; Mentoring; Dialogue and discussion) - Employer (Secondments; Job swaps; Meetings, seminars and workshops;

Internal courses)

- Using Technology (E-learning; Practice sharing websites; Web seminars; Video feedback)

(11)

 The ability to create CPD records such as:

- Reflective Learning Journal (Learning from self-instruction; work shadowing; learning from peers/team meetings/supervision) - Visit reports

- Reports on courses/on-line learning - Project Reports

- Client or third party testimonials - Case Studies

- Research Reports

 Recording what activity was undertaken and reflecting on: - Why it was completed

- What they learnt from the activity?

- How they have/will put this learning into practice - Any further action

- Identifying competencies which relate to the CPD record

CPD Resources

32.The on line resource also provides a range of CPD supports that both members and Registered Career Development Professionals can access to fulfil their development needs, either to support specific needs in relation to qualifications and competency requirements or to meet their CPD requirements to maintain membership or their status as a Registered Career Development Professional. For, example there is a Hot Topics section of the site that will point to resources linked to current developments, such as, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM), Labour Market Information (LMI), or ‘Green’ careers.

Complaints and discipline

33.All members of the CPA/successor body, including those on The Register will be subject to a complaints and discipline process. The complaints and discipline policy and process will be independent of any employer based disciplinary proceedings but will give confidence to employers, stakeholders and the public that members are committed to their professional standards and subject to sanctions by the CPA/successor body for any breaches of professional conduct.

34.The CPA/ Successor body will make specific arrangements for establishing a complaints and discipline process for the new body as part of the transitional

(12)

arrangements and governance of the new body from January 2013 and key aspects of a robust complaints and discipline process are set out below.

Key aspects of a complaints and discipline process

35.Complaints and discipline procedures are important for convincing the public, and other bodies, that a profession takes seriously its responsibility both for ensuring a high standard of service but also that consumers/users are treated fairly and with respect.

36.The complaints and discipline process should be internal to the professional body. It would be best practice to involve a mixture of experienced professionals and lay persons (i.e. people who are not members of the profession) in the complaints and discipline process, especially at the point of determining guilt or sanctioning a member. Ideally the outcome of the process should be made public at the point of a decision being made (for or against the Registrant).

37.Formal written communication systems are necessary for keeping a joint record of communication between the body and the complainant. There is also a need for systems to be set up for filtering complaints, identifying which complaints are valid and matching these against the Code of Ethics.

38.Following the filtering, complaints should be investigated. This could be a passive process, in which written evidence is submitted by the complainant and the member, and then inspected, before being assessed in a formal disciplinary hearing.

39.Disciplinary hearings are usually made up of peers of the Registrant taken from a voluntary committee which oversees discipline processes and lay persons should also be included to ensure a measure of impartiality. Decisions made by a disciplinary panel should be made on a balance of probabilities (rather than beyond reasonable doubt) based on the evidence presented.

40.A range of different disciplinary actions should be available. All sanctions should be available at the discretion of the disciplinary panel/committee. Some potential actions are:

(13)

Formal warning: Letter of reprimand noted in the public register for

a time specified period

Removal of privileges:

Loss of honorary status or loss of post on institute/branch committees

Fines: Small fines for minor infractions that incur a cost

to the CPA/successor body. Large fines can be difficult to implement as members may prefer to simply allow membership to lapse

Remedial CPD: Requiring extra CPD to be undertaken, perhaps on

a specific topic to ensure there are no future lapses of professionalism, with monitored compliance to ensure a positive impact on the knowledge/understanding of the member

Suspension of membership:

Temporary barring from membership/registration

(14)

The Register of Career Development Professionals

41.The CPA/successor body will own and provide access to a national Register of Career Development Professionals. The Register will be launched on May 1st 2012. Until the establishment of the successor body (likely to be known as the Career Development Institute) in January 2013 The Register will be accessed through the websites of the existing CPA Professional Associations.

Aim/purpose for The Register

42.The overarching aim/purpose for The Register is that it becomes the single national point of reference for ensuring and promoting the professional status of career development professionals and is recognised as an aspirational standard by members of the profession, their customers, and employers, as well as policy makers, funders and all other stakeholders.

Benefits of The Register

43.For The Register to succeed and gain mass acceptance as an aspirational standard for the whole of the profession the benefits of registration will need to be recognised by, and then realised for, all career development professionals.

44.These benefits can be described as:

For Registered Career Development Professionals: Professional recognition and confidence in peers on The Register along with ability to promote their professional status in the ‘market’.

For customers: Confidence in the competence and ethical standing of the career development professional and the ability to report and have investigated any dissatisfaction.

For employers: Confidence in the competence of career development professionals as well as registered staff members having access to a monitored system of CPD and an impartial complaints and discipline service.

For policy makersand funders: Able to identify membership of The Register as an assurance of the quality of individuals working as career development professionals

45.The benefits of joining The Register will need to be promoted and marketed as part of the business plan of the CPA/successor body. Members must be able to see clear additional benefits to being on The Register and these benefits must outweigh any extra effort required to become registered and to retain

(15)

registration. This makes the importance of engaging with employers, stakeholders and funders key, so that they understand, and expect registration when employing staff at a professional level.

Key Principles for The Register

46.The blueprint for The Register is based on the following key principles. The Register must be:

 Meaningful to all members of the career development profession with clearly identifiable and realised benefits for customers, members, policy makers and funders of career development professionals

 Robust and rigorous in its entry standard and requirements so that the public, funders and purchasers of career development services have confidence that those on The Register are competent, qualified career development professionals

 Accessible to all those career development professionals across the whole of the career development sector (footprint) who meet and continue to fulfil the requirements of The Register

 Supported by a career progression framework that supports individuals in their professional development and increases the qualifications levels and competence of the career development profession

 An integral and coherent part of the Professional Standards Framework and wider membership offer of the CPA/successor body.

Defining a qualified and competent career development professional

47.Any member of the CPA/successor body on the national Register of Career Development Professionals must:

 Make a public commitment to uphold the Code of Ethics of the CPA/successor body and understand how to apply ethical considerations to career development interventions with users of career development activities and services

 Be able to evidence their competence as a career development professional at QCF Level 6 or above (based on National Occupational Standards: Career Development) including;

(16)

- An understanding of appropriate theories of career development, including theoretical approaches to career choice and the conduct of professional interventions with clients

- An understanding of professional practice in career development and be competent in the conduct of a range of career development interventions

 Make a commitment to their own continuous professional development and advancement of their professional knowledge and understanding, including meeting specific CPD requirements for maintaining registration.

 Agree to abide by and maintain the standards set for registration and understand that failure to do so my result in disciplinary action on the part of the CPA/successor body.

Entry standards for The Register

48.The Register of Career Development Professionals is open to individuals with QCF Level 6 or above in a specified career development qualification or those who have alternative qualifications equivalent to QCF level 6 or above who can also provide robust assessed evidence of competence equivalent to QCF Level 6 or above in career development based on the National Occupational Standards (NOS): Career Development.

49.Registrants continue to be bound by the CPA Code of Ethics and are subject to complaints and discipline processes. In addition, those on the Register commit to an additional five hours of CPD a year (25 hours in total). Registrants must be currently practising and have practised career development for at least a year in line with the CPA’s definition of practising set out in paragraph 72.

50.The online resource provides advice and support on the qualifications and/or competence requirements for entry to The Register, including information on mapping the progression or ‘gap analysis’ between common qualifications and providing details of learning providers and assessment centres to support progression for those who do not yet meet the entry standards. This also includes access to a range of CPD resources to help plan, record and fulfil those requirements.

(17)

51.A range of case studies are also available on line to illustrate how some individuals have developed their skills, qualifications and competence to progress their careers, including gaining entry to The Register.

Pathways to Registration

52.There are two main pathways to meet the entry standards for the Register of Career Development professionals. These are:

Immediate entry to the Register of Career Development Professionals who already meet the qualification requirement for Registration through one of the qualifications set out below provided all other conditions are met as described in the professional standards framework in paragraph 27.

Planning for entry to the Register of Career Development Professionals either through completing additional qualifications (or units of qualifications) or, by providing evidence of meeting the requirements of a CPA/successor body competency framework through recognition of prior learning and completion of CPD.

Immediate Entry

53.Currently the qualifications that are specified as meeting the requirement for immediate entry to the Register of Career Development Professionals are:

 Qualification in Career Guidance

 Qualification in Career Guidance and Development (Scotland)

 Diploma in Career Guidance (Parts 1 and 2)

 QCF Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development (2011)

 Diploma in Career Guidance combined with the NVQ Level 4 in Guidance

 Postgraduate Diploma in Career Development and Coaching Studies (University of Warwick)

 Postgraduate Diploma in Career Education, Information and Guidance in Higher Education (University of Warwick)

(18)

With, in addition, boththe following Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development Units or equivalent HE Modules in:

o Reflect on and improve professional practice

o Use career and labour market information with clients

 S/NVQ Level 4 in Guidance

With, in addition, all the following Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development Units or equivalent HE Modules in:

o Career Guidance Theory

 S/NVQ in Advice and Guidance Level 4

With, in addition, all the following Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development Units or equivalent HE Modules in:

 NVQ Level 4 in Learning, Development and Support Services (Supporting Young People Pathway)

With, in addition, allthe following Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development Units or equivalent HE Modules in:

The S/NVQ qualifications listed above must have been undertaken in a career guidance context and include the following units: Develop interactions with clients; Assist clients to decide on a course of action; Assist clients to plan the implementation of a course of action; Assist clients to review their achievement of a course of action.

(19)

Conditional Entry

54.In addition, the following qualifications will be allowed for conditional entry to the Register of Career Development Professionals for a limited time. The qualifications allowed for conditional entry are:

 NVQ Level 4 Advice and Guidance plus Career Guidance Theory (Wales)  S/NVQ Level 4 in Guidance

 S/NVQ in Advice and Guidance Level 4

 NVQ Level 4 in Learning, Development and Support Services (Supporting Young People Pathway)

The S/NVQ must have been undertaken in a career guidance context and include the interviewing units: Develop interactions with clients; Assist clients to decide on a course of action; Assist clients to plan the implementation of a course of action.

55.The option for conditional entry to The Register is only open until 1st May 2014. The Register will show that registration is conditional on achieving specified QCF Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development units or equivalent HE Modules within two years of joining The Register. The required units to achieve full registration are:

 Reflect on and improve professional practice

 Career guidance theory

 Use career and labour market information with clients

Proof of qualifications

56.When arrangements for the CPA successor body are in place by January 2013, evidence of an approved qualification (such as certificates) will be required to be submitted online to the successor body within a specified time period. However, initially, a declaration from the Registrant that they do hold the qualifications claimed will be accepted. Originals of certificates should be available to the CPA/successor body on request. It is possible to attach certificates immediately via the online resource but this will not initially be a required field.

(20)

Planning for entry to the Register of career development professionals

57.For those people who do not currently hold one of the qualifications set out above, or who do not fully meet the specific qualification/unit requirements, allowing immediate or conditional entry to the Register of Career Development Professionals, there are two possible routes to planning for entry to The Register in future. This can be achieved by:

Qualification route: Planning to undertake either a full qualification or units/parts/modules of a qualification to meet the qualification requirements for entry to The Register. This can be achieved either through a work based route or through a Higher Education course or modules.

The competency framework route: For those who already hold a Level 6 or above (graduate/postgraduate level) qualification a competency framework route has been developed that will allow applicants to evidence their competence and submit this for assessment by the CPA/successor body. Successful assessment against the competency framework will then allow entry to The Register.

The Qualification route

58.The Qualification route for entry to the Register of Career Development Professionals can be approached in two ways:

Work-based: People can register with an Approved Assessment Centre of an Awarding Body, details of which will be available through the on line resource, and either undertake a full QCF Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development5 or part thereof. Part time and distance learning modes are also available through some Higher Education Institutions and these may be employer sponsored through part time or distance learning as another work based route to accreditation.

Higher Education: People can apply to a university and undertake the Qualification in Career Guidance/Development (QCG/D) or possibly Higher education modules if they only need to ‘top up’ their qualification requirements. People may be able to use evidence from their existing qualifications to contribute towards the QCG/D. Accreditation of Prior Learning arrangements vary between universities and people will be advised to contact the relevant

(21)

university for further information. Details of QCG/D centres are available through the on line resource.

Postgraduate qualifications

59.The CPA/successor body is committed to continuously raising the standards of the career development profession and promoting quality assured routes to achieving QCF level 7/SQCF Level 11 and above career development qualifications.

60.Specifically, a section of the online resource has been provided for the interests and achievement of postgraduate qualifications and this will include details of a range of qualifications at postgraduate level (e.g. Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates and Masters Degrees).

61.Because there is a high level of variation between institutions in their course content and the way in which evidence is assessed it is proposed that Institutions offering these courses work with the CPA/successor body to map their qualification against the National Occupational Standards: Career Development Those qualifications that map successfully to the National Occupational Standards: Career Development will be added to the approved qualification list for immediate entry to The Register. This has been proposed to Institutions offering postgraduate provision and several postgraduate providers have indicated an interest in mapping their qualifications. This work will be carried out as part of the next phase of development of The Register.

The Competency Framework route

62.The competency framework has been designed as an option for those people who are practising in the career development sector and who already have a qualification at Level 6 or above (degree/post graduate) qualification in any

subject.

63.The competency framework route may, primarily but not exclusively, be most suitable for those career development professionals who may have a wide range of experience in the sector and/or may have undertaken related qualifications that will provide them with prior evidence of competence against the competency framework, but who may not wish to undertake further qualifications. For example, those working as private practitioners or as careers

(22)

educators. The online resource will, over time, build a range of qualification maps to help people identify evidence from their existing qualifications that could contribute to the requirements of the competency framework.

64.Practitioners following this route will be able to produce a continuous professional development (CPD) plan and submit a portfolio of evidence to the CPA/successor body to evidence their qualifications and experience against the required competencies for entry to The Register.

65.However, this registration pathway will require resource, both in terms of giving guidance on how to evidence a competence to prospective Registrants and in training staff or volunteers to act as assessors or verifiers of the evidence submitted. Arrangements to introduce and maintain this route are being addressed through transition planning arrangements for the new CPA successor body between April 2012 and January 2013.

66.The competency framework is based on the competency framework previously developed (and consulted upon) by LLUK and has been mapped against the National Occupational Standards: Career Development. Responsibility for the Standards is currently held by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) and the CPA has worked with LSIS to develop the competency framework.

A Competency Framework for the Career Development sector

67.The competency framework consists of Core Competencies which are covered by all practitioners regardless of which part of the sector they practise in and Functional Competencies which can form part of the role in different parts of the sector. To become a Registered Career Development Professional through the Competency Framework route applicants have to meet all the Core Competencies and choose one of the Functional Competencies relevant to their specific job role. Each competency has an associated set of Knowledge, Understanding and Skills. The full competency framework is available from the CPA as a separate document.

68.The Core and Functional Competencies should be used in the context of the definition of the career development profession set out in Paragraphs 11 and 12 of this document.

(23)

69.The Core Competencies are:

 Ethical Practice

 Reflective Practice and Personal Development

 Identifying and Responding to Client Needs

 Embedding Theory and Research into Practice

 Using Information and Communication Technologies

 Working in the Career Development Sector

 Providing Customer Service

 Data Recording and Reporting

 Obtaining Labour Market, Learning and Occupational Information and Managing Its Use

 Partnership Working

70.The Functional Competencies are:

 Providing Career-Related Learning

 Developing Career Planning/Management Skills

 Providing on-going support to clients/users of services to help them to achieve their goals and objectives

 Undertaking Research Activities

 Leading and Managing Service Delivery in a Career Development Service

 Leading and Managing Career Development Work in an Organisation

 Representing Clients’ Needs to Others

 Promoting the Availability, Value and Effectiveness of the Service on Offer

 Monitoring, Evaluating and Improving the Effectiveness of the Service on Offer.

 Supporting Organisations to develop Career Development Work

71.For the next stage of development of The Register it is intended to add two further Functional Competencies that more closely meet the needs of those working in Employability Services and for Private Practitioners and a possible third functional competence for those working to support career development services and activities.

(24)

Pathway to registration model

Apply for membership Ethical declaration Apply for Registration Declare at least 1 year's practise and currently practising Submit evidence of qualifications Sign up to CPD requirement for Register Registered Plan for Registration Qualifications/co mpetency gap fill analysis Development plan Submit evidence of competence through qualifications or competency framework Assessment of evidence or proof of qualification Declare at least 1 year's practise and currently practising If successful: Sign up to CPD requirement for Register Registered If unsuccessful: Back to development plan

(25)

Definition of practising

72.The Register will be open to all those who meet the requirements who are currently practising in the field of career development. The CPA has developed a definition of those who are considered to be ‘practising’ to cover a range of settings and activities:

Anyone whose main job role requires them to deliver career development activities or services to an individual or a group of individuals through any medium (e.g. face to face, by telephone, online or paper based). Including those career development professionals delivering services in management or related occupations (e.g. in research, consultancy or training) who do not deal directly with users of career development activities and services.

73.It is not intended to publicly ‘segment’ The Register according to the nature of services delivered or job role of the Registrant, although information on the ‘constituency groups’ of those on The Register will be gathered as part of the management information and reporting functions of The Register and membership. The equivalent of one year’s full time practice will be required before registration.

74.In addition, an optional ‘Find a Career Development Professional’ has been developed for organisations and members of the public to be able search for and identify career development professionals from The Register who can deliver a range of career development activities and services to meet their needs.

CPD requirements for The Register

75.Registered Career Development Professionals will sign up to a compulsory CPD policy with a requirement to complete at least 25 hours CPD spread over a variety of different relevant topics and through a range of learning approaches. A compulsory policy means that there are sanctions in place for those not complying with the CPD policy. To help members plan and complete their CPD the online resource will provide guidance and an online CPD development plan to support identifying areas for development and linking to resources to help meet their development aims.

(26)

76.Those undertaking additional study such as students progressing to a MA or MSc can count this towards their CPD requirement and thus the CPA will encourage a culture of research in the field of career development.

CPD Measurement for the Register

77.CPD measurement systems can be inputs-based with requirements set in terms of time and effort spent on learning or outputs-based with requirements set in terms of evaluating reflection on, and impact of, learning.

78.It is proposed that a mixed inputs and outputs measurement policy is established. The online system will send an email alert to both members and Registered Career Development Professionals who have not completed 75% of their CPD hours within three months of the end of their CPD year. In addition to this, it is proposed that a 20% (TBC) random sample of Registrants will be selected each year to monitor quality and reflections on learning.

Sanctions for non compliance with CPD requirements for Registrants

79.For Registered Career Development Professionals who do not complete their CPD hours or reflections within the year there will be a warning and a grace period to encourage them to make up the shortfall. If the member does not become compliant a range of possible sanctions will be established, from a warning for minor infractions to temporary or permanent suspension from registration if a Registrant is persistent in not completing their CPD.

Ongoing resource requirements

80.Several aspects of the blueprint outlined above will require an ongoing commitment in order to attract and maintain membership, support routes to registration, maintain The Register and uphold standards. Arrangements for ongoing infrastructure and resource requirements will be established as part of the transition arrangements and future governance of the CPA successor body by January 2013. An implementation plan has been developed by the CPA which identifies ongoing resource requirements that include:

 Making arrangements for the ongoing support, maintenance and hosting of the online resource as well as future enhancements to the site

(27)

 Providing support and advice to members on requirements for membership and registration and routes to becoming a Registered Career Development Professional

 Providing support and advice on qualification routes and continuing to develop routes to registration for the wider footprint of the profession, including reviewing and mapping qualifications and establishing scrutiny arrangements.

 Providing infrastructure and resources to support the Competency Framework route and training staff and volunteers to act as verifiers/assessors to validate and endorse evidence and make recommendations for Registration.

 Monitoring CPD records of members (a 20% annual sample has been suggested) and staff time and training to act as assessors in order to validate the CPD records.

 Developing and updating supports for CPD and keeping an up to date database of CPD opportunities

 Providing a complaints service and disciplining members that have breached the Code of Ethics will require resources for staff and volunteer training, investigating complaints, disciplinary panels, maintaining records and communicating with complainants and Registrants.

 Developing a communications strategy and providing ongoing communications and promotion of The Register to members, employers of career development professionals, stakeholders and policy makers.