A qualitative, longitudinal (five year) study of effective guidance in England has been conducted by the Warwick Institute for Employment Research over the period 2002 to 2008. It was funded by the Department for Education and Skills, Access to Learning Division (subsequently renamed Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills).

The project used a qualitative, longitudinal case study approach to investigate the nature of effective guidance and how it can enhance the capability to add value to post-compulsory learning. The main purpose of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of guidance in England by tracking the career trajectories of research participants over a five year period to evaluate the role of guidance in the process of career development and progression. The fifty clients who participated in this study were followed-up over a four year period (2004-2008). In the final year of the study, the research team were able to follow-up 29 of the original 50 participants. The reports explore the decision making styles of clients that emerged from the data, the barriers and influences on these career choices and decisions, as well as clients’ views about the impact of guidance on their career transitions.

Research reports:

Bimrose, J., Barnes, S-A. & Hughes, D. (2008) Adult Career Progression and Advancement: A five year study of the effectiveness of guidance, London/Coventry: Warwick Institute for Employment Research/Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Bimrose, J. and Barnes, S-A. (2007) Navigating the labour market: career decision making and the role of guidance, London/Coventry: Warwick Institute for Employment Research/Department for Education and Skills.

Bimrose, J., Barnes, S-A. & Hughes, D. (2006) Developing career trajectories in England: the role of effective guidance, London/Coventry: Warwick Institute for Employment Research/Department for Education and Skills.

Bimrose, J., Barnes, S-A. & Hughes, D. (2005) Effective Guidance One Year On: Evidence from Longitudinal Case Studies in England, London/Coventry: Department for Education & Skills/Warwick Institute for Employment Research.

Bimrose, J, Barnes, S.A., Hughes, D. & Orton, M. (2004) What is Effective Guidance? Evidence from Longitudinal Case Studies in England, London/Coventry: Department for Education & Skills/Warwick Institute for Employment Research.

IER Bulletins summarising findings:

• What is effective career guidance? Evidence from longitudinal case studies in England (No.78)
• Researching effective career guidance: one year on (No.84)
• Developing career trajectories: Researching effective guidance two years on (No.87)
• Navigating the labour market and the role of careers guidance (No.90)
• Adult career progression & advancement: A five year study of the effectiveness of career guidance (No.99)

Related publications:

Bimrose, J. & Barnes, S-A. (2010) 'Gli stili di decision-making professionale: quali implicazioni per la pratica? (Career decision-making styles: Implications for practice?)', in L. Nota & S. Soresi (eds.) Sfide e nuovi orizzonti per l'orientamento - 1 Metodologie e buone pratiche, Florence, Italy: Giunti O.S. Organizzazioni Speciali (pp. 216- 224).

Bimrose, J. and Barnes, S-A. (2009) 'Measuring the effectiveness of career counselling', in R. Arnold, W. Gieseke & C. Zeuner (eds.) Bildungsberatung im Dialog: Grundlagen der Berufs- und Erwachsenenbildung (Band 61), Baltmannsweiler, Germany: Schneider Verlag Hohengehren Gmbh Publishing (pp. 79-96).

Bimrose, J. & Barnes, S-A. (2007) 'Styles of career decision-making', Australian Journal of Career Development, 16(2), 20 - 29.

Bimrose, J. (2006) 'What is the impact of guidance on clients one year on? Evidence from a longitudinal case study in England', in H. Reid (ed) Re-Positioning Careers Education and Guidance, Canterbury: Canterbury Christ Church University (pp. 9-14).

Bimrose, J. & Barnes, S-A. (2006) 'Is career guidance effective? Evidence from a longitudinal study in England', Australian Journal of Career Development, 15(2), 19 - 25.

Barnes, S-A. & Bimrose, J. (2006) 'Effective guidance: Transforming clients? futures', in Constructing the Future IV: Transforming career guidance, 21- 33, Editors: H. Reid & J. Bimrose (0-903076-28-4) Stourbridge: Institute for Careers Guidance

Bimrose, J. and Barnes, S. (2005) Careers Advice and Guidance: Evaluating Effectiveness [Policy Briefing], London: skillsformedia.

Bimrose, J. & Barnes, S.A. (2005) 'Effective career guidance? Evidence from longitudinal case studies', Phoenix, 46 - 51.

Bimrose, J. & Barnes, S-A (2005) 'Effective career guidance? Evidence from longitudinal case studies', Phoenix - the AGCAS Journal, 115 (Winter), 46 - 51.

Project duration: 2002-2008

IER project team:

Jenny Bimrose

Sally-Anne Barnes

Michael Orton

Other researchers:

Deirdre Hughes

Lesley Haughton

Ruth Hawthorne

Irene Krechowiecka

Sandra Morgan

Valerie Rowe

Denise Smith

Funder:

Department for Education and Skills