The potential of career management competencies for renewed focus and direction in career education

Career management competencies have recently emerged in New Zealand and in international policy addressing people’s capabilities to build successful (working) lives in de-industrialised, knowledge societies. This article shows how career management competencies could address three major and long-standing problems with New Zealand school-based career education – inequitable access, marginalisation, and lack of fitness for purpose. It argues for an overall shift from careers information and guidance delivery to longer-term capability building. The article discusses a possible role for career management competencies in relation to the key competencies of the New Zealand curriculum. It also outlines how subject teachers, careers advisors, and industry could work together to provide the kinds of learning opportunities and pedagogies needed by today’s young people making the transition from school to work and further learning.