Societal contexts, issues, research questions and interventions in the domain of vocational counselling

Abstract : Vocational (or career development) issues are produced in societies having specific characteristics and they bear the mark of their societal origin. Two categories of factors play a significant role in their definition: (1) broad general societal phenomena such as collective beliefs and representations and (2) the concrete ways in which work and education (and training) are organised and employment distributed. In our societies, six major vocational issues have successively emerged during the last century. Each of them has given rise to theoretical constructions that model them in a certain way. Vocational interventions (e.g. career counselling) have been developed within these different scientific approaches in relation to the (social, economical, etc.) ends and concrete goals they aim at. Three kinds of issues are typical of today‟s situation: they are about the capacity to develop and invest in one's own competencies, to cope with transitions and to anticipate one's own future. These issues find their meaning within the broader question addressed to each individual: how should I best direct my life? Those issues are quite difficult to deal with and most people need to be helped by skilled counsellors. They also have to develop their self-reflexivity and their competencies. Therefore the training of counsellors, and an offer of life long education and training to people, are major challenges for all developed economies.