Are We Doing Ok? Developing a Generic Process to Benchmark Career Services in Educational Institutions

Abstract

In 2007 the Career Industry Council of Australia developed the Guiding Principles for Career Development Services and Career Information Products as one part of its strategy to produce a national quality framework for career development activities in Australia. An Australian university career service undertook an assessment process against these principles but with minimal success. An alternative benchmarking process was developed, taking into account the work done in university career services in the UK and the USA, together with experienced career professionals in Australian university career services. This benchmarking process was further refined and piloted in another Australian university with great success. Only minor adjustments were needed to be made as a result of the learning from this pilot work. The process could be used by career services in other institutional settings.

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