Careers 50/50 – reflecting on the past: Innovating for the future

Abstract

This paper offers a summary of, and some reflections on, a conference titled Careers 50/50, held in Cambridge in July 2014 by the Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC) and NICEC to mark the fiftieth anniversary of CRAC. It highlights some of the main themes from small group discussion sessions held at this event, as well as from the main speakers. The first day of the conference reflected on changes in work, society and career development over the past fifty years and the second day looked to the future. Key themes included the purposes of career guidance for individuals and as perceived by policy makers, and the dangers of the ‘commodification’ of guidance. To help individuals deal with continuing change and uncertainty, delegates were hoping to improve access to guidance and to combine personal, tailored career development support with much more creative use of technologically-based information and resources.