Careers Wales: a review in an international perspective

This report was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government as part of a wider review it is conducting of careers services in Wales. The aim of the report is to review the work of Careers Wales, including its links to other career guidance providers, in an international context. Use has been made of the benchmarks provided by the OECD Career Guidance Policy Review. Particular comparisons are drawn with the other main all-age services, in New Zealand, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The report is based on an examination of over 200 documents and on six days of meetings and visits carried out in November 2008. These included meetings with relevant staff of the Welsh Assembly Government, with the chief executives of the Careers Wales companies, with a number of the Careers Wales companies' staff, and with a wide variety of partners and stakeholders. On the basis of this review, the strengths of, and challenges facing, Careers Wales are discussed. The review concludes that there is a strong case for restructuring the organisational framework of Careers Wales but that it is a strong and highly professional organisation, and, if these changes are undertaken successfully, has the capability to become a fully world-class service.

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