New Super Series

By Marc Verhoeve

In 1957, Donald Super proposed his now-famous Career Development Stages:

Growth 0 – 14

• Try multiple experiences
• Form self-concept
• Develop an understanding of the meaning and purpose of work

Exploration 14 – 24

• Recognize and accept need to make career decisions
• Become aware of interests and abilities
• Identify possible work fields
• Secure training

Establishment 25 – 44

• Achieve full competence in occupation through experience/training
• Consolidate and improve status in the occupation
• Advance vertically or horizontally

Maintenance 45 – 65

• Preserve skills through in-service/continual training
• Develop retirement resources/plans

Decline 65 +

• Adapt work to physical capacity
• Manage resources to sustain independence

Donald Super: The Psychology of Careers [1957]

In addition, Super proposed his holistic concept of Career; career is the total of all life-activities that create fulfillment. Job is only part of one’s career; other segments are family, hobbies, spirituality, physical fitness, community activities, and personal space.

Super indicated that these categories required redefinition. Just prior to his death in 1994 [at the age of 83], he admitted that he “did not think of himself as being in the Decline stage of his model. ….He described himself, rather, as always ‘innovating’ and one who wanted to be the cutting edge of his specialty” [N.C.D.A. Journal, 1997].

In this twenty-first century, we are aware of dramatic changes in these life stages. Senior elementary and secondary school students are required to be more destination-driven as regards their careers. The “Establishment-Maintenance” population, focusing on e-recruiting, e-resumes, virtual portfolios and career coaches, continue to be in dramatic flux, as is documented by the 1999 statement from the Alberta Human Resources and Employment : “New workforce entrants can anticipate having from 12 to 25 jobs in 5 different industry sectors”. The “mature workers” have become a major economic variable; the Conference Board reports that roughly one in three working-age Americans will soon be “mature” [age 45 to 64].

It is our goal to publish in next 5 issues of The Contact Point Bulletin a “Super Series” of articles focusing on the full spectrum of career development stages. We shall revisit each stage in the light on the new paradigms, and share innovative street-level initiatives that reflect these changes. Each issue will be devoted to one of the Super Stages. Readers are invited to submit articles about their perception of the new paradigm in any of the above Super stages, or to share practical “practitioner-practice” that reflects these changes. If interested, send us an e-mail to admin@contactpoint.ca.

Marc Verhoeve
Chair
Editorial Committee
The Contact Point Bulletin