Spring 2000

Practice Firm: A Unique Concept in Employability

Since 1995, the practice firms have given the opportunity to almost 5000 Canadians to update their knowledge and acquire hands-on work experience while conducting an active job search. Throughout their activities, the participants benefit from the professional support of resource personnel.
The concept of the practice firm was born in Germany during the fifties. It plunges unemployed individuals in a simulation of the commercial activities of a real business trading with more than 3200 PF in 31 countries and their 28 counterparts situated in Quebec, Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia.

By Sandra Tam

With the general decline of ‘good,’ secure, well-paid jobs, today’s young workers are exploring less traditional career paths and employment arrangements. Self-employment is an increasingly popular employment option for youth. But are these ‘good’ jobs? The goal of this research project was to address this question by describing and analyzing the experience of self-employed youth with a focus on youth with businesses in the Information Technology sector. Human Resources Development Canada funded the project and a team of youth researchers at the Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres conducted the study. Forty-seven self-employed youth in Ontario were interviewed. The results provide mixed conclusions about the quality of work and economic feasibility of self-employment for youth. The following are some highlights of the study with implications for career counsellors.

Magellan used the stars as his guide. Fortunately, your students don’t have to.

Magellan – A self-directed career exploration program linked to the NOC.

Now with sound and video clips.
For more information, please contact:
Career Systems Canada

416-321-3853

careersystems@globalserve.net

www.alparint.com

By Danniel Star

Emotional Intelligence (EI) has been a buzz word in business and working circles since Daniel Goleman’s book of the same title was published in 1996. In his second book (“Working with Emotional Intelligence”), he has very clearly presented the case for the importance of EI at work to achieve effectiveness and success. Also, EI is becoming an umbrella term under which soft skills are clearly categorized and validates the study and implementation of training in the attitudinal domain. (The other two domains of training are skills and knowledge.)

By Robert Shea

Announcing The Launch of the Canadian Journal of Career Development

On November 26th, 1999 the first call for papers was announced by the Canadian Journal of Career Development (CJCD). The CJCD is a peer reviewed on line journal which has been designed to be as inclusive of those involved in career development as there are people who practice and research issues of career development. We hope that this journal will provide a vehicle to analyze and assess current practice and theory.

 By Marc Verhoeve

Formatting Our Future …………in Washington, D.C.

The American Counseling Association hosted their Millennial Conference in Washington, D.C. from March 20 to 25. Donna Ford, ACA President, chose the theme, “Formatting Our Future” because of her belief in the need to understand the impact of technology on counseling, specifically, cybercounselling. Thirty-two hundred counselling professionals attended over 400 workshops and meetings sponsored by the 25 sub-associations of ACA. In addition to Canada and United States, delegates represented countries as far-reaching as Israel, Japan and South Korea.

Soloing: Realizing Your Life’s Ambitions
By Harriet Rubin, 1999, HarperCollins, ISBN: 0-06-662014-7

This book was written by a former editor and publisher at Doubleday, who left the corporate world to pursue a more creative lifestyle. Currently she is writing, speaking and consulting, and loving every minute of it. This book is for people who are eager to stretch their wings and develop work to suit themselves. It is perfect for people who are trying to make it on their own, and haven’t yet found a good support group. Rubin describes how soloing is different from freelancing – it’s weaving your work (and perhaps different kinds of work) into your life, and using work to pursue your dreams. In addition to practical suggestions, there are plenty of encouraging stories to help readers at every step of this sometimes-scary creative path.