English - eGUIDE

Building a brighter
future with work...
e G U I D E P ro j e c t
A Quality Assurance Framework and related Model of Web Based
Assessments for the Guidance of Disadvantaged Job Seekers into Initial
Vocational Training.
www.eguide-project.net E: eguide@bmunjob.ie
The
e GUIDEE partnership consists of the following organisations:
BALLYMUN JOB CENTRE - IRELAND
EUREGIO QUALFIZIERUNGS- UND TECHNOLOGIEFORUM E.V (EQT) - GERMANY
FUNDACION TOMILLO - SPAIN
HEVES COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY - HUNGARY
ANTARES - ITALY
UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI, CENTRUL DE TECHNOLOGII AVANSATE CTANM - ROMANIA
GEMS NI - NORTHERN IRELAND
The Project
The Leonardo da Vinci Programme (1996 – 2006)
The Leonardo da Vinci programme was launched in 1996 and focused on the teaching and learning needs of those
involved in vocational education and training. Leargas the Leonardo da Vinci National Agency in Ireland define the
Leonardo da Vinci programme as the ‘European Community's Action Programme for the implementation of a Vocational
Training Policy. Leonardo da Vinci uses transnational cooperation to improve quality, foster innovation and promote the
European dimension of vocational training systems and practices. It aims to develop a European area of co-operation,
supporting and supplementing Member States' policies on life-long learning, while fully respecting their responsibility for
the content and organisation of vocational training.' (Leargas, 2005)
The EGUIDE Pilot Project (2005 – 2007)
The EGUIDE project is a pilot project funded under the Leonardo da Vinci II initiative. This is a 2 year project (2005 –
2007) developed by a transnational partnership. The Ballymun Job Centre has been the lead organisation in the
partnership with responsibility for ensuing that the aims and objectives of the project were met.
EGUIDE Aims
The EGUIDE Project had three main aims:
1.To research and develop a Quality Assurance Framework for Guidance into Initial Training
2.To design and develop an E Guidance system consisting of a number of guidance tools, specifically
aimed at disadvantaged job seekers/those in and out of low skill employment.
3.To design and develop a web based framework within which the guidance tools can operate.
The Quality Framework
Why Guidance?
Career guidance is often seen as a service relevant mainly to those within a formal
educational setting particularly those in upper second level education. However, the wider application of career guidance
should not be underestimated. It is a service that is an integral part of any training and education process. For adults
returning to the workplace or to education and training, a career guidance process can greatly assist in the making of a
well informed decision about the direction that would most satisfy the individual.
For many individuals accessing the public employment services, community education, adult education, vocational
training etc., the lack of a career guidance process can often mean that uninformed career decisions are made based on
the availability of training/education courses. The EGUIDE partnership have argued that career guidance should be the
first step in any training/education process particularly for those who may have been disengaged from the labour market
in the past. The report of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (2006) recommends that in order to meet the needs of
individuals who are not engaged in education/training systems new tools should be developed, information about
vocational training/education courses be improved and accessibility for individuals who are not engaged in VET be
enhanced. This target group includes people who are unemployed or underemployed, people in and out of low skill
employment or absent from the workforce for long periods. EGUIDE proposes to meet some of those needs.
Most models of career guidance advocate exploration of the self and the environment and well informed decision making.
Many organisations working with individuals disadvantaged in the labour market use career counselling approaches to
career guidance such as the models proposed by Parsons (1909), Egan (1975) and Ali & Graham (1996). These models
use similar approaches in terms of person centred goal oriented processes. In line with best international practice, the
National Guidance Forum report (2007) recommends that ‘the guidance process
should be client centred, appropriate and relevant to the needs of the client,
balanced unprejudiced and fair’. (Pg.21). In order to meet the needs
of individuals accessing guidance EGUIDE has used this approach
in the development of the Quality Framework and the Guidance tools.
Quality in Career Guidance
Although many organisations offer some form of career guidance to
disadvantaged job seekers there seems to be a lack of a standardised
coordinated approach across the services. As a result the quality of
Career Guidance offered can vary. The EGUIDE partnership
recognised that this lack of quality was evident not only nationally
but also across the EGUIDE partnership.
The Leonardo da Vinci programme prioritised quality standards as a need in
the vocational education and training sector.
European Policy
Developments in Guidance argue for improvement in access to guidance
services and quality assurance of services in order to achieve the Lisbon
Agendas strategy for making Europe the most competitive and dynamic
knowledge based economy in the world (Lisbon Strategy, 2000; Concrete
Future Objectives of Education and Training Systems, 2001). The OECD Review of Career Guidance Policies (2002)
recommends in its Country note on Ireland that there is a need to develop ‘new and more comprehensive electronic career
information products including psychometrically rigorous assessments and information on training and education based
on agreed quality standards’
The EGUIDE Partnership reviewed existing Quality Frameworks, which aim to provide a standardised approach in the
service sector. However, defining quality in the service sector appears to present its own difficulties. According to Dickens
(1994), services tend to be intangible, heterogeneous, and often difficult to separate where the service starts and finishes.
Zeithaml, Parasuraman & Berry (1988, 1990) define service quality as ‘the degree to which customers’ satisfaction with a
service meets the expectancies they had about that service before using it’. However many clients accessing career
guidance services are often unsure of their own expectations in relation quality career guidance. As a result the EGUIDE
partnership felt that a framework that provides organisations and practitioners with a series of guidelines and steps would
ensure that a good standard of guidance could be delivered.
Purpose & Plan
EGUIDE
Quality Assurance Framework
After reviewing quality in career guidance the
EGUIDE partnership felt that the use of the
European Common Quality Assurance Framework
(CQAF) for Quality in VET was an appropriate
framework to use particularly if career guidance is
the first step in a VET process.
Feedback
& procedures
for change
Common Quality Assurance Framework (Technical Working Group -
Methodology
Implementation
Assessment &
Evaluation
Quality in VET, European Commission, 2004)
EGUIDE
Quality Career Guidance
The partnership also redefined a career guidance process specifically aimed at individuals who were disengaged from
the labour market.
The EGUIDE Quality Assurance Framework based on the European CQAF aims to ensure that each client receives the
same quality standard of guidance irrespective of the approach of the guidance practitioner or the culture of the
organisation offering the guidance service.
The EGUIDE Career Guidance process is a six step process which ensures that the individual receives a comprehensive
supportive service enabling the them to develop self awareness and self knowledge, to understand the world of work and
the opportunities available and to make a clear well informed and realistic decision.
Promotion
Follow up
Implement the
Career Plan
Quality
Assurance
Framework
Decision making
Welcome &
information service
Consultancy
Step 1. Promotion
Broadcasting the career guidance service to the surrounding community by a
variety of means. Ensuring that all individuals who wish to avail of Career Guidance
are well informed as to how to access the service
Step 2. Welcome and Information Service
The client is welcomed into the service and informed of the process and the services provided.
A rapport is built between the client and the guidance practitioner.
Step 3. Consultancy Tools
Tools are used to help the client to become more aware of themselves and their potential. (Interests, preferred style and
environment, preferred thinking style). The tools resulting from the EGUIDE project fit into this stage
Step 4. Decision making stage
After discussions with the client based on outcomes of the consultancy tools the guidance practitioner makes the client
aware of the opportunities that are available to them. The client then makes a decision with the support of the guidance
practitioner.
Step 5. Implementation
This stage involves the implementation of the decision making stage and involves making the client aware of the support
that is available to them.
Step 6. Follow-up
This is a two-way process where the client can come back to the service for support and where the guidance practitioner
follows the client’s progress by making contact with them.
The Web Based Tools
The need for appropriate and psychometrically sound web based career guidance
tools was highlighted by the EGUIDE partnership. Research carried out at the
beginning of the project found that guidance practitioners working with individuals
who were trying to access quality employment, education and training, found it
difficult to identify commercial web based assessments developed specifically to
meet this client group’s particular needs. The areas that were of greatest importance for a career guidance process were
Interests, Person-Environment Fit and Cognitive Thinking Style. A bottom up approach was adopted in the development
of the tools and the quality framework. This ensured that the client was at the centre of all development and that the tools
were built around the individual. The partnership also aimed to demonstrate that the process and web tools have
psychometric underpinnings and that the web tools would attempt to measure constructs that would be beneficial in a
career guidance process.
An online battery of career guidance tools was developed:
These tools have the advantage that they…
o Are easy to access from any computer with Internet access
o They utilise scenario-based animation with voiceovers that overcome literacy issues and motivate
by being fun and easy to use
o The guidance practitioner has full control of who uses the tools and which tools they use.
o All the assessments are preceded by animated introductions that are designed to help the client feel comfortable in
the animated computer environment. To do this animations are modelled within an arcade game style.
o The tools are translated into three languages, English, Spanish and German
Tools in this battery include…
o Interest Explorer
o Personality Discovery Quiz
o Cognitive Explorer
Interest Explorer
The Tool: Set in the Holland Career Interest Typology, 12 animated
characters demonstrate their interests based on 6 interest types; Realistic,
Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional.There are two sides
to the Interest assessment in that 36 scenarios show everyday interests and 36
show work scenarios. This allows clients that have little or no work experience
to respond to situations in every day life and a comparison can then be made to
work interests. In all 72 scenarios are shown to the client.
Results & Feedback: A separate practitioner online account generates an
interest profile for the client. The practitioner then discusses the profile with
the client to clarify it and give career advice on the basis of the profile and this
discussion. The practitioner manual gives career type suggestions according
to interest.
Personality Discovery Quiz
The Tool: Based on the “Big Five” Theory of personality, this new personality assessment indicates personality
preference by asking users to compare how alike their behaviours are to ten animated characters. Each character appears
in six different scenarios, based on five personality traits; Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness
and Stress Tolerance. The respondent is shown 60 behaviour scenarios in all.
Results & Feedback: A separate online account for use by the practitioner generates a personality profile for the
client. This profile is then fed back to the client by the practitioner for clarification and then used to give guidance to the
client. The practitioner manual gives suggestions for interpretation to the practitioner based on 20 years of research on
the links between outcomes and the Big Five personality traits.
Cognitive Explorer
The Tool: The Cognitive Explorer consists of a set of Cognitive ability tests that
measure a wide range of abilities needed in the labour market. The tests have been
developed using the Fleishman Taxonomy of Cognitive Ability and have been set
within the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Framework of Intelligence, the most widely accepted theory of Intelligence.
The EGUIDE cognitive tests measure 10 abilities of the Fleishman Taxonomy,
these ten abilities fit within 4 clusters of the CHC theory of Intelligence. The
abilities measured by these assessments represent a full rainbow of abilities
used in employment: Verbal reasoning, Fluid Reasoning, Visual Spatial and
Processing Speed.
Verbal Reasoning: Higher order language-based acquired knowledge and
the ability to communicate that knowledge. Jobs that prioritise these abilities
include Human Resources, Customer Service and Sales
Visual Spatial Thinking: The ability to perceive, analyse, synthesise and
think with visual patterns including the ability to store and recall visual
representations. Jobs in which these are important abilities include
Photographers, Fashion / Interior Designers, Archaeologists and Planners
Fluid Reasoning: The ability to reason, form concepts, and to solve
problems using unfamiliar information or novel procedures. Jobs that prioritise
these abilities include Coaches / Counsellors, Fire Fighters and Accountants
Processing Speed: the ability to perform automatic cognitive tasks quickly.
Jobs in which these are important abilities include Machine Operators, Data Entry
Workers, Bank Tellers and Lawyers
Within each of the ten ability tests there is one example item and eight testing
items that become progressively more difficult as the assessment continues.
There is no time limit in any of the tests but all of the tests are timed so that feedback can be gained as to how quickly
the client can answer the items.
Results & Feedback: A separate practitioner online account generates a cognitive profile for the client.
The practitioner then discusses the profile with the client to clarify it and give career advice on the basis of the
profile and this discussion. The practitioner manual gives career type suggestions according to cognitive preferences.
Psychometric Analysis
The analysis of the EGUIDE tools is a continuous process of obtaining documentation to substantiate their
psychometric properties. The following initial steps have been taken to establish some measurement of the
results.
o Initial Usability pilot of 20 practitioners and clients
o Pilot of 400 people
o Internal reliability analysis of all scales
o Norms to be created for each tool based on the distribution of scores across the partnership for the 400 individuals
that participate in the pilot study, these norms shall also be broken down by specific demographics.
o Confirmatory Factor Analysis using Structural Equation Modelling analysis to check the internal validity of the scales
o Correlational analysis to look at the between scale validity and reliability
o Predictive Validity study: a random sample of clients will be selected in order to track their satisfaction with their
decision on the basis of their EGUIDE profile
o Mean comparisons to check for differences between norm groups
The Future:
o Transferability: The EGUIDE Quality Framework and Web Based Tools will
directly benefit disadvantaged job seekers in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Spain and
Germany by enabling the target group to access quality career guidance and to
identify their often latent interests, personality preferences and cognitive
strengths. This model has transferable properties enabling it to be adapted to
meet the needs of individuals and organisations in the areas of career
assessment and development, upskilling, training needs etc. It can also be
adapted to other sectors including the formal education sector.
o Research and Development: The EGUIDE process has identified the need for
further research and development into appropriate career guidance tools,
appropriate methodologies, and appropriate guidance policy and quality practice
that is specifically aimed at the needs of disadvantaged job seekers.
o Psychometric Approach: The importance of ensuring that tools developed
have robust psychometric properties has been highlighted. This is essential in the delivery of a quality guidance service.
The EGUIDE tools provide the individual with a profile that has relevant meaning. The EGUIDE project will continue to
promote the psychometric aspects of the tools and to build on the development so far.
The Partnership
Ireland
THE BALLYMUN JOB CENTRE (BJC) is a community-based non-profit making organisation, which provides services
to local unemployed people. Since its establishment in 1987, the BJC has developed into a well established and respected
community based organisation that responds to the needs of unemployed job seekers and job changers. The BJC
continues to assist individuals to make positive changes to their lives by addressing social and economic exclusion and
by developing innovative interventions to enable clients of the BJC to overcome the barriers affecting their ability to access
the labour market.
The BJC conducted research into Quality Frameworks and Guidance Tools. They worked on the development of the
Quality Framework to ensure its relevance to the employment services and implemented the Quality Framework into their
own Guidance service in January 2007. The BJC led the development of each of the tools in terms of item design and
selection and were advised by the partners on the relevance of each item in their own country. They worked with the IT
partner to ensure that the tools worked within the web framework and will continue to adapt the tools based on results
from the pilot study.
Germany
THE EUREGIO QUALIFIZIERUNGS- UND TECHNOLOGIEFORUM E.V. (Euregio Centre of Qualification and
Technology) is an association of training centres located in the Dutch-German Border Region, called EUREGIO. The
organisation started in 1990 as a ‘University Enterprise Training Partnership‘. Today EQT is working in cross-border
(INTERREG) and transnational projects (e.g. Leonardo, EQUAL). EQT provides a basis for projects in close co-operation
with the project departments of the member‘s training centres. (i.e. transnational contacts, writing applications, research,
product development, evaluation). The main regional members are: BBS: Berufsbildungsstätte Westmünsterland Ahaus
(Vocational Training Centre West-Münsterland) and ROC: Regionaal Opleidingen Centrum van Twente, Hengelo (Twents‘
Regional Training Centre).
EQT has been responsible for identifying the QA practices that currently exist in Germany. With their extensive knowledge
of the target groups they have worked with the partnership to develop the QA framework, assist in the development of the
EGUIDE model of assessments and have been responsible for the dissemination and Valorisation of the products and
learning in Germany.
Spain
FUNDACION TOMILLO is a private, independent, non-profit making foundation based
in Madrid. The objective of the Foundation is to develop support programmes and
activities for social sectors that are neglected by private enterprise and for whom public
action is insufficient. The Foundation has extensive experience in the following areas
of activity, which share an underlying concern for social integration and unemployment:
Worker Training and Direct employment, Pedagogy and Economic research. The Foundation seeks to improve the quality
of education in the schools and training centres in underprivileged areas of Madrid. Fundacion Tomillo has brought
extensive experience in developing innovative training for unemployed and other disadvantaged groups, and expertise in
training and methodologies and pedagogic approaches.
Fundacion Tomillo has been responsible for identifying the Quality Assurance procedures that currently exist in Spain and
has worked with the partnership to develop and adapt existing QA procedures in relation to Guidance in initial training.
They have assisted in the design, development, translation and implementation of the web based guidance tools in Spain.
They are also involved in the validation of tools and QA framework with a small sample of clients.
Hungary
HEVES COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY was
established 1850 and existed until 1947. In 1988 the Hungarian Chamber
of Economy was established. The Heves County Chamber of Commerce
and Industry was re-established 1995, by the acceptance of the
Chamber-law. Its most important objective is to promote the development
and the organization of the economy, to contribute to the safety of
business transactions and to the fairness of market attitude, to facilitate
the general and common representation of the business units’ interests.
The form of the chamber is public corporation, operating on the basis of
the self-government principle: membership is voluntary for the business
units. The specific duties of the Chamber include, among other things, the
development of business activity and commerce, the collection of
information related to the economy, providing information, the elaboration
of ethical rules for market attitude, the organization of exhibitions and
conferences. Vocational training, master courses and the related
administrative tasks are of high importance too. The present number of
volunteer members is 1200 organisations, including a large number of
companies from the construction industry, automotive industry and
printing industry.
The Heves County Chamber of Commerce assisted in identifying what
QA practices currently exist in the guidance of disadvantaged job seekers
into initial vocational training. It has liased with its members to identify
employer’s attitudes towards career development in the workplace using
tools such as EGUIDE. It will continue to be responsible for the
dissemination of the learning and products within Hungary.
Italy
ANTARES (FORMALLY S3 ACTA) is a small medium enterprise, with a large team of qualified consultants. ANTARES
works in the field of enterprise consultancy, socio-organisational research and management training. ANTARES has been
involved in several national and European partnerships, showing its ability to manage complex projects, paying particular
attention to organisations working with innovative processes e.g. tele-work. ANTARES works with companies and public
bodies who are concerned with research in the social and organisational field, analysis of training needs, diagnosis of
problems related to work organisation. ANTARES follows with great attention the continuous development of society and
it proposes itself as an actor able to help in ensuring that organisations can change with society. It manages all projects
by cooperating with the client partner relating its interventions to their specific needs.
ANTARES assisted in researching the Quality Assurance practices that exist in guidance within Italy. It played a major role
in the development of QA practices with the partnership. ANTARES also assisted in the development of the EGUIDE Tools
ensuring that their content was relevant to an Italian population for future translation and will continue to be responsible
for the dissemination of the learning within Italy.
Romania
POLITEHNICA UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST (PUB), founded in 1886, is now the largest technical university of
Romania, with about 23000 students, 4000 full time staff (1700 full-time faculty and 2300 research staff and auxiliary
personnel), 1800 part-time faculty and 900 postgraduate students, preparing doctoral theses in 90 engineering science
specialties from 12 faculties. The Centre for Advanced Technologies (CTANM) is a research and training unit with financial
and functional autonomy inside PUB, acting with close links with the Manufacturing Eng. Dept. and with over 10 other
departments from PUB. The CTANM’s funding is mainly realised through research and training contracts, with Romanian
or foreign beneficiaries, by national, European or international projects. Through its activity, the Centre supports the
international cooperation and the European and regional integration programs. CTANM is the IT partner in this project
offering their experience in the development of Web based frameworks within which EGUIDE QA and tools operate.
Northern Ireland
GEMS NI is a local employment initiative primarily focused on providing access to employment with businesses situated
within the Gasworks and Laganside sites. Through a one-to-one integrated and flexible approach it aims to build
relationships between employers and the local community to help job seekers obtain and maintain worthwhile jobs. GEMS
became operational in 2002. Each GEMS client is provided with a tailor-made service to meet his or her specific needs.
These services include: Careers Guidance – including education and training advice and support, Personal Development
– building confidence and addressing barriers, Assistance with Job Applications and Curriculum Vitae, Interview Skills
Preparation Job Search Skills, Links with local employers through the GEMS Job Matching Service
Assistance with Aptitude Test – preparation and practice, “With the support of our collaborative network we aim together
to establish effective working relationships with key employers to maximise the potential for our clients to access
employment opportunities and learning placements”.
GEMS has been be responsible for identifying the QA practices that currently exist in the UK. With their extensive
knowledge of both target groups and Quality Assurance and Guidance, they have worked with the partnership to develop
the QA framework, assist in the development of the EGUIDE model of assessments and is responsible for the
dissemination and valorisation of the products and learning in the UK.
For more information on the
EGUIDE Quality Framework
and Web Based Tools
please contact:
Nuala Whelan
Assistant Manager
whelann@bmunjob.ie
Ian Clifford
European Project Officer
cliffordi@bmunjob.ie
Ballymun Job Centre
Ballymun Town Centre
Dublin 11
T: + 353 1 8667000
www.bmunjob.ie
Building a brighter
future with work...
EGUIDE Project development:
EGUIDE Partnership co-ordinated by the
Ballymun Job Centre
Animation work: Prickly Pear productions:
www.pricklypearproductions.ie
Design work: STUDIO
www.studiodesign.ie