Review of Career Counseling at the National Institute for Vocational Education Dubai October 2012

1. Review of Career Counseling at the National Institute for Vocational Education Dubai October 2012 October 2012

2. Outline • Purpose of career counseling • Career counseling model • Engaging employers • Challenges of career counseling • Lessons learned • Achievements October 2012

3. Purpose of Career Counseling To assist learners to select a program of study leading to meaningful employment and fulfilling careers aligned with their aptitudes, personalities, skills, and interests. October 2012

4. Career Counseling Model October 2012

5. Engaging Employers October 2012

6. Challenges of Career Counseling I • Social and cultural values • High expectations • Perception of the recognition and worth of vocational education (compared to higher education) • Preference for higher education degrees October 2012

7. Challenges of Career Counseling II • Aspirations for employment in public sector • Disparity between public and private sectors • Choices are made by families, not students • There is little, if any, career counseling in the schools. October 2012

8. Lessons Learned It is important to: • Focus on highly added value jobs and skills • Offer internationally recognized qualifications • Talk to parents to raise their awareness of vocational education • Engage employers in partnerships and sponsorships October 2012

9. Achievements • Co-education for UAE nationals • UAE nationals working not only in clerical jobs but also in vocational areas such as: - building inspection - draughtsmanship - health and safety - IT support • Employers in both public and private sectors sponsor programs and students October 2012

10. Thank you October 2012