THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CONFERENCE ARE SUMMED UP ACCORDING TO THE CONFERENCE SUB-THEMES:

INFORMATION FOR A CHANGING WORLD

• Career information should be contextual and address

systemic issues of unemployment and employability. • Technology should be seen as an enabler to maximise

access to information by citizens with disabilities.

• The provision of career development services to learners and students should be centred on “who they are” and create awareness of careers in a changing world.

• A multi-modal approach to career development services that integrates curriculum-based counselling should be considered.

• Core skills will always be critical as technology is driven by

human beings.

• Career development services and entrepreneurship education are not mutually exclusive from one another and should be integrated into curriculum.

GOVERNMENT SHIELDING THE WORLD OF WORK

• Universities may not be appropriate institutions to meet some of the education and training demands of careers in a changing world. TVET colleges have a critical role to play and should be prepared for the resultant increased enrolments from citizens that require upskilling in response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

• Alternative certification will have a big role in education and training for a changing world.

• As a developing country with high levels of poverty, South Africa must ensure that adapting to the demands of the

changing world of work does not leave the poor neglected.

• The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act (No. 53 of 2003) should consider awarding points for

companies investing in technology in poor communities.

• It has been observed that skills development in the private sector is more centred on scoring BBBEE points and as a result quality is not given attention; therefore, it is recommended that points should be awarded based on impact made rather than numbers trained.

• There is a need for government to partner with the private sector.

• As part of addressing youth unemployment, the Free State Province strategy of a central database of unemployed

youth and graduates should be considered as it facilitates collaborative efforts and cooperation by all stakeholders.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT PRACTITIONERS (CDPS) AS CHANGE AGENTS

• Development of home-brewed career development

theories focusing on career construction is critical.

• In building integrated career development services systems for the country, it is critical to engage academics. Protean and boundaryless careers need to be unpacked. • Educators and other CDPs should be adequately

equipped to deliver career development services. • Educators should be further equipped to meet the

needs of learners with disabilities.

• Professionalisation of career development services is critical. Defining careers as anything that people do for a living and are happy with contextualises the need to build CDPs at levels below those of practitioners registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. • Understanding of and emphasis on career development as lifelong learning would address challenges experienced by first-year students at universities.