Career development and the skills-shortage: a lesson from Charles Dickens
Article
Article Title | Career development and the skills-shortage: a lesson from Charles Dickens |
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ERA Journal ID | 20813 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | |
Author | McIlveen, Peter |
Journal Title | Australian Journal of Career Development |
Journal Citation | 16 (1), pp. 13-19 |
Year | 2007 |
Publisher | SAGE Publications Ltd |
Place of Publication | Camberwell, Australia |
ISSN | 1038-4162 |
2200-6974 | |
Web Address (URL) | http://www.acer.edu.au/publications/acerpress/ajcd/contents.html |
Abstract | [Abstract]: This paper presents a critical argument to the profession of career development for the purpose of stimulating reflexive consideration on the myriad influences that impinge upon practitioners. The paper suggests that given the current skills agenda in the Australian economy, it may be timely to reflexively consider career development practice. The paper uses Charles Dickens’ novel Hard Times and the character Mr Thomas Gradgrind, who was a dedicated educator in a small industrial town set in the Victorian era, to exemplify how the influence of prevailing social philosophies and economic conditions imbue the practice of professionals. It is suggested that there are potential parallels between the practices of Mr Gradgrind and contemporary career development practitioners. Career development practitioners are asked to consider their position in and amongst high level political, economic and educational influences and to reflect upon if and how these influences manifest in their practices.Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them. This is the principle upon which I bring up my own children, and this is the principle on which I bring up these children. Stick to the Facts, sir! (Dickens, 1854/1969, p. 47). |
Keywords | career development, skills shortage, Charles Dickens, Hard Times |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 520102. Educational psychology |
520599. Social and personality psychology not elsewhere classified | |
390499. Specialist studies in education not elsewhere classified | |
Public Notes | File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author. |
Byline Affiliations | Careers and Employment |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/9y2xq/career-development-and-the-skills-shortage-a-lesson-from-charles-dickens
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