Adult Guidance in Ireland: New Theories, New Practice

Adult educational and career guidance practice is still relatively new in Ireland in comparison to other countries in Europe and further afield. Since 2000, the Adult Educational Guidance Initiatives (AEGI’s) have been enabling and guiding adults to progress into education, training and employment. However, in the space of six years, dramatic changes in work structures and social organization have occurred that are placing demands on adults to rethink their careers on a longterm basis. Added to this, are current Government policies that emphasise the need for continuous education for future economic and social mobility in an increasingly competitive global environment. Future investment in our ‘knowledge economy’ through higher education and 4th level qualifications will no doubt raise the bar for individual attainment. While, these developments are criticised by some theorists as focusing too much on individual successes, competitive individualism and the creation of wider gaps between skilled and unskilled workers in the future, (Nihof, 2005), there is no doubt it will require adults to engage in repeated career decision-making across the lifespan. In light of such changes, guidance practitioners may need to examine new models or approaches to deal with a diverse range of clients in their current practice, as well as contribute to policy decision making for future development of guidance activities at a national level. Within this context, a brief overview of more recent theoretical perspectives and international developments in guidance are provided here