Part-time students of expectations and experiences of university career services

A 2009 review shows part‐time students noted that there was very little information about the experiences of part‐time students, and even less about their expectations and experience of career guidance (Callender and Feldman, 2009).

Callender and Wilkinson’s research The Futuretrack (2010), found only a third (32%) had used their university career service when they arrived at the institution. Their study suggested that university careers services were not providing the kind of support part‐time students needed when they were planning their career development.

Callender et al. (2010) warn that over reliance on employers and colleagues for career advice may be counter‐productive if the advice is linked to employers’ short‐term organisational needs rather than students’ longer‐term career aspirations. They believe that qualified careers professionals can play an important role in balancing organisational advice with more impartial guidance, but argue that universities will need to concentrate more on helping employed students to manage their career development and less on helping inexperienced students to prepare for the labour market if they are to meet the needs of their part‐time population.

Further reading, see Career support for career developers: a review ofthe literature by Holly Higgins (2012) http://www.hecsu.ac.uk/assets/assets/documents/Career_support_for_career_developers_2012.pdf

Reference:

• Higgins, H. (2012). 
  Career support for career developers: a review of the literature. [online] Available at: <
  http://www.hecsu.ac.uk/assets/assets/documents/Career_support_for_career_developers_2012.pdf> [Accessed 16 April 2013]. 
• Callender, C. and Wilkinson, D. (2010). Futuretrack part‐time students:their use of career information, advice and guidance. Manchester:Higher Education Careers Services Unit.
• Callender, C. and Feldman, R.(2009). Part‐time undergraduates in higher education: a literature review. Manchester:Higher Education Careers Services Unit.