Putting the pieces together: Toward a coherent transition system for Canada's labour force

The Canadian Association for Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment (CAVEWA)

CAVEWA is a national association concerned with the management and development of vocational assessment standards, programs, and services. It is a member of the National Professional Associations Committee (NPAC) of the Canadian Rehabilitation Council for the Disabled (CRCD).

Vocational evaluation is designed to assess and explore a working environment (either real or simulated). The information is used to help people make informed decisions about education and career planning. It includes data from various fields: medical, psychological, social, vocational, educational, cultural, and economic.

Prior learning assessment has become a fundamental element of vocational assessment as literacy and numeracy skills and practical work skills influence an individual's level of development.

Work adjustment is a multifaceted concept. It is a transitional, time-limited, treatment or training service that is:

consistent with programs using both individual and group work related activities;
intended to help people understand the meaning, value, and demands of work;
used to modify or develop attitudes, personal characteristics, and work behavior;
defined by central vocational assessment themes;
meant to develop functional capacities of individuals to help them achieve the highest level of vocational development.

Counselling is not exempt from the changes that affect society, the economy, and the labour market. Counsellors are confronted daily with socioeconomic change. Access to adequate training and retraining is essential for those responsible for providing career and employment counselling. Considering the diversity of clients' needs and of workplace situations, training and retraining must provide counsellors with sensitivity to cultural differences and be an opportunity for acquiring hands-on-experience with workplace issues as gender, equal opportunity, stereotyping of particular occupations, challenging bias against certain career choices (particularly nontraditional ones), skilled trades, and apprenticeship.

These areas need the attention of the whole education community, as well as counsellors. In fact, because regular teachers are often called upon to provide counselling, their professional preparation and their in-service training should include compulsory training for this role.