Briefing Paper
December 2021
The contribution of career development to public
policy objectives: Recognising the potential with the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Professor Pete Robertson
School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University
CDI Project Associate for Scotland
Briefing Paper
Introduction
This paper seeks to do three things. Firstly, to
outline the current international consensus
on the contribution of career development to
delivering on public policy goals. Secondly, to
point to the unrecognised potential for career
development to contribute to a wider range
of socially valuable policy outcomes. Finally, to
make recommendations for policymakers, service
leaders, practitioners, and researchers.
The paper will draw on the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals
1
, and represents
a summarised version of the argument presented
by the author in the Oxford Handbook of Career
Development
2
.
Summary
Governments and international bodies recognise that career
development services are worth investing in, and they act for the



we can identify six areas where career development services can

1.
development
2. 
3. 
4. 

5. 
transformation
6. 
to crime


Current perspectives on public policy for career
development
Historically most career development services have been directly



the end of the 20
th


career development
3

of the topic
4

In the early years of the 21
st

career development thanks to the creation of the International

5
and



6

7


on its member states
8
and acceding or candidate states
9

As might be expected, there is variation - nations with strong




governments are trying to achieve when they intervene in the
provision of career development services for their citizens
10,11




Learning or educational goals:



Labour market goals:


Social equity goals:


these goals, this has been widely accepted as an explanation of



12


13









14





employment policymaking
15
Looking beyond the current consensus






that career development can make to society that no governments






02
The United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals










16
, as are

17

18

Ireland
19




Mapping the UN framework onto careers
development work






Labour Market goals
Career development work
has always had an economic

practitioners help people



20





Education goals








Social equity goals

career development practitioners
21

means promoting fairness in careers for



03
This image is used by the UN to provide an overview of the goals

and indeed this is a very important consideration in career


Health and well-being goals





22






impact on mental well-being
23

Environmental goals

the impact of climate change and

are having to consider how they can



24
has an important
role to play in this transformation, by helping people to adapt
their lifestyles to environmental threats and new economic

Peace and justice goals

employment are less likely to engage in criminal
activity
25

access work in the mainstream economy before they

can also offer pathways for the rehabilitation of offenders, and



Some implications of the framework
For Policymakers: Career development policy has traditionally





For Service Leaders and Practitioners: Careers service leaders
and practitioners need to recognise that they are already having





For Researchers: 
challenging to achieve in career development
26


of impacts across each of the six domains, the career development
profession will have access to a more systematically organised

About the author
Professor Pete Robertson teaches career

He is a chartered psychologist, a fellow





 

04
05
References
Transforming our world:
The 2030 agenda for sustainable development





The Oxford handbook of career development



Rethinking careers education and guidance: Theory, policy and
practice


Rethinking careers education and guidance: Theory, policy and
practice



Career guidance and public policy: Bridging the
gap

Public policies for career
development: Policy strategies for designing career information
and guidance systems in middle-income and transition economies

Guidance policies in the knowledge society:
Trends, challenges and responses across Europe

Review of career guidance policies in
11 acceding and candidate countries: A synthesis report.


International Journal
for Vocational and Educational Guidance, 4

International handbook
of career guidance

Career guidance in the
Middle East and North Africa.

In demand: Career guidance in EU
neighbouring countries.
Investing in Career Guidance.




The Oxford handbook of career development







goals





The Oxford handbook of career development

21
Communiqué on social justice in
educational and career guidance and counselling


Work, worklessness and the political
economy of health

. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 41


Handbook of career development:
International perspectives


Handbook of life course criminology

 
The
Oxford handbook of career development

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