Digital

About

This section describes some research studies into the application of digital technologies in CEIAG.

In doing so, we have noted the potential contribution that the study could make to practice or inform service and policy level decisions. 

There are a wide range of applications for digital technologies, spanning the activities carried out by a careers guidance practitioner, from booking appointments to broadcasting information to client groups, or using social media for two way interactions.

As well as providing examples, we have suggested future research questions, and referenced related research agendas in adjacent disciplines where there are some common questions.

Key learning highlights

Some of the papers that show the development and status of this area include:

• The question of how ICT complements face to face forms of career support were being asked more than decades ago (Watts et al, 2002).

• Career guidance delivered using ICT is more effective when a career counsellor is present (Whiston et al, 2003).

• There are many opportunities, but throughout the history of online guidance and wider therapeutic interventions, a wide ranging policy and practice implications have always been cited, spanning questions of client suitability and ethics to the dynamics of the counsellor-client interactions. (e.g. Hooley et al, 2015, Khan et al, 2021).

• A review of career websites, used with young people, have been shown to offer a range of benefits including self-knowledge and career clarity. However, “career websites that provide automated interactions need to be embedded within a wider range of careers support services. Only by doing so can they increase users’ awareness of career support”. (Vigurs et al, 2017).

• COVID saw a rapid increase in online career provision, but a review of the situation that prevailed led to the view that there is a “dire need” for reconceptualisation of services where digital augments face to face/traditional guidance. (Bimrose and Goddard, 2021).

• The situation is arguably becoming ever more complex, given a wide range of enabling technologies now in use in career guidance settings (Herath et al, 2024), and different portals found internationally (Hughes et al, 2024)