Learning a New Career: Towards a Facilitative Framework by biipmi Pte Ltd

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

LEARNING A NEW CAREER: TOWARDS A FACILITATIVE FRAMEWORK Eric Lee Mun Hoong

Structured Abstract Purpose

This study sought to better understanding the factors for facilitating the transition process as people change occupations, with the aim of proposing a facilitative framework that may inform educators and career specialists helping individuals make a career change.

Methodology

Qualitative interview data from six cases of career transitions into three occupational sectors were analysed and thematically coded.

Findings

The career transition experiences of the six individual cases support the conceptual stages, desired learning outcomes, learner state and theoretical underpinnings of a new and original facilitative framework for career transition.

Introduction In Singapore, over 3,000 workers have enrolled in the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) since the height of the global financial crisis in 2008. This does not account for those many others who choose to make a career switch without any state funding support. With globalisation and an aging workforce, we expect this number to grow. In a recent survey of 900 Singaporeans, over half indicated that they intend to switch careers in the next 5 years (Kelly Services Global Workforce Index, 2011). There has been extensive research in career theory on the ‘protean career’ advocating a lifelong series of learning stages for various vocations. Other recent studies have attempted to connect adult learning to life transitions. This research, however, have been mostly biographical, and as such, limited in theoretical development, particularly from a learning perspective. This study investigates the learning experiences of individuals who had been through a career transition in the context of the Singapore economy and Singapore’s Continuing Education and Training (CET) environment. It takes a case-study approach based on in-depth interviews with six cases of associate-professionals who have successfully made a career transition into three identified growth sectors in Singapore, namely healthcare (nursing), creative industries (interactive media designing) and education (training and adult education). The outcomes of the study support and inform a proposed 3-R (Ready-Realise-Respond) conceptual framework to guide learning and facilitative interventions for mid-career transition. This framework may also inform instructional designers, career consultants, policy designers and employers, in tailoring their learning interventions with respect to workers who are planning for and undergoing a career change. In this study, career transition is defined as a change in occupational role (e.g. from accountancy to nursing). Secondary manifestations of a career transition may entail a change from one sector to another (e.g. from education to advertising) or a major role change within the same organisation or sector (this includes both compulsory/involuntary and voluntary changes, plus geographical location changes) (for example from human Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

resource management to adult education within the education sector) (Brown, Bimrose, Barnes, Kirpal, Gronning and Daehlen, 2010). In terms of occupational levelling, this study shall focus on people intending to transit into skilled or middle skilled, associate professional or professional occupations that require some degree of qualification. This study focused on this segment of the workforce due to the significantly high level of resource and time investment by state, individuals and stakeholders involved in the transitional process. Prior research in the area of career transition has been largely dominated by the fields of career theory, career development, industrial psychology and career counselling. The study of this phenomenon has yielded theories on career decision making, career mobility and career change processes (Hall, 1995; Smart, 1997; Neapolitan, 1980). There has also been growing recognition from government agencies across the modern globalised economy for more resources to be injected into career planning and advisory services (Ecclestone, 2009; Brown ibid; Bimrose and Brown, 2010). This research and current thinking allude to the fact that career changers are a unique group in the workforce, with particular characteristics and needs. Categorically, individuals undergoing a career transition face a fundamental change in their self-concept. They may experience identity dissonance from their immediate environment and relationships, be fearful of the unknown and be subjected to stressors associated with change. Quite often, they also have the odds stacked against them as they assimilate into new work environments. They tend to be older; working with or reporting to younger more experienced colleagues; have relatively superficial professional networks of customers, suppliers, business associates; and tend to lag in technical proficiency and savvy (Newman, 1995). In terms of learning the requisite skills of the new job, career changers need to learn ‘better, faster and harder’ if they were to build resilience and ‘catch up’. This situation certainly calls for a differentiated set of learning interventions and learning support. From a policy perspective, there is certainly much at stake to warrant the facilitation of positive outcomes both for the individual and the smooth functioning of the labour market (Brown ibid). However, there has been very limited research on the interaction of learning and facilitative interventions, specifically for career changers. There is a comparatively mature literature on transitions among young people, and particularly on the transition from youth to adulthood and from school to work (Guile and Young, 2003; Tuomi-Gröhn, T., and Engeström, Y., 2003), but this has yet to make a significant impact on studies of adult transitions. Often, career changers go through the same pedagogy, courseware and delivery methods designed for new graduates entering their first vocational programmes without working experience. And where the programme cohorts are for adult learners, the existing pedagogic approaches cater for learners who are already practising or working in the field and are participating in training to their upgrade their skills. There has been growing recognition from local educational institutions to accord differential treatment for career changers, for example there are now institutionalised cohort intakes for accelerated two year Diploma programmes for new entrants to nursing (every student in the cohort is going through a mid career transition into nursing). However, there has been limited literature and even less empirical research to inform these interventions and how they may support career changers in their learning of new occupations. This study shall make an initial attempt at addressing that gap.

Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

This study asks the following research questions: 1. What are the factors that help facilitate a good and sustainable career transition? 2. How may these factors define a clearer role for stakeholders (trainers/educators, instructional designers, career guidance advisors, HR practitioners) facilitating this process? This study will take the perspective of the individual going through a mid career transition. An original conceptual framework that “brings together” four theoretical frameworks is synthesised and proposed. Six mid-career changers were interviewed to identify resonance with the proposed conceptual framework. The findings provide early empirical support for the new framework to facilitate learning in mid-career transitions.

Bridging Career and Learning Theory There is wide consensus that globalisation increasingly challenges individuals and organisations alike to adopt a new strategy of career development – continuous and lifelong learning – embedded in an employment context that emphasizes and rewards flexibility over the life course. Hall (1996) argues that the age of high speed information technology and knowledge economy places developmental demands on the individual to have two key competencies (or ‘meta-skills’, since they are the skills of learning how to learn): identity growth (more complexity, self-reflection and self learning), and increased adaptability. This view is also supported by Nancy Schlossberg (1981) who defined adaptation as a process during which an individual moves from being totally preoccupied with integrating the transition into his or her life. Hall argues that if the older person has the ability to self-reflect, to continue assessing and learning about her- or himself, and to change behaviours and attitudes, their chances are much better for a successful midcareer transition and a good fit with a new work environment. Hall emphasizes that the underlying message (to educators) should be one of addition (to a repertoire of abilities and backgrounds) and expansion of the individual’s skills sets and capabilities, instead of remedial. Such approaches should hence actively recognize the Learner’s past experience, skills and situational heuristics, all of which provide a rich reservoir of resource for the learner to draw from, in the preparation for a new career. Arthur (1999) cautions us not to forget the economically disadvantaged, and those marginalized in insecure, low-skilled jobs, or the ‘casualties’ that the new employment era brings in its wake. “What the ‘boundaryless career’ does offer is the promise of fresh solutions, where (amongst other considerations) learning becomes a central rather than a peripheral condition behind employment arrangements, and status and rank do not automatically disqualify people from applying their skills”. Other studies (Smart, 1997) have shown evidence that workers who successfully make a career transition can get greater satisfaction in their new jobs than single careerists. Though it may be argued that this group entered a career transition voluntarily, the choice of placement is not exclusive from workers of involuntary transition, and hence, it is very possible that such results are not unattainable for this group as well. This reasoning is also congruent with Hall’s notion that the undertaking of a new career in midlife can serve as an adaptive response to the new needs and goals that can arise with adult psychological development. Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

Key theoretical underpinnings of the proposed conceptual framework I have identified four theoretical frameworks as relevant reference points in developing a conceptual framework to guide learning interventions for mid career transitors. They are Mary Heppner’s Career Transition Inventory (CTI), Bandura’s Efficacy Theory, Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory and King Beach’s notion of Consequential Transition. The first strand of resonance with the subject of study stems from the relatedness of these four theoretical notions to the profile of the mid career transitor. The five factors of Heppner’s CTI, namely Readiness, Confidence, Personal Control, Perceived Support and Decision Independence, have been shown to be indicative of an individual’s psychological resources during career transition that impact ability, or likelihood of succeeding in making a career transition (Heppner, Multon and Johnston, 1994). It aims to provide a frame of reference for mitigating a stronger and more efficacious entry point into the transition. Bandura’s Efficacy Theory is concerned with the effort, resilience and perseverence of individuals in challenging endeavours. Bandura asserts that while our perceived self efficacy drives our cognitive, motivational and emotive processing, the lack of it, through stress and depression in threatening or taxing experiences, can also be limiting. Research shows that it is not the extent of frightful experience or cognitions per se that accounts for anxiety arousal but rather the strength of perceived self-efficacy to control their escalation or perseverance (Kent 1987; Kent and Gibbons 1987). Learning interventions for career changers would also be well informed by Bandura’s four principal tenets of efficacy: mastery experiences (incremental successes), vicarious experiences (modelling), social persuasion (social appraisal) and judgements of bodily and affective states. They suggest a role for facilitative interventions for career transition to build from the subjects’ preexisting self schemata of capability and strengths, facilitate the attainment of a series of repeated successes in diverse contexts, difficulty levels and people interactions, and framing these successes to be attributed to capability. Jack Mezirow‘s Transformative Learning Theory deals with our perceptions of life events and activities. When people critically examine their habitual expectations, revise them, and act on the revised point of view, transformative learning occurs (Cranton, 2006). Mezirow defines the eleven Phases of Transformative Learning (first proposed in 1978, and last revised in 1991 with addition of phase 9) as: 1. Experiencing a disorientating dilemma, that may be epochal (single dramatic event) or incremental (gradual and cumulative over time) 2. Undergoing self-examination 3. Conducting a critical assessment of internalised assumptions and feeling a sense of alienation from traditional social expectations 4. Recognition that one‘s discontent and the process of transformation are shared and that others have negotiated a similar change 5. Exploring options for new roles, relationships and ways of acting 6. Planning a course of action 7. Acquiring the skills and knowledge for implementing the new course of action 8. Provisional trying of new roles 9. Renegotiating relationships and negotiating new relationships 10. Building competence and self-confidence in new roles and relationships 11. Reintegrating into society with new perspectives

Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

In conjunction with the two central elements of Transformative Learning, namely critical (self) reflection and critical discourse, these phases relate directly to the career transitor and their transition journey. They suggest for facilitative interventions to engage subjects in self realisation of their own world views, belief systems, motivations and aspirations, while recognising each individual’s background, experience, culture and personality, which Mezirow terms as habits of mind. Mezirow elaborates that content and process reflection may lead to transformation of specific assumptions and beliefs about the relationships between these assumptions. It is premise reflection – challenging the very basis of the problem and issue – that has the potential to promote transformation of habits of mind, the web of assumptions and beliefs that acts as a lens through which we see ourselves and the world around us (Cranton, 2006). King Beach (2003) describes consequential transition as the relational changes taking place between the individual and one or more ‘social activities’ (the transition), resulting in a shift in his or her sense of self or social position. The focus of his notions is not the changes in the individual or in the social activity, but rather the changes in their relationship. He puts forth four types of consequential transitions: lateral (A to B), collateral (back and forth between A and B), encompassing (within-case morphosis), and meditational (simulation). We are reminded that individuals often play many roles in various communities, in the past, at present and concurrently. The relationships of the person with these environments do not exist in a silo and often interact with each other in the background. Beach’s notion of developmental coupling (evolution of relationship between the object and the environment) and his description of horizontal development illuminates this discussion, suggesting that the individual expands on his repertoire of skills, experiences and professional identities. Further, this position may also argue that the person advances his competence in negotiating between these different roles, suggesting a differentiated order of progressivity from traditional career concepts of horizontal movements. The second strand of resonance with the subject of this study from these four influences is that they collectively project common themes of change and transition, empowerment, reflection and interaction with the (social) environment. As foundational competence is being acquired, the need of reflecting on prior principles and ways of seeing and thinking about the world through critical discourse is highlighted (Mezirow, Bandura). Efficacious belief in one’s own capability has been often cited to be significantly important to building resilience to challenges, stressors and setbacks associated with change. This may be reinforced through self awareness of strengths, limitations and resources (Heppner, Mezirow) and modelling of socially recognised role models who were previously similar to self (Bandura, Mezirow). And as the learner moves closer to the new occupational environment, developmental themes of social co-construction of artefact solutions and the individual’s adaptability in the context of the person-environment dimension resonate from the literature (Beach, Bandura). In the proposed original conceptual framework, these themes are time ordered in an overlapping sequence, parallel to the career changer’s acquisition of skills for the new job (foundational skills to advanced skills and then on to professional skills). It takes the perspective of the mid career transitor as the individual journeying through the transition (see Figure 1). It is headed by a broad description of the desired states of the individual in 3 broad stages of the transition. The framework proposes considerations for the adult educator and socio-structural mechanisms involved in interacting with and facilitating the career changer during this process. This conceptual framework serves as a basis for discussing the empirical findings from the interviews. Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013 Figure 1: Proposed Conceptual Framework for Facilitating a Mid Career Transition 

Stage 1

Desired Learner Outcome

Desired State

Underpinning Theoretical notions & concepts

Stage 2



Stage 3

(foundational skills acquisition)

(advanced skills acquisition)

(professional skills acquisition)

READY

REALISE

RESPOND

Learner is characterised by a sense of confidence and efficacy in entering a new occupation and overcoming what challenges this process entails.

Learner is characterised as projecting himself in an expanded career identity and articulates new ability in the language of the new occupation.

Learner is able to competently and confidently discern workplace scenarios and adaptively apply his repertoire of skills in these diverse scenarios as required by the daily course of the new occupational role.

Readiness Confidence Control Perceived support Decision independence (Authenticity of Motive) (Astuteness)

Identity growth

Adaptability

(Career sub-identity is perceived as larger & more differentiated, leading to the desired self-reinforcing spiral of success)

(Mastery of interactions of job role requirements with environment and selfdirectedness)

Technical & Communicative Knowledge & Learning: content & process reflection (Habermas, 1971) Early & repeated successes in diverse contexts for efficacious mastery of experiences (Bandura, 1997) Consequential transition: Lateral, Collateral, Encompassing & Mediational transitions (Beach, 2003) Vertical development – progressive acquisition of skills Emancipatory Knowledge & Learning – critical self reflection and review of habitual expectations & self concept: Premise reflection (Mezirow, 2003) Vicarious experiences and efficacious social persuasion (modelling) (Bandura, 1997) Developmental Coupling (Beach, 2003) Horizontal development (Engestrom, 1996)

Possible forms of facilitative interventions

Learner is presented full knowledge and context of ‘new’ career/job, through continuous incorporation of contextualised information into learning activities and curricula.

Learner encouraged to explore for support and sources of reinforcement supporting ‘new’ identity, e.g. soliciting family and community feedback of ‘new’ work identity, interaction with positive cases of workers successfully transited into ‘new’ careers (modelling), etc.

Learner applies new skills in increasingly authentic environment, e.g. through a work-trial arrangement with potential new employer and colleagues, and ably adapt skills to progressively complex context requirements.

Skills acquisition builds on rather than replace the experience and knowledge of the Learner. Discussions of prior experience encouraged.

Learning exposes Learner to assume the new work role in incremental task performance and levels of authenticity (e.g. simulated work environment, shift schedules, donning of work uniforms, etc.).

Learner appreciates developmental coupling in new environments, adapts skills to changes & developments in workplace, and sensitises to how the new environment ‘adapts’ to him.

Learner exercises choice in participatory planning of learning activities and assessment.

Learner encouraged to engage in critical discourse and reflection to review prior habits of mind, and looking ahead, reflects on the authenticity of his next career choice.

Learner recognises expansive development and progress to be horizontal and bidirectional.

Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

Research method Six individuals who had gone through a mid-career transition into the following three high growth sectors were interviewed: i. Healthcare (specifically, a transition into a Nursing profession); ii. Training and Adult Education (specifically, a transition into the role of an Adult Educator); and iii. Creative Industry (specifically, a transition into the role of a Digital Animator). Their experiences through the transition were documented from an interview with each of them. The interview durations ranged from 31 to 67 minutes each, with the average length just over 42 minutes. The criteria for inclusion into the sampling frame are Professional, Managerial and Executive (PME) workers who have experienced a single career transition into a different occupational role in the last 5 years, and have been working in the previous occupation for at least a year. The participants for the study were recruited through referrals from training providers or through personal contacts. The interview sought to draw the interviewees’ learning and life experiences of the transition, their motivations, the positive and limiting aspects of their learning journey while preparing for new occupational roles and what were the challenges they faced in the initial periods of their new roles. The qualitative data was analysed thematically (Dowling and Brown, 2009; Merriam, 2009; Kvale, 1996) and found to fit well with the broad themes of the proposed framework: Ready, Realise and Respond.

Findings and discussion: Emerging Issues The interviews with the participants have illuminated pertinent areas with relation to concepts presented in the Ready-Realise-Respond conceptual framework proposed. Some areas that came up however, do not feature in the original model. These areas highlight further inclusions to the proposed framework for exploration. Ready When the interviewees were asked about how they had made the decision to make a career switch, all of them talked about a passion, an interest or a calling. Some accounts were described in a deeply intuitive sense, with one participant stating “something in me just says this is something I had to do”. There were also accounts describing that it is this passion that would sustain the individual in the career in the long run. It was also observed that self awareness was embedded in these descriptions. Two of the interviewees highlighted the notion of authenticity in the decision to enter a new profession. This state of authenticity describes an internal awareness by the career transitor himself of the reason for his choice of career and for wanting to make a transition.

Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

Interpreting and operationalising qualities and notions of interest and passion is challenging. An individual’s interest in a particular job may be attributed, in varying combinations, to various objects (the tasks or activities of the job), his own personal and individual preferences (the subject, e.g. likes activity and working with people) or the mediating artefacts connecting him to the job (e.g. sophisticated technology used by the professional, the uniforms worn, cultural norms, monetary rewards, etc) (Vygotsky, 1978). These attributes may change, as jobs change over time. It is also often a combination of diverse variables and facets of a job that interest is attributed to. Making a gauge of interest level according to these variables is also problematic. But more encompassing than this is for the individual to be critically aware himself of what these interests are, and have an internal consciousness of his intents and motivations, that will have a sustaining effect that the participants described. Thus from this perspective, I would prefer to use authenticity (of motive) as a factor for ascertaining an individual’s readiness for a career change. This may be described as a learner’s conscious cognizance of the reasons and motivations for entering the chosen profession. Authenticity (of motive) ...I guess you really have to want to do it at a certain point in time. Really have to have a feel for the profession before you embark on it. Because it’s really isn’t that easy. It’s not as simplistic as people always put it out to be...Rationalise through it. If you really want to do it, then that will be what will probably take you through in the tougher moments in the course... (Tim, Accountant to Nurse) ...I don’t have advice, but a question : Why? As long as you can answer that question, everything will be clear to you....Don’t come in here with the intention to get an ACTA cert, so that I can go out there and teach part-time for $35 per hour when I don’t have a job. To me, this will cause more anguish, than problems it will solve....In doing so, if you are not prepared to share, not prepared to learn, then the 20 people that are going to be sitting in your class will be disadvantaged. For people like that I would advise not to go in. Go in only when you think you have something to share. That you are prepared to put in the hours. Think about how people learn. Think about your own experiences. How you can value-add to them...So the first question is: “Why”, why are you doing this? If you don’t have an answer to the “Why”, then don’t come in. (Lionel, Procurement Manager to Adult Educator)

Another factor that emerged from the responses, which is not in the CTI, was that of being knowledgeable about the new career that the individual was joining. This would include things such as remuneration, progression opportunities, sub-specialisation options, unpleasant or mundane aspects of the job, expectations of various stakeholders, etc. These observations indicate the importance for career changers to take ownership of their own career management and the seeking out of accurate information about the industry. Collectively, these sentiments suggest the importance of career changers to be knowledgeable and almost savvy about the real job requirements, and demands of the reskilling process. In the stage of (getting) Ready for a transition, the qualitative data suggests for the addition of another factor of Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

astuteness. This factor may be described as a measure of the knowledge of career transitors for the industry they are joining and its derivative demands and working conditions, both good and bad. Astuteness ... Actually the info on the industry, because it’s a start up, it’s kind of a new thing in Singapore. So there wasn’t a lot of info. From what I read in the newspapers, it’s quite a big hype. All the big industry supposed to come in. To settle down in Singapore, and help this industry in Singapore. For me, it’s a very rosy picture that was painted. Especially with the schools, NUS, NTU, Poly start offering this course, it just give you the idea that it’s going to be big in Singapore; I really didn’t think how this industry will really develop. (Chris, IT Call centre to 3D Animator) ...Overall people know, that salary going to be less and all that. But there was no factual information available. There was the hearsay, grumbling over the fact. They should have told us this. They should have told us that... ... There were 10 of us who were sponsored by (name of hospital). To-date, 5 years (on), 3 of us left in (hospital). The rest all have resigned, or gone back to their previous jobs. If I ask them, there are a few things in nursing specially: No.1 : Shift work. Even though they knew, but they were thinking it’s manageable, it’s no joke when you do shift work, night duties and all that. That’s one thing. (Sheela, Teacher to Nurse)

The qualitative data also provide support for the factors of confidence, support and decision independence in the CTI. More critical, they provided insight into the considerations career changers perceive to be important in their personal assessment of their own level of preparation and aptitude for the next career role. Confidence ... I would say my communication was an edge for me...gives me an added confidence talking to patients, my peers, my students. (Sheela, Teacher to Nurse) ...they mentioned that they learnt something from me. I enjoyed the sharing session. I was very motivated to look for new ways to reach out to people... (Lionel, Procurement Manager to Adult Educator)

Support ...mentally, physically, as well as socially, their family, and other people are concerned. That will really be a big barrier if these people are not with you, you cannot fight against many things... (Sheela, Teacher to Nurse) ...maybe the family support...they were surprised at first, but then they said ok...relatively (important), I would say. (Tim, Accountant to Nurse) Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

It was a difficult decision to just give it up and switch... Plus it helps because my wife is a teacher, my father-in-law is a teacher. People around me are generally teachers. It helps to have the support. (Lionel, Procurement Manager to Adult Educator) Independent decision ... my opinion was more or less formed, so whatever they said it didn’t really matter. (Tim, Accountant to Nurse)

Realise The qualitative data from the interviews also sheds light on the notions of self concept and role of external influences and factors in contributing to the individual’s sense of identity. In the course of their descriptions, the influence of role models was raised by career transitors entering nursing and digital animation. On self-concept, the participants described a process of reflection and eventually come to a conclusion of who they are as a professional and how they would likely describe themselves professionally. One of the participants associated the self-concept with the responsibilities and accountabilities of the job role, describing this facet of the transition as being significantly challenging. This was his point of realisation. Another participant touched on Mezirow’s notions of habits of mind, heuristics and mental frames by which we see the world. His description suggests that mid career changers bring with them different perspectives and ‘systems of logic’ to how things should be done. The acquisition then, of new paradigms and systems requires a suspension and sometimes review of prior thinking of how things work. Social persuasion It was all mixed. I have people who are lawyers. People like me, many masters were there. People from all walks of life. It was very motivating seeing some in their late 50’s, joining and doing a mid-career switch. Keeps me going, I am not alone there. (Sheela, Teacher to Nurse)

Transforming habits of mind ...On the individual’s part, I guess, having an open mind. Just don’t be too set in your ways of doing things. Try to observe. Things initially may not look very logical to you, because you are used to a certain way of seeing things. But if subsequently, there could be some logic in the way things are done, it’s probably because you haven’t encountered what people have encountered to make people do things this way. You may see some value in that. (Tim, Accountant to Nurse) Symbiotic negotiation of self-image

Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

Paediatrics ward ...within a month, most of the time I was very sad, I was seeing very sad mothers, sad parents. I spoke to the person, I feel like I don’t belong to this place. I am the kind of person, I like to talk to patients. I can’t do that there. Before I can reach them I would start crying. I was fortunate, they listened to me, being mature people we know, what we can do, what we can’t. So they shifted me to medical-surgical ward. I was happy there. (Sheela, Teacher to Nurse)

Respond When participants were asked on what aspects of their work they felt were useful to their transition process, or what they hope they had experienced, many responses were related to the area of professional attachment to an organisation and deployment in authentic work situations. One of the participants also highlighted that the attachment exposes the learner to more experienced practitioners, and provided opportunities for modelling. Accounts from the interviews also describe the notion of developmental coupling put forth by Beach. The Learner, who develops his or her array of skills through application, learns to adapt those applications to the audience or rules of operation at the workplace. The audience and rules of operation also changes and develops (the adult educators’ audience of learners, the colleagues at work and work processes that innovate and evolve to be more efficient) as the learner applies his skills. There is a dynamic interaction between audience and learner affecting the development of both parties. This supports the advantages for learners to be immersed in authentic workplace contexts to apply their skills in realistic scenarios, there developing the metaskill of adapting learnt skills in diverse and authentic workplace contexts, which in turn reinforces a sense of efficacy for the demands of the new vocation. Developmental coupling The real learning came about after you become a full-time trainer, after you conduct lessons, you run through evaluations given by your participants. You sort of like understand how well you train, you are able to train. The learning comes from there. In terms of training, another aspect, one is to know your learner’s profile...How well you can achieve your learning outcomes depends on your target audience. If you make certain wrong assumptions about your target audience, you may end up not being able to transfer the learning. That’s something that hits me, especially training the rank and file... . You can only learn that on the ground when you actually train it. (Harold, Payroll Manager to Adult Educator) When you pass out as a nurse, the biggest challenge was to bridge the gap of the theory you learn to the clinicals. It’s not just the clinical. Whatever you learn in the books, it’s not always the same. When you come to the hospital, they have their own culture. Every ward has its own culture. Manager has his own culture.... it was mostly with colleagues. Because I was slow in the beginning. Like I said, to bring your theory to practice, you need time. That was the biggest challenge for me. (Sheela, Teacher to Nurse) Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

These descriptions suggest that one’s adaptiveness is correlated to the level of proficiency of the practitioner. However, it may be argued that this could be attributed to the nature of the vocation. Certainly this may vary across occupational groups, but this observation sheds light on this variability. Attention should be paid by learning interventions to acknowledge that different occupations will have varying demands on the incumbant’s ability to adapt, and how this metaskill varies as a function of the individual’s proficiency and effectiveness. There is also a description from a participant alluding to the notion of collateral transition, where workers shuttle between vocations (airline inflight service crew who also train new staff half the work-time). Practitioner-educators, writer-actor-directors, politicians-industrialists are all examples of such vocation arrangements. The notion of collateral transition makes an argument against most existing models of the transition from career development theory, which purports three phases of a rite of passage: separation or disengagement; transition; and incorporation or re-engagement. Other similar models describe stages as endings, a ‘neutral zone’ or ‘in-betweenphase’, and beginnings. In light of our discussion so far, the consequential transition typology of Beach and in particular collateral transitions, and the notions put forth by Hall, of expansion of one’s skills repertoire rather than a replacement of, challenges these traditional models of career theory. Conclusion In a landmark study of the changing patterns of working, learning and career development across Europe in 2007, Alan Brown and colleagues found that almost one third of the 1148 associate professionals surveyed from ten European countries, were actively considering a career change over the next five years. Further, of the same population of respondents, over two thirds had had at least one career change since starting work. If we considered the global trends of technological-economicindustrial advancement, organising the work nucleus towards multi-role occupational profiles, ever changing global centres of industry and commerce and (the impetus of economic reintegration with) a more matured workforce, there is clear evidence that this trend of changing career trajectories amongst associate professionals and middle skilled workers will only increase in times to come. We have discussed that it is a long and arduous journey ahead for any individual embarking on a career transition, a group that tends to have ‘the odds stacked against them’. However, it cannot be emphasised enough that adult educators of career changers must appreciate that their audience come from diverse prior professional backgrounds. Their years, and for some, decades of work experiences, have set and internalised multi-layered paradigms of logic and habits of mind through which they have come to understand their world of work and the relationships of its interacting components. It is argued then, that an assimilation of new social and relational systems of logic and schemas associated with a new career requires reflection and reassessment of these prior assumptions. There is also literature supporting the view that reflection upon experience (and prior learning) can act as a driver of further learning. This distinctive dimension of the learning by mid career transitors adds to the complexity of the transitional process, and certainly warrants further research to understand it better. Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

An initial 3-stage conceptual framework is proposed in this study as a first attempt to guide adult educators and the design of learning interventions for individuals undergoing a mid career transition. The stages of the framework, Ready, Realise and Respond, centre around the learner and describe the desired learner outcomes arising from the stages. Interviews with the participants of the qualitative study have suggested 2 additional factors that may be considered for inclusion in the first stage: being astute and savvy of the industry and job they are entering into, and the learner’s authenticity of intent, which may be described as a self awareness of the learner’s own motivations and aspirations for entering into the chosen career. The qualitative data from the interviews has illuminated that these stages are not necessarily exclusively sequential, and would usually overlap. As a first iteration, the proposed conceptual framework certainly has much room for further development in reviewing other theoretical notions and broaden empirically to include perspectives of adult educators; training institutions (management representatives); state, funding and policy design agencies; career advisory centres and career consultants; and even organisational human resource personnel who are tasked with conducting exit interviews of transitors who fall out of the process. Their perspectives would certainly enrich the depth and relevance of the framework to all parties involved in facilitating career transitions. From a policy perspective, growing evidence suggests that the imperative for appropriate support systems and targeted learning interventions for career transition is real and increasingly pressing. Our research participants have shed light that the transition process does not always work out for all individuals, or present unexpected challenges and barriers only after the learning portion is done. Research based on biographical accounts have also shown that such cases run the risk of fostering a mindset of permanent disengagement from learning altogether where such interventions fail (Brown et al, 2010), leading to greater societal costs and labour market disequilibrium. These studies alert us to the criticality of designing policies that while providing maximum opportunity, must also be sensitive to the diverse aptitudes, motivations and aspirations of working adults. Lifelong learning policy must also facilitate the capacity of individuals to discern the appropriateness of their own career trajectories, if the aim ultimately, is to help people become all they aspire to be. References Arbeiter, S. (1978) 40 Million Americans in Career Transition. The Need for Information.(Final Report) College Board Publication Order: New Jersey. Arthur, M. B., Inkson, Kerr, and Pringle, J. K. (1999). The new careers: Individual action and economic change. (Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications). Arthur, M.B. and Rousseau, D.M. (1996) The Boundaryless Career. A New Employment Principle for a New Organizational Era. (New York: Oxford University Press). Bandura A. (1997) Self-efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.

Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.

Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

Bandura, A. (1995) Exercise of personal and collective efficacy in changing societies. In Bandura, A. (Ed.), Self-efficacy in changing societies. p1–45, Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. Bandura, A., and Jourden, F. J. (1991) Self-regulatory mechanisms governing the impact of social comparison on complex decision making, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, pp.941-951. Beach, K. (2003) Consequential Transitions: A Developmental View of Knowledge Propagation Through Social Organizations, in Between School and Work: New Perspectives on Transfer and Boundary-Crossing, Terttu-Grohn T. and Engestrom Y. (eds) Between School and Work: New Perspectives on Transfer and Boundary-Crossing, Boston: Pergamon Bimrose J. and Brown A. (2010) Older workers’ transition in work-related learning, careers and identities, in Ecclestone K., Biesta G. and Hughes M. (eds) Transitions and Learning through the Lifecourse, 12, pp.182-196 Oxon: Routledge. Bimrose J., Barnes S. A. and Hughes D. (2008) Adult career progression and advancement: A five year study of effectiveness of guidance. Conventory: Warwick Institute for Employment Research and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Available online: http://www2.warwick.acu.uk/fac/soc/ier/publications/2008/eg_report_4_years_o n_final.pdf Brown A., Bimrose J., Barnes S. A., Kirpal S., Gronning, T., and Daehlen M. (2010) Changing patterns of working, learning and career development across Europe, Coventry: IER, University of Warwick. Available online: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/people/abrown/publications/final_report. pdf Dowling, P. and Brown, A. (2009) Doing Research/Reading Research: ReInterrogating Education. London: Routledge. Ecclestone K. (2009) Lost and found in transition: educational implications of concerns about ‘identity’, ‘agency’ and ‘structure’. In Field J., Gallacher J. and Ingram R. (eds) Researching Transitions in Lifelong Learning, Oxon: Routledge, 2, pp. 9-26. Falvey, R., Greenaway, D. and Silva, J. (2008) Human Capital and Adjustment to Trade. In Greenaway, David., Upward, Richard (eds) Globalisation and Labour Market Adjustment, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, Chapter 6. Gaston, N. and Nelson, D. (2004) Structural Change and the Labour-market Effects of Globalisation, Review of International Economics, 12(5), pp.769-792. Greenaway, D., and Upward, R. (2008) Globalisation and Labour Market Adjustment. New York, Palgrave Macmillan. Guile, D. and Young, M.F.D. (2003) Transfer and transition between education and work: some theoretical questions and issues. In Tuomi-Gröhn, T., and Engeström, Y. (2003) Between School and Work: New Perspectives on Transfer and Boundary-Crossing. Boston: Pergamon. Hall, D. T. (1986) Breaking career routines: Midcareer choice and identity development. In Hall D. T. and Associates (Eds.), Career development in organizations, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, pp.120-159. Hall, D.T. and Mirvis, P.H. (1995) The New Career Contract: developing the whole person at midlife and beyond, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 47, pp.269-289.

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Published in biipmi Journal Online, 2013

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About the Author Eric Lee is Principal Research Manager of the Research Division at the Institute for Adult Learning Singapore. He holds a BA (Psychology & Economics) from the National University of Singapore and MA in Lifelong Learning from the Institute of Education, University of London. He has held various positions in public and private sectors with work focus centring around human capital development and research. His recently completed Masters dissertation was in the area of mid-career transition, and he is continuing his research in this area.

Eric, L (2011) ‘Learning a new career: towards a facilitative framework’, biipmi Journal Online, 2013.