Career guidance for adults helps to motivate adults to train and to help address the challenges brought about by rapidly changing skill needs. Such services are particularly important amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, as many adults have lost jobs and require assistance navigating their career options in the changed labour market.
To explore this issue, the OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs has undertaken research on the functioning, effectiveness and resilience of adult career guidance systems across countries. As part of this project, the OECD carried out an online survey in six countries (Chile, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United States) to better understand the user experience of adults with career guidance, and any barriers adults might face in accessing these services. Results of the research are shown in the report "Career Guidance for Adults in a Changing World of Work, Getting Skills Right".
This report is divided into four chapters. Chapter 1 presents findings on the coverage and inclusiveness of career guidance services based on the OECD Survey of Career Guidance for Adults (SCGA). Chapter 2 maps the providers of career guidance for adults and describes how services are delivered. Chapter 3 reviews survey evidence on the quality of career guidance services, and discusses policy options for improving the quality and impact of services. Chapter 4 describes how OECD countries coordinate the many stakeholders involved in governing career guidance. It also considers funding, and how the cost of guidance is shared among governments, adults and employers.