Choice, chance or compulsion: the recruitment of career advisers into New Zealand secondary schools

Abstract

Career advisers play an important educational role by enabling students to understand how careers are constructed and managed in an increasingly uncertain world. Yet how are career advisers recruited and what knowledge is required? This article draws from data collected from semi-structured interviews with career advisers in a range of New Zealand secondary schools as part my PhD research. The findings indicate many of those who became career advisers were chosen by someone in authority, or fell into the career adviser role by chance. No knowledge about this curriculum area was necessary, nor formal career-related or teaching qualifications required.