Common Career Language Matrix

Common Career Language Matrix

If you’ve ever wondered about how to use the word "career" or what "career development" is really defined as, you now have a tool that can help. Read down the lefthand column of the matrix to see six career development terms and their definitions. As you read across the matrix the definition expands, explaining the values and benefits of this definition for each stakeholder group. Print a copy of the matrix to use in your workshops, post on the wall where you work, and use at meetings to promote consistent use of the terms.

Curious about how the matrix came to be? Read the history of the project in our matrix companion. (Link will open a new browser window containing a PDF file; you will need Adobe® Reader® to read this file.)

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Terms

Definition

Values and Benefits

Employers

Policy Makers

Practitioners

Users

Career

Career is a life management concept that involves the balance of paid and unpaid work, learning, and personal life roles. Careers are unique to each person and are dynamic; unfolding throughout life.

Increase employee retention, productivity and profitability by supporting workers to balance life roles

Collaboration between government ministries in legislation and funding toward a responsive, wholistic career development delivery system

Delivery of services that are flexible to fit individual client needs and timelines

Understanding of and personal responsibility for managing life/work roles and transitions

Career Development

Career development is the lifelong process of managing roles and transitions in order to move toward a personally determined future.

To understand career development's role in workforce development; to gain assurance that workers who actively manage their careers are likely to make sustainable and meaningful choices

To legislate a continuum of services that maximize the positive economic impact of worker transition accountable to client determined goals

Identify their role within a continuum of service that is accountable, responsive and respectful of clients

The right and responsibility to identify and pursue career goals with responsive career development support

Work

Work is a set of activities with an intended set of outcomes. Work is not necessarily tied to paid employment, but may include entrepreneurship, consulting, volunteerism, contract, professional.

Improved productivity and longevity of workers by broadening the definition and structure of work

Increased range of outcomes using a broader definition of work

Provide services that are responsive to a broader definition of work

» More opportunity becomes available to the worker by including diverse forms of work in career planning

Sector

Industry categories

Improve recruitment strategies by identifying and valuing transferable skills between and within sectors

Respond to skill shortages, economic changes by channeling workers from one sector to another

Enhance effectiveness of services by facilitating the transition of skills between and within sectors

Open » More opportunities by identifying and marketing transferable skills within and between sectors

Community Economic Development

Developing and maintaining suitable economic, social and political environments, in which balanced growth may be realized, increasing the wealth of the community.

Sustainable economic development is reliant upon effective career development delivery systems

Improve community economic development through cross-ministry career development initiatives

Delivery of career development services that are accountable to sustainable community economic development

The right and responsibility to experience and contribute to community economic development through effective career management

Labour Market

Information about career planning, work options, and learning opportunities. It includes the current economic environment, as well as trends and forecasts about the future.

Access to labour market information supports strategic business planning, human resource development, workforce development

Proactive legislation related to occupational growth and decline, demographics, technological advances and community economic development

Improve client outcomes through service delivery that connects to current labour market information

Research and application of labour market information improves career decision making