Scope of Vocational Guidance
The scope of vocational guidance may be understood better, perhaps, by a consideration of the general activities which comprise it. These are as follows:
Image Source: studentcareercoach.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/bigstockphoto_high_school_students_in_classr_2863952.jpg
(a) Analysis of the Individual
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Without extensive knowledge about the individual desirous of getting vocational guidance, it would be impossible to effect his matching with the vocation. Competent men do this appraisal through various tests.
(b) Occupational Information
Next to the analysis of the individual is the collection and dissemination of information about an occupation. This is done by career talks, career conferences, visits to factories, establishing career corners, career clubs, career newsletters etc. Then only we shall be able to match the individual with the job.
(c) Community Occupation Surveys and Follow-up Studies
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Most of us find jobs in the immediate neighborhoods. Other than national occupational information, vocational information should be focused upon local conditions. Community occupational surveys and follow-up study of school-leavers provide data on local training and employment conditions, labour turnover and job opportunities. This is to be done by a vocational guidance worker.
(d) Counseling
Counseling is a technique of guidance-any type of guidance. Herein we give individual help to students.
(e) Group Activities
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Much of the work of self-appraisal and occupational study is handled most efficiently through group approach. Group activities in vocational guidance be done by the properly educated and trained teachers.
These activities stress the methodology of vocational selection, preparation, job-getting and advancement they provide occupational motivation and information through field trips, career conferences etc.
(f) Placement
This is the last and most important activity of vocational guidance. It cannot be left to chance. Herein the school places the individual in a job vocation and watches his progress.
Need of Vocational Guidance
1. If an individual stays in wrong profession for a long time, he suffers economically. There is financial loss.
2. If an individual stays in a wrong profession, he suffers from a psychic loss. The individual is not happy. He is frustrated. His family life is affected.
3. There are a large number of personal and social values of vocational guidance. Leaving aside financial considerations, the worker’s happiness, his personal development, his value as a social unit and contribution to human welfare are all involved. Right vocational guidance helps us achieve that.
4. Vocational guidance provides many economic advantages to the employers. Their labour problems are less because these workers enjoy job satisfaction.
5. It is needed from the point of view of health of the workers. If the profession is such where health of workers breaks down, production suffers and morale of workers goes down.
6. Human potentialities are utilised to the maximum with the help of vocational guidance. We are then truly benefited by it.