HISTORY OF CAREER SERVICES
Vocational and Teachers Guidance
Before career centers existed on college campuses, faculty mentored students and prepared them for employment.
Early 1900s
Vocational guidance emerged in the early 1900s with the creation of the first career center, the Vocations Bureau, in the Civic Service House in Boston, MA. The center helped new immigrants transition to life in America and find work.
1920s and 1930s
Due to industrialization and the post-World War I baby boom, there was an influx for education and vocational guidance for graduating teachers; thus, moving them away from the more traditional mentoring roles (Vinson, Reardon, & Bertoch, 2011).
Career Counseling
Professional Networking
EVOLUTION OF CAREER SERVICES
Due to a booming economy and greater demand for workforce in manufacturing and mining post-World War II, the need to place graduating war veterans who returned to college on the GI Bill transformed vocational guidance in higher education and resulted in the expansion of placement centers on college campuses. These placement centers matched graduates’ abilities and interests to available job openings.
Job Placement
With a slowing economy, an increased competition for candidates, and the shift to a development model of higher education in which students were responsible for their own learning and educational outcomes, the landscape for career services changed. During this paradigm shift, students had to take ownership of their own career development and job search causing career centers to take the guidance role instead of the placement role with more emphasis on career counseling, planning, and job search preparation (Casella, 1990).
With the emergence of information technology and social media, the competition for college graduates increased and, thus, the career centers of the 20th century transformed into comprehensive career services offices that facilitated the relationship between students and employers through networking events and recruiting activities (Dey & Real, 2010). Moreover, as a result of decreased funding from universities, career centers had to focus on corporate partnerships and revenue generation, which further contributed to the shift from career counseling to employer relations.
From the time of its inception, career services in higher education has experienced five significant paradigm shifts. These shifts were a direct result of changes in economic, political, social, generational, and cultural norms.
1900S-1940S
1940S-1970S
1970S-1990S
1990S-2010S
2010S-2030S
Connected Communities
After the economic downturn of 2008 and with increased pressure and demand for accountability, Cruzvergara & Dey (2014) predict a new paradigm shift in career services. Accordingly, services will move toward a “customized connection model that focuses on specialized career development support to students and meaningful connections to internship and employment opportunities as well as mentoring and experiential learning,” (p.14). Although career counseling and advising, resume assistance, career fairs and other services will remain a central part of career services, we will see a stronger emphasis on building connections through partnerships with employers, experiential learning, mentoring, and developing career communities of learners and networkers.
Each paradigm shift in career services is a building block that maintains the integrity of past models and builds upon them as new trends emerge (Cruzvergara & Dey, 2014). The table below offers a final overview of this evolutionary process.
It is important to note that despite the many paradigm shifts of career services over time, considerations for diversity and inclusion work within this student affairs department is limited. To read more about diversity and inclusion within career services, click here.
In Summary...
