Partners in career education: Exploring collaboration between universities, schools, industry, communities and vocational education providers in developing best practice career approaches

Career education is shifting to meet the needs of a changing world of work, as individuals navigate complex journeys through multiple post-school educational pathways and professions. This situation has provided an impetus for schools, higher education providers and industry to work together to allow students to seamlessly move between various qualifications and employment opportunities in order to fulfil their aspirations. This chapter details the outcomes of a national study that considered how partnerships across various educational sectors may improve career outcomes for young people. Findings indicate how career development learning (CDL) research can be co-designed in ways that leverage partnerships between multiple stakeholders. A partnership approach to CDL research can have significant benefits for participants as learners, as this approach provides an opportunity to utilise stakeholders’ knowledge of student cohorts and to position CDL as an ongoing and iterative process through school and into future study and employment.