An asset-based approach in career facilitation : lessons for higher education training

Abstract

This exploratory and descriptive study investigated the use of the asset-based approach in career facilitation in South Africa. Five adolescents (3 females and 2 males) aged 16 to 18 years participated. An intervention study following a qualitative approach was conducted. We developed and implemented an asset-based career facilitation intervention that included psychometric and post-modern career activities. We used multiple data collection strategies (observation, unstructured interviews, intervention activities, visual data and participant reflections), which we documented in various ways (field notes, researcher diaries, photocopies of intervention artefacts and participant reflective diaries). Our thematic analysis of the data revealed three main themes. Firstly, in terms of the client-partner relationship, the study indicated the significance of personality traits, age, family dynamics, career interest profiles and previous career assessment experiences when using asset-based strategies. Secondly, the challenging role of the asset-based career facilitator was emphasised. Thirdly, results suggested that traditional career guidance paradigms meant that client-partners expected the career facilitator to function as expert, and accordingly resisted the shared responsibility of partnership. Subsequently, we identified indicators and contra-indicators for using assetbased career facilitation.