Career Assured – a new quality mark for digital careers resources
The internet is awash with digital careers resources, but how do career development professionals, teachers, parents/carers and clients know which resources are current and impartial?
The CDI has a critical role to play in ensuring quality, so we are re-launching our updated quality standard, called Career Assured.
The Career Assured Quality Assurance Framework is designed to assess the degree to which careers products meet the requirements of users and career development professionals. The achievement of the Award will demonstrate that the product - initially a website, software or app, meets a minimum standard of quality against clear and transparent criteria.
The basic concept for Career Assured is that it provides a quality mark for products and to provide a structure that would assure:
- the level of quality overall;
- the content in terms of its value as a resource to support the decision making process in the context of career guidance;
- and the ethics and standards of the organisation producing the resources or material
The has been designed to provide an ongoing support and review process for organisations embarking on and continuing the journey of developing and publishing CEIAG resources. We also intend that it should become a recognised symbol for users; an endorsement of product quality and integrity.
Within Career Assured, ‘products’ are defined as any resource that has been produced to support the career decision making process. They can be a 'standalone' resource that is accessed by the client themselves or a supporting resource designed to be delivered by a CEIAG practitioner. Initially we will be focusing on websites, apps, digital games and software but will also include books and resource packs in 2021. The product can be role, sector or education level specific or a resource that provides more generic support and guidance.
There are eight Criteria within the Career Assured Framework, under which sit a number of indicators:
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CRITERIA
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DEFINITION
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No. OF INDICATORS
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1 Organisation Credibility
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The organisation upholds the principles of the Career Development Institute's Code of Ethics.
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4
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2 Availability
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The organisation has considered how available the product will be and there is a clear rationale where availability is not national.
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6
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3 Feedback and Impact
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The organisation is responsive to enquiries regarding the product and comments regarding proposed improvement, corrections and updates to content.
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4
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4 Value
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The product provides value in terms of financial outlay and the support it provides to the CEIAG process itself.
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6
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5 Accessibility
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The product is physically accessible to a range of users, taking account of people with some form of visual impairment or disability. The organisation has considered how adjustments or alternative formats can improve accessibility.
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6
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6 Product Credibility
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The organisation has a robust approach to ensure the credibility of the product, those contributing to the content and has a system of traceability in place.
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7
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7 Equality and Diversity
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The product demonstrates equality, inclusiveness, is free from discrimination and avoids inappropriate language and behaviours.
This is reflected in the content as well as the overall image of the product.
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6
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8 Currency
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The content of the product has been recently reviewed and the organisation has a plan for regular revisions in place.
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4
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The product will be assessed against and needs to meet the overarching Criteria and underpinning Indicators in order to be awarded the Career Assured Award.
We have designed the Career Assured assessment process so that it is transparent: it features an initial self-assessment against the eight Criteria, using the identified 43 Indicators, followed by a formal assessment of the product by an independent external assessor against the set Criteria and Indicators.
The assessment is rigorous, but it needs to be to ensure that all aspects of the eight Criteria are covered.
The process
For more information about the process and price, please contact Joanne Thorniley joanne.thorniley@thecdi.net. All organisations starting the journey are asked to sign a letter of commitment, which includes the name and contact details of their external assessor.
Once achieved the award is held for two years. To ensure that the Career Assured brand maintains its robustness and integrity, regular reviews will be undertaken and where the organisation and/or the product no longer meet the requirement of the standard, the award can be withdrawn.
For more information contact Joanne Thorniley joanne.thorniley@thecdi.net
The benefits
All products that achieve the Career Assured criteria will receive the following product / company benefits:
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- Career assured digital logo to be displayed on your collateral / website
- Product listing on the CDI Career Assured recommended product list
- 25% Discount on any CDI commercial activity promoting the Careers Assured product
- Early access to Sponsor / Exhibition opportunities at a discounted rate
- Career Assured award to be formally presented at the UK Career Development Awards (Held in March annually)
- Award to be publicised in the news by email to members.