Vocational Guidance: Meaning, Definition and Principles of Vocational Guidance!
Meaning and Definition:
Every young man requires advice as to what kind of work will be most suitable for him keeping in view his abilities and aptitudes.
When such an advice is given, it is known as vocational guidance. Vocational guidance programme may be a part of the selection process. A big concern may have vocational counsellors to advise the candidates to try somewhere else. Vocational guidance follows vocational selection. Vocational selection of employees means recruitment of new employees who have not been in industry previously. The following are the few definitions of vocational guidance:
“Vocational guidance is a facilitative process, a service rendered to the individual to aid him in choosing and adjusting to an occupation.” —John D. Crites
“Vocational guidance is a process of assisting the individual to choose an occupation, prepare for it, enter up on and progress on it”.
—National Vocational Guidance Association
“Vocational guidance refers to the inevitable direction given to the care of new employees in the selection process and in their assignment to particular types of work.” —Dale Yoder
Vocational guidance programme may consist of advising the candidate as to what type of job he should select. It is of utmost importance that the right man is selected for the right job. A famous proverb goes like this ‘for round holes there should be round pegs and for square holes there should be square pegs’.
The Following Steps are involved in Vocational Guidance Process:
(i) Information is collected from the candidate and his parents regarding his achievements.
(ii) More information about the candidate can be known by giving him certain tests such as interest test, aptitude test, personality tests etc.
(iii) His health, height, weight etc., should also be given due weightage.
On the basis of the information collected, the candidate will be guided as to which job is best suited to him. In fact, vocational guidance is needed at the school and college level. On the basis of this guidance, the students may choose science, commerce or arts faculties.
At present this guidance is given by parents and teachers but it is always better if it is given by some expert who is normally a psychologist. In advanced countries, psychologists are appointed in educational institutions for providing vocational guidance.
Principles of Vocational Guidance:
(1) It should be objective and must be based on facts.
(2) The approach should be persuasive and at no point force or coercion should be used.
(3) The candidate should be informed about the alternative jobs and the final selection of the job should be left to him.
Advantages of Vocational Guidance:
The following advantages will accrue from scientific vocational selection:
(a) The candidate will have job satisfaction after being selected.
(b) It should create better industrial relations.
(c) The labour turnover would be reduced to minimum.
(d) It leads to overall efficiency and increased productivity.
Vocational Guidance in India:
In India, employment exchanges provide vocational guidance to youth (applicants without any work experience) and adults (with specific work experience).
In order to divert educated youth to channels of gainful employment, vocational guidance and career advising programmes of the Directorate General of Employment and Training have been expanded and streamlined. A career study centre and the Central Institute for Research and Training provide career literature for the occupational orientation of the youth and other guidance seekers.
The Central Institute for Research and Training in Employment Services (CIRTES) is functioning under the Director General of employment and training. CIRTES also imparts training in employment service. It is also engaged in conducting research studies in several areas and fields of employment service.