Occupational information as defined by Prof. C.E. Shartle is, “accurate and usable information about jobs and occupations”. It includes all types of information such as the importance of an occupation, minimum conditions for entrance, promotion opportunities, health and hazard compensations etc.
In this field the main work of the guidance officer is to help his students in securing educational experience and to help him to evaluate his opportunities and limitations. It is expected that the pupils will be provided with accurate and usable information before leaving school. Such a step will be much helpful to bridge the gap between the employment opportunities and the resources of the personnel.
Types of Information
(i) Information about various jobs.
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(ii) Information about various industries.
(iii) Information about training facilities.
(iv) Information about placement facilities.
(v) Information about Common errors in choosing an occupation.
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(vi) Information about various items to be considered in choosing an occupation.
(vii) Information about sources of information about occupation.
(viii) Information regarding one’s own abilities and interests.
Techniques of Imparting Information
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1. Imparting occupational information as regular subject
2. Through career conferences.
3 Occupational information through special subjects
4. Occupational information through schools clubs
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5. Occupational information through home rooms or tutorials.
6. Occupational information through class talks.
7. Occupational talks by specialists in the occupations.
8. Occupational information through work-experience projects.
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9. Occupational information through visits to places of work.
10. Occupational information through dramtisation.
11. Occupational information through films and film strips.
12. Occupational information through displays or exhibitions.
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13, Occupational information through Bulletin Board announcements
14. Occupational information through library.
15. Occupational information through booklets.
16. Occupational information through co-curricular activities.
17. Occupational information through defence corner
18. Occupational information through Radio and Television.
Sources of Occupational Material in India
1. Directorate-General of Employment and Training, 18, Gurdwara Road, New Delhi.
2. National Council of Educational Research and Training, Mehrauli Road, New Delhi.
3. Vocational Counselling Bureau, Y.M.C.A., Indore.
4. Y.M.C.A. Publishing House, 5, Russell Street, Calcutta-16.
5. Bureau of Vocational and Educational Counselling 25-B, Park Street, Calcutta, 16.
6. Manovigyan Shala, U.P., Allahabad.
7. Ministry of Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi.
8. Directorate-General of Health Services, Ministry of Health, New Delhi.
9 Ministry of Education, Publication Section, 31, Theatre
Communication Building, Connaught Place, New Delhi
10. Government of Maharashtra, Institute of Vocational Guidance and Selection, 3, Cruickashank Road, Bombay-1.
11. State Bureau of Educational Research and Services, Trivandrum, Kerala.
12. State Bureau of Educational and Vocational Guidance, Orissa, Radhanath Training College, Cuttack-2.
13. Ministry of Railways (Railway Board), Government of India, Rail Bhawan, New Delhi-1.
14. Bureau of Educational and Vocational Guidance, Department of Public Instruction, 27, V Block, Kumara Park, West Bangalore-20.
15. Bureau of Educational research, Ewing Christian College, Allahabad-3.
16. Rotary International, Rotary Club, Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh).
17. College of Educational Psychology and Guidance, Jabaipur (M.P.).
18. Faculty of Education and Psychology, Maharaja Sayajirao Univeristy of Baroda, Baroda.
19. Offices of the Employment Exchange in all States.
20. University Employment Bureau attached to the Universities.
21. Ministry of Education, Information Section, I-Block, New Delhi.
Career conference
This technique is very valuable as a means of supplementing the information given to a group, either by the class teacher or the counselor.
In this technique many successful persons try to explain the vocations in which theory work. They also answer questions about their job
The areas which are generally move likely to be covered during occupational orientations talkes are as under :
1. Nature and importance of work.
2. Conditions of work.
3. Minimum qualification essential to receive training
4. Various aspects of training, names of institutions that provide such a training, different subjects taught in training, cost of training, financial aids available during training etc.
Such conferences are of 1 or 2 days duration. To organise such a conference the consellor seeks the cooperation of both teachers and students. The students of higher secondary classes and their parents are generally invited to attend such conferences.
To get maximum benefit from such a conference it is essential that it should not be treated merely as a show work. Utmost care is taken in planning such a conference and only those speakers, who can explain the problems connected with particular occupation, be invited to speak. The speaker must explain his view points to the students in very clear and bijous terms. He should try his best to show the occupation in its true perspective. It is always better if the counsellor provides some broad outlines to the speakers that the speaker is expected to keep in mind while explaining his views to the students.
To avoid monotony it is always desirable to show certain occupational or educational films in between different speeches.
It is also quite useful if an exhibition of charts, which through light on careers and courses, is organised on this occasion.
The suggestions given by E. Rocber and others, for holding career conferences, are listed below:
1. The duration of such a conference should be around an hour. Out of it 50% of the time is spent in presentation of important facts about the field work and the rest of the time be used in answering questions.
2. The audience should be of 13-18 age groups.
Guidance and Placement
3. Following points be covered in such a conference:
(i) Importance and history of work
(ii) Various types of tasks involved in the work, tools, materials and processes
(iii) Personal qualifications
(iv) Special training needed and how can such training be obtained.
(v) Income compensation, pensions and benefits
(vi) Working conditions, hazards, effects of work on workers.
(vii) Promotion avenues
(viii) How to find the job, and
(ix) Any other information
The most important use of such conferences is that it brings about a direct contact between the school and the community. By such a contact the community is made aware of the problems of the youth. They also provide opportunities to students to hear eminent persons and to know about the actual problems regarding various occupations. Parents also become more guidance minded after attending such conferences. They devote some time to think about the occupational future of their children. Such conferences also help in making the trade and industry aware of its responsibilities in assisting the guidance agencies.