Careers and labour market information: an international review of the evidence

This literature review starts with an assumption that great labour market
information (LMI) is a critical component of any great careers service.
Careers professionals and advisers, the people whose job it is to offer and support careers advice in the community or in schools, are key to success. Vital to the work of these careers advisers is access and familiarity with a robust and sophisticated body of intelligence about the labour market. To support individual users of the careers services, either in the community or in schools, careers practitioners must be both knowledgeable about the labour market and skilled in translating this information for the benefit of their clients.
A key role for careers services and careers practitioners1 is to ensure that, as
far as possible, the understanding that service users have of the working world
is accurate, appropriate and comprehensive. The work of the professionals in
this area may involve addressing knowledge gaps and challenging inaccurate
perceptions. Individuals need to understand the availability of jobs, as well as
the skills, qualifications and experience that employers require. They need to
know where to look for work and how to apply effectively for available jobs.
Understanding and predicting what kinds of changes there may be in the working world in the future, in terms of demand for jobs and the skills and knowledge required in different sectors, is also important for ensuring that people remain skilled and able to navigate complex career trajectories in uncertain times.
In this context, this review has been driven by a desire to ascertain what makes for great labour market information and what is needed to ensure its effective use. In keeping with our research approach our interest is in providing insight targeted at policy and practice.
We have focused on literature from the last ten years which considers LMI, and its application within effective careers practice.2 The search strategy was necessarily broad.3 Materials excluded from this literature review are those which publicised specific services or products (such as specific information materials) and those which reference or discuss ‘careers information’ as a short-hand for careers services, not distinguishing information as a specific part of careers provision.