CAREER MANAGEMENT SKILLS (CMS) is a strategic key concept for implementing lifelong guidance policies within national and regional education and employment systems.

People are becoming aware that the structure of work is changing and that the management of own career and learning process is a lifelong challenge. Education and guidance services are in charge to promote and develop these skills needed by all people for living this change and for leading actively their career paths.
Career management is based on the idea of an intentional management of work, learning and other aspects of life through reflective, evaluative and decision making processes (Haines, Scott, & Lincoln, 2003; Watts, 1998). 

The European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network (ELGPN) regards career management skills (CMS) as competencies which help individuals to identify their existing skills, develop career learning goals and take action to enhance their careers.

Further education in the UK is something to be proud of. It’s efficient, agile and crammed full of talented people. For many learners, it is where they turn when they have been let down by other parts of the education system and acts as a vital route into employment. And yet, compared to universities and schools, the sector is heavily under-researched and frequently misunderstood. Perhaps because of this, it is also under siege. Whereas universities and schools have been largely protected from the full force of government cuts, further education has been hit hard. This is partly the fault of the sector, which at times has been too willing to accept the constraints of government funding rules and failed to speak out against changes. But a lack of research has also made it vulnerable to being pushed down the government’s priority list – there is simply not enough research on the positive impact further education has on the economy and society. Unlike the university and school sectors, there isn’t a proliferation of academic journals and collaborative research initiatives.

Although the situation is improving, the further education sector still faces a gender imbalance at leadership level. In 2013 41% of college principals were women – a steady rise from the 36% in 2009, according to research by the Women’s Leadership Network. When it comes to governance, however, the gap is much starker. Twice as many men than women are on governing boards and only 17% of boards are chaired by a woman. Before thinking about practical steps to encourage more women into leadership positions, it’s important to reflect on why it matters.