Conference on 5th May 2011

I am on the organising group that is currently planning planning a conference for the centre on 5th May this year. So I thought I’d take the opportunity to ‘blog’ about it. There are some really useful conferences planned for this year around the country and at a time of such uncertainty in the field of careers, particularly in England, such events have never been more important. Many will focus on the emerging all-age guidance service and others on the increased need for expertise in careers education. Although we have included a 'state of the nation' key note from Tony Watts who will reflect on these crucial changes, the focus of the conference is a little different.

The title ‘Vocation, vocation, vocation: placing meaning in the foreground of career decision making’ gives a flavour for this ‘back to our roots’ theme which is rather nicely illustrated on the front of the programme. The thought behind this, when we first began to plan the event in 2010, was that a healthy root system is essential for a plant and also for a profession. No matter how the context for our practice is ‘pruned’ or indeed cut back rather hard, it is the health of the roots, ethics and values of our profession that will ensure that we continue to grow. A quotation from Theodore Roethke ‘Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light’ is used to capture this concept and I certainly can’t think of a better way to say it!

Take a look at the conference brochure via the following link and perhaps I’ll see you there.

Anne Chant

http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/education/career-and-personal-development/events/Conference2011.aspx