Terms of Reference for DepEd Career Advocates

TeacherPH disseminates the Guidelines on the Utilization of Senior High School Career Guidance Program Modules and Reporting System. For details, refer to the attached DepEd Memorandum OUA No. 09-0719-0236, s. 2019 dated July 1, 2019.

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CAREER ADVOCATES

I. Policy Context

1. Education Act of 1982 stipulates that “students and pupils in all schools shall enjoy … the right to school guidance and counseling services for decisions and selecting the alternatives in fields of work suited to his potentialities” (Section 9.3). The exercise of this right is supported by the Department of Education (DepEd) through its various guidance and counseling policies and programs.

2. The Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004 (Republic Act [RA] No. 9258) professionalized the practice of guidance and counseling. The law provides that the profession “involves the use of an integrated approach to the development of a well-functioning individual primarily by helping him/her to utilize his/her potentials to the fullest and plan his/her future in accordance with his/her abilities, interests and needs. It includes functions such as counseling subjects, particularly subjects given in the licensure examinations, and other human development services” (Section 3-a).

3. In 2013, major educational reforms were introduced through the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (RA 10533). One of the salient features of the K to 12 Basic Education Program is the introduction of Career Guidance. The law stipulates that “(t]o properly guide the students in choosing the career tracks that they intend to pursue, the DepEd, in coordination with the DOLE, the TESDA and the CHED, shall regularly conduct career advocacy activities for secondary level students” (Section 9). Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 27 of RA 9258, the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 10533 specifies that “career advocates shall be allowed to conduct career advocacy activities for secondarylevel students of the schools where they are currently employed; provided, that they undergo appropriate capacity building programs developed and implemented by the DepEd, in coordination with the DOLE, TESDA, CHED, PRC, NYC, student organizations, industry associations, guidance and counseling associations, professional associations, and other relevant stakeholders” (Section 19).

4. The IRR of RA 10533 defines Career Advocates as “career and employment guidance counselors who are not registered and licensed guidance counselors. Career advocates include homeroom advisers and teachers of all learning areas who will implement career advocacy activities” (Section 19); while Career Advocacy Activities refer to “activities that will guide secondary level students in choosing the career tracks that they intend to pursue” and these involve “provision of career information and experiences, advising, coordinating and making referrals, and may include, but are not limited to, career talks, career and job fairs, parents’ orientations, and seminar-workshops on career decisionmaking” (Section 18).

5. DepEd’s Career Guidance Program (CGP) is bolstered by the enactment of RA 11206 or the Secondary School Career Guidance and Counseling Act, which seeks to “institutionalize career guidance and counseling program for students in all public and private secondary schools nationwide” and “equip secondary education students with the capability to make educated career decisions and expose them to relevant labor markets” (Section 3).

II. Roles and Responsibilities of DepEd Career Advocates

6. The IRR of RA 10533 (Section 20-g) mandates DepEd to designate Career Advocates at the school level. To guide the implementation of the Career Guidance Program (CGP) and ensure the smooth coordination of the program across governance levels, the roles and responsibilities of Career Advocates are defined as follows:

a) Assist the Guidance Counselor in planning and implementing the CGP, which includes the following:

• • Career orientation
  • Career assessment/evaluation of learners
  • Research
  • Training activities

b) Coordinate with and support the Guidance Counselor in the delivery of career guidance advocacy activities for all learners, which includes the following:

• • Utilization of Career Guidance Modules for Senior High School (SHS)
  • Career Coaching among SHS students
  • Orientation for Grade 10 learners on SHS tracks/strands and exits
  • National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) testing orientation for Grade 9 learners
  • NCAE results discussion and referral as needed
  • Dissemination and distribution of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials

c) Assist the Guidance Counselor in providing up-to-date labor market information, job and business opportunities, and scholarships in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Public Employment Service Office (PESO), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), industries, and other stakeholders

d) Support the organization of conferences for parents and/or learners, together with the Guidance Counselor, which includes but not limited to communicating NCAE results, helping parents exercise their role in the career development of their children and appreciate the importance of life skills in career choice decisions

e) Support the Guidance Counselor in the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the CGP.

III. Qualifications and Attributes of DepEd Career Advocates

7. The Career Advocate-designate should be a regular-permanent DepEd employee with the following basic qualifications and attributes:

a) with basic orientation and professional training on the Career Guidance Program (CGP) provided by DepEd and/or other government agencies that support the program such as DOLE and CHED

b) preferably previously designated as guidance teacher, with experience in handling career advocacy-related activities

c) flexible and can get along well with adolescents

d) with awareness of relevant industry trends

e) manifest good interpersonal/soft skills

f) has good oral and written communication skills

g) has basic skills in career coaching, coordination, and program development implementation, and evaluation

h) preferably with previous experience in advocacy and/or volunteer activities

IV. Selection of DepEd Career Advocates

8. School personnel considered for designation, as career advocates shall be assessed based on the above-mentioned basic qualifications and attributes. Following a judicious selection process, the School Head then designates the career advocate.

9. The Schools Division Office (SDO) may set its own procedures for designating career advocates provided that the provisions of this Terms of Reference are observed.

V. Governance Structure

10. The Bureau of Learner Support Services – Youth Formation Division (BLSS-YFD) serves as the national focal unit in the planning, coordination, and implementation of the Career Guidance Program (CGP).

11. At the regional level, the Career Guidance Program is coordinated by the Education Support Services Division (ESSD) (Regional Youth Formation Coordinator [YFC], which works closely with the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD).

At the division level, the School Governance and Operations Division (SGOD) (Division YFC) serves as the focal unit and works closely with the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID).

12. The SGOD (Division YFC), working closely and collaboratively with the CID, coordinates with and provides technical assistance to the Career Advocates thru the School Head in the implementation of the CGP.

VI. Career Advocacy Coordination with Different Government Agencies

13. The Career Advocates shall assist the Guidance Counselors in coordinating with the different government agencies in the implementation of the Career Guidance Program (CGP) guided by the following objectives:

a) coordinate with core partner agencies (DOLE, TESDA, CHED, PRC, DOST) to address job-skills mismatch and equip the learners with life skills and values;

b) establish linkages and engage with external partners and stakeholders (government agencies [GAs], non-govemment organizations [NGOs] and local government units [LGUs]) in providing information on career pathways for students and organizations, as well as in supporting learners in transition to senior high school education, entrepreneurship, middle level skills development and employment; and

c) Facilitate the conduct of career advocacy activities, but not limited to massive campaign on career orientation and exploration.

14. The Department of Education is a member-agency of the Career Guidance Advocacy Program – Working Group (CGAP-WG) established in 2012 under the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster of the Office of the President. The Network of Guidance Counselors and Career Advocates (NGCCA) and Federation of Career Guidance Advocates Network of the Philippines (FCGNAP) are involved in this convergence.

15. The CGAP-WG involves the participation of the following core stakeholders with their corresponding functions:

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

• Strengthen the capacity of the Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) to deliver career guidance and employment coaching (CGEC) to its clients
• Develop and disseminate Labor Market Information (LMI) publications (e.g., career information pamphlets, industry career guides, etc.)
• Maximize utilization and promotion of PhilJobNet in career guidance activities

Commission on Higher Education (CHED)

• Promote the Guidance Counseling profession, including other courses that are in-demand and market-responsive, through the mainstream and other forms of media
• Conduct Career Blitz (massive information dissemination campaign / caravan)
• Promote CHED scholarship programs in priority courses

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)

• Promote the advantages of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and its various training programs
• Develop qualification standards for career advocates in obtaining a National Certification (NC)
• Conduct advocacy on Training for Apprenticeship Program
• Establish Career Nooks in all technical vocational institutions (TVIs) and other operating units

Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)

• Implement a communication plan on up-to-date and accurate information on over-supplied and under-supplied professions
• Undertake Assessment of Professions for Competitiveness including supply and demand of each profession
• Coordinate the professional regulatory boards (PRBs) in providing speakers on the current regulatory professions on the conduct of CGEC activities to aid students and jobseekers make an informed career choice
• Monitor the implementation of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Department of Science and Technology (DOST)

• Conduct activities in line with the advocacy campaign
• Implement scholarship programs in priority science and technology (S&T) courses
• Support the establishment of LMI corner with Job Search Kiosks provided by the DOLE

Other Partner and Resource Organizations

• Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs’)
• Local government units (LGUs)
• Business and industry partners
• Alumni
• Mass Media Entities
• Professional Organizations
• Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
• National Youth Commission (NYC)