Adult guidance worker : Career development

Adult guidance workers often progress from other roles, such as careers adviser, personal adviser, or adult or community education worker, into a specialist adult guidance role.

Career development may be horizontal, for example providing the opportunity to develop research skills by undertaking a project on the needs of a particular group. Sometimes career moves are forced by changes in funding and contract requirements.

There is some scope for promotion to team leader roles. Team leaders support their colleagues with their training and development and in some cases undertake formal supervision.

Various management roles exist, although these may offer less opportunity for client contact.

Responsibilities may include:

• managing a team;
• managing specific projects;
• bid writing;
• staff training and development;
• overseeing contract delivery and quality;
• budget responsibility.

Opportunities are also available in related areas, such as careers consultancy within private firms, higher education careers advice or training.