Blueprint
for Life/Work
Designs
www.blueprint4life.ca
1-888-533-5683
1
Career Development Matters
Career development is about growing through life and work; about
learning, experiencing, living, working and changing; about creating
and discovering pathways through one’s life and work. When
intentional, career development is about actively creating the life one
wants to live and the work one wants to do.
The Blueprint for Life/Work Designs will help make career development
intentional for more people.
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The Meaning of “WORK”
“Work is undeniably one of the most essential of all human
activities. For a start, it is the basis of economic survival of
individuals… and society. Beyond this, an individual’s job
structures much of her or his time and, one hopes, provides
a source of personal fulfillment. An occupation also shapes
one’s identity and, in the eyes of others, largely determines
an individual’s status or position in society”
Work, Industry, and Canadian Society, Krahn & Lowe. 1996
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Most of Canada’s youth are likely to experience:
•
•
•
•
•
•
a succession of up to 25 different jobs
in a variety of occupations
in up to 5 different sectors of the economy
a variety of concurrent work roles (multi-tasking)
planned and unplanned gaps of “no work”
they will need to manage numerous transitions between
work and learning
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Resource Benefits for using the
Blueprint
• Canada is shifting to a new and better paradigm for Career
Development (Life/Work) that will address the current
needs for the world of work.
• Learning to design one’s Life/Work more intentionally has
the potential to save billions of dollars in both the private
and public sectors.
The Question…
Can we afford to keep going along the way we are when
we look at the current “transition around work” statistics ?
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Loss of Productivity
Reduction in International Competitiveness
• 64% of workers say they would start over again if they
could
• over 50% of workers admitted they ended up in their
current jobs through chance or the advice of others
• Canada’s second quarter GDP in 2002 was $1,138.2 billion
• a 1% increase in productivity would result in $11 billion +
in goods and services
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, Consolidated federal, provincial, territorial, and local government revenue and expenditure, August 2002
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Education Funding
• $64.1 billion was invested by all levels of Government on
primary, secondary and post-secondary education
• almost 50% of post-secondary students drop out or change
programs at the end of their first year
• almost 25% of secondary level students drop out of school
prior to certified completion nationally
* Poor recognition for school relevancy is the most
commonly cited reason for “at risk” youth
• a 1% savings in increased efficiency equates to $640 million
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, Consolidated federal, provincial, territorial, and local government revenue and expenditure, August 2002
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Health Care Funding
• over $76.9 billion invested by all levels of Government
• consider the impact of physical and emotional health (lost
work days/stress) on citizens and families spending 1/2
their conscious in work environments they dislike
• if 1 out of every 100 people availing themselves to health
care for potential stress related illness were happier and
healthier in their work…
• $769 million annually could be saved
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, Consolidated federal, provincial, territorial, and local government revenue and expenditure, August 2002
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Social Services
• $113 billion invested by all levels of Government.
• inability to locate and maintain suitable and fulfilling
learning and work opportunities is a major contributing
factor for recipients.
• a 1% saving on investment equates to $1.13 billion
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, Consolidated federal, provincial, territorial, and local government revenue and expenditure, August 2002
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Protection, Prisons and Corrections
• over $15 billion invested by all levels of Government
• a contributing factor of many individuals running afoul of
the law is the inability to connect with life and work roles
that appeal to them
• a 1% reduction in expenditures equates to $150 million
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, Consolidated federal, provincial, territorial, and local government revenue and expenditure, August 2002
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Training Investment Losses
• on average, it costs approximately $25,000 to train
someone to full productivity in a job
• thus, the average cost of 40 people changing jobs can
directly and indirectly impact employers up to
$1,000,000.00
• annually, more than 4000 people change jobs, after 1 year
or less in any moderate sized Canadian city
• direct and indirect costs could conservatively add up to
more than $100 million nationally.
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, Consolidated federal, provincial, territorial, and local government revenue and expenditure, August 2002
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Employment Insurance
• Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) paid a
total of $9.5 billion in the year ending March 31,2001 to
about 650,000 EI Income Benefits Program recipients
(who received an average of 18.5 weeks of payments)
• if Canadians were more self reliant and effective at
managing their own work and learning opportunities in
transition to and from work and learning, EI payments
would decrease.
• a 1% improvement would equate to $95 million in saving.
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, Consolidated federal, provincial, territorial, and local government revenue and expenditure, August 2002
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Lost Government Revenues
• over $432 billion was collected by all levels of
Government in the past year in revenues from income tax,
property taxes, consumption taxes, health premiums, social
insurance contributions, etc.
• if Canadians were more self reliant and effective at
managing their own work and learning opportunities in
transition to and from work and learning, all levels of
government could anticipate increased revenues.
• a 1% improvement has the potential to generate $4.3
billion to government revenues.
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, Consolidated federal, provincial, territorial, and local government revenue and expenditure, August 2002
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Costs of Career Indecisiveness
– These figures suggest the
magnitude of potential gains
(assuming 1% in improvement) if
Canadians were more self-reliant
and better able to manage their
work and learning opportunities
(careers). While more difficult to
quantify, non-monetary issues
(such as reduced self-esteem,
family breakdown, substance
abuse, etc.), represent even greater
costs to Canadian society.
Cos ts of Career Indecis iveness
Lost Productivity
Education Funding
Health Funding
Social Services
Protection, Prisons and Corrections
Training Investm ent Losses
Employment Insurance
Lost Government Revenues
TOTAL
Potential
Gains (at 1%)
$11.0 Billion
$ .64 Billion
$ .77 Billion
$ 1.5 Billion
$ .15 Billion
$ .01 Billion
$ .01 Billion
$ 4.3 Billion
$18.38 Billion
Annually
Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, Consolidated federal, provincial, territorial, and local government revenue and expenditure, August 2002
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The Blueprint for Life/Work Designs:
*
Maps out the lif e/work competencies Canadians need to
proactively manage their career building process, from kindergarten to
adulthood;
*
Provides admini strators and practitioners with a
systematic process of developing, implementing, evaluating and
marketing career development programs or redesigning and enhancing
existing programs;
*
Enables researchers and practitioners to determine the
extent to which clie nts/students have acquired competencie s
*
Enables career resource developers to design products,
programs and services to address specific competencies and users
to identify competency “Blueprint Coded” resources
Most importantly:
*
Provides a common language across Canada for the
outcomes of career develo pment initiative s
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Overview of the Blueprint Framework
3 Areas of the Blueprint:
A. Personal Management
B. Learning and Work Exploration
C. Life / Work Building
*
A total of
11 Competencies fall under the 3 areas
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The Big Picture
Competencies by Area and Level
COMPETENCIES
AREA A:
1. BUILD AND MAINTAIN A
POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE
2. INTERACT POSITIVELY AND
EFFECTIVELY WITH OTHERS
3. CHANGE AND GROW
THROUGHOUT ONE’S LIFE
AREA B:
4. PARTICIPATE IN LIFE-LONG
LEARNING SUPPORTIVE OF
LIFE/WORK GOALS
5. LOCATE AND EFFECTIVELY
USE LIFE/WORK INFORMATION
6. UNDERSTAND THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
WORK AND SOCIETY/
ECONOMY
AREA C:
7. SECURE/CREATE AND
MAINTAIN WORK
8. MAKE LIFE/WORK ENHANCING
DECISIONS
9. MAINTAIN BALANCED LIFE AND
WORK ROLES
10. UNDERSTAND THE CHANGING
NATURE OF LIFE/WORK ROLES
11. UNDERSTAND, ENGAGE IN
AND MANAGE ONE’S OWN
LIFE/WORK BUILDING
PROCESS
LEVEL I
LEVEL II
LEVEL III
LEVEL IV
PERSONAL MANAGEMENT
1.1 Build a positive self-image
while discovering its influence
on self and others.
1.2 Build a positive self-image
and understand its influence
on one’s life and work.
1.3 Develop abilities to maintain a 1.4 Improve on abilities to
positive self-image.
maintain a positive selfimage.
2.1 Develop abilities for building
positive relationships in one’s
life (I).
2.2 Develop abilities for building
positive relationships in one’s
life (II).
2.3 Develop abilities for building
positive relationships in one’s
life and work.
2.4 Improve abilities for building
positive relationships in one’s
life and work.
3.1 Discover that change and
growth are part of life.
3.2 Learn to respond to change
and growth (I).
3.3 Learn to respond to change
and growth (II).
3.4 Develop strategies for
responding to life and work
changes.
LEARNING AND WORK EXPLORATION
4.1 Discover “lifelong learning”
and its contributions to one’s
life and work.
4.2 Link life-long learning to one’s
life/work scenario, both
present and future.
4.3 Link life-long learning to one’s
career building process.
4.4 Participate in continuous
learning supportive of
life/work goals.
5.1 Discover and understand
life/work information.
5.2 Locate, understand and use
life/work information.
5.3 Locate, interpret, evaluate
and use life/work information
(I).
5.4 Locate, interpret, evaluate
and use life/work information
(II).
6.1 Discover how work
contributes to individuals and
the community.
6.2 Understand how work
contributes to the community.
6.3 Understand how societal and
economic needs influence the
nature and structure of work
(I).
6.4 Understand how societal and
economic needs influence the
nature and structure of work
(II).
7.1 Explore effective work
strategies.
7.2 Develop abilities to seek and
obtain/create work.
7.3 Develop abilities to seek,
obtain/create and maintain
work.
7.4 Improve on abilities to seek,
obtain/create and maintain
work.
8.1 Explore and improve decision
making.
8.2 Link decision making to
life/work building.
8.3 Engage in life/work decision
making.
8.4 Incorporate adult life reality into
life/work decision making.
9.1 Explore and understand the
interrelationship of life roles
(I).
9.2 Explore and understand the
interrelationship of life roles
(II).
9.3 Link lifestyles and life stages
to life/work building.
9.4 Incorporate the “balanced
life/work“ issue in life/work
building.
10.1 Discover the nature of
life/work roles.
10.2 Explore non-traditional
life/work scenarios.
10.3 Understand and learn to
overcome stereotypes in
life/work building (I).
10.4 Understand and learn to
overcome stereotypes in
life/work building (II).
11.1 Explore the underlying
concepts of the life/work
building process.
11.2 Understand and experience
the process of life/work
building.
11.3 Recognize and take charge of 11.4 Manage one’s life/work
one’s life/work building
building process.
process.
LIFE/WORK BUILDING
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4-Stage
Learning Process Taxonomy
(at each of the four levels)
Acquisition
Application
Personalization
Actualization
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Stage I: Acquisition
• Student acquires knowledge and understands the
knowledge acquired. This stage presents the
student with the information that may later serve
as the basis for behaviour, learning integration,
and self-actualization.
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Stage II: Application
• Student demonstrates acquisition by putting into
action knowledge acquired. Moving from the
dimension of know-ing into the dimension of
know-how characterizes this stage.
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Stage III: Personalization
• Student integrates acquired and applied
knowledge and re-examines and evaluates that
knowledge. At this stage, student will either make
the learning his/her own or reject it. Skill becomes
part of who he/she is.
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Stage IV: Actualization
• At this stage, the student/graduate is approaching
full potential. Transforming, inventing,
conceptualizing and creating occur at this stage.
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Résumé Writing
• Acquisition 
• Application 
• Personalization 
• Actualization 
• Learning different résumé
styles
• Writing a résumé following
a specific model
• Changing résumé to reflect
new position
• Guiding others in writing
résumés
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Competency 8:
Level 1: Explore and improve decision making.
Stage I
8.1.1
8.1.2
8.1.3
8.1.4
8.1.5
8.1.6
8.1.7
ACQUISITION
Understand how choices are made.
Explore what can be learned from experiences.
Explore what might interfere with attaining goals.
Explore strategies used in solving problems.
Explore alternatives in decision-making situations.
Understand how personal beliefs and attitudes
influence decision making.
Understand how decisions affect self and others.
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Competency 8:
Level 1: Explore and improve decision making.
Stage I
ACQUISITION (8.1.1-7)
Stage II
APPLICATION
8.1.8
Assess what might interfere with attaining
one’s goals.
8.1.9 Apply problem-solving strategies.
8.1.10 Make decisions and take responsibility for
them.
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Competency 8:
Level 1: Explore and improve decision making.
Stage I
ACQUISITION (8.1.1-7)
Stage II
APPLICATION (8.1.8-10)
Stage III
PERSONALIZATION
8.1.11 Examine one’s problem-solving strategies and
evaluate their impact on the attainment of one’s
goals.
8.1.12 Evaluate the impact of personal decisions on self
and on others.
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Competency 8:
Level 1: Explore and improve decision making.
Stage I
ACQUISITION (8.1.1-7)
Stage II
APPLICATION
Stage III
PERSONALIZATION (8.1.11-12)
Stage IV
ACTUALIZATION
(8.1.8-10)
8.1.13 Engage in a responsible decision-making
process.
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Measurable Standards
Competency 8:
Explore and improve decision making.
Level III: Engage in life/work decision making.
8.3.8
Explore how being positive about the future
and its uncertainties may lead to creative and
interesting possibilities/alternatives.
Possible standard for grade ten students:
Students will be able to explain HB Gelatt’s 4
“rules of the road never taken” and describe a
personal metaphor for their own life/work journey
(river, sea, roller coaster, dice, etc.).
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Objectives of the Blueprint:
• To help individuals and organizations understand that
career development is about growing through life and
work. When intentional, career development is about
actively creating the life one wants to live and the work
one wants to do.
• Describe the career development competencies and
indicators needed by Canadians in various stages of their
lives to help individuals plan their Life/Work more
intentionally.
• To help organizations promote and measure personal
growth.
• Provide a common career development language across
Canada.
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What is the Planning Process for the
Blueprint for Life/Work Designs?
The Blueprint is a national competency framework
designed to help individuals better manage their lives
and work.
By suggesting a comprehensive Planning Process,
the Blueprint also aims to help practitioners and
organizations assess, develop and design programs,
services and products that will help Canadians
develop those competencies in the various settings in
which career development interventions occur.
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Blueprint Planning Process
Planning Programs and Services
Step 1
Strategizing
Marketing and
Obtaining Support
Step 2
Strategizing
Programs and Services
Improvements
Revisiting
One’s Mandate
Floating Step I
Step 4
Assuring
Organizational
Readiness
Floating Step II
Assessing
Clients’ Needs
Step 3
Assessing
Programs and Services
* Adapted by Lorraine Haché of OPTIMUM Human Resources and taken from
Choosing Interventions: The Process (1998) of the Canadian Career Development Foundation.
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The Question…?
The question… Can we afford not to commit human and financial
resources to develop a comprehensive Career Development
culture ?
WE need a concerted effort to:
• recognize that human resources are our single greatest resource,
• to increase our understanding of career development and it’s
potential,
• use human resource research, tools and interventions more
effectively,
• and to adopt a process for promoting, developing and tracking the
benefits of a career development culture for Canadians.
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The Question…?
…continued
The question… Can we afford not to commit human and financial
resources to develop a comprehensive Career Development culture
• We need programs and resources based upon:
– clear measurable outcomes,
– accountability to the individuals, parents, businesses,
organizations and the governments who benefit by fund
them.
• WE need to recognize that:
Career Development = Human Resource Development and
better Economic Development
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Blueprint
for Life/Work
Designs
www.blueprint4life.ca
1-888-533-5683
34