National Lifelong Career Development Strategies: Parting Reflections

2026-09-15T13:43:43+03:00

During his long and distinguished career, Prof Watts has lectured in over sixty countries, and has carried out a number of comparative studies of guidance systems around the world, as well as acting as consultant to several transnational action projects.

In this final webinar before his impending retirement, Prof Watts reflected his work and outlined the evolution of the concept of lifelong career development (or lifelong guidance) systems, strategies and policies, in Europe and elsewhere. He also described current efforts to establish such systems in two pivotally important non-Western countries: South Africa and Saudi Arabia. At the end, he discussed the complexities of such efforts, the possible models they can adopt, and the importance of international sharing and reflection.

Following Prof Watt’s presentation two internationally-recognized career guidance leaders - Lynne Bezanson (Canada), John McCarthy (ICCDPP) - were responding, focusing on:

What should we prioritize in a future lifelong guidance policy agenda?
Is there a need for greater international co-ordination in this area?

Webinar: Professor Tony Watts

National Lifelong Career Development Strategies: Parting Reflections