Among the many life transitions that individuals must master throughout their lives, the transition to adulthood ranks very high in terms of importance, complexity and uniqueness. It involves the completion of education, and the assumption of new social roles and responsibilities, at a time when previous institutional structures that guided…

This document consists of the fifth, sixth, and seventh sections of a book of readings on issues related to adult career development. The two chapters in the fifth section deal with training programs for adult career counselors. "The New Career Development Professional: A Training Model" (Florence Lewis and Janice Chiappone) examines changes that…

This model framework consists of client-centered strategies that can help the mid-career changer explore options. The framework presented in this document integrates theoretical and practical applications and can be adapted for use by a variety of campuses to meet the needs of the campus' adult population through individual or group counseling.…

Changing careers during adulthood has been recognized only recently as a natural part of the development of adult life. A study estimated that 36 percent of all Americans are in some stage of the career transition process. Career changes are becoming increasingly common for women, for workers whose skills have become obsolete, for individuals…

The purpose of this paper is to review and synthesize the literature on adult development and to suggest how this information can be applied to the practice of adult education. The first section discusses the nature of adult development, its definition, and key concepts. Sequential patterns of change in adulthood are examined in section 2,…

This guide for counselors describes the Critical Events Interview (CEI), a new counseling technique designed to be used with women in transition. The concept of critical events and their influence on adult development is described and the history and current status of the CEI are reviewed, along with current results of CEI evaluations and…

Ascertains what 59 male and 40 female Alberta teachers (average age 50) think about career changes, early and partial retirement. Indicates reasons for career change (personal challenge, additional salary, frustration) and lack of interest in partial retirement. Concludes options for career change should be investigated with younger age group.…

The article describes a workshop that can help public school teachers examine their career options and can help them feel less trapped in their jobs and more able to use their skills in different work environments. Useful resources are discussed. (CH)

A superintendent with 20-plus years' teaching experience in the district discusses with a "both sides of the fence" perspective issues of standards, teacher pay, training and compensation for board members, teacher/administrator relationship, and the administrator role. (MLF)

The shortage of qualified secondary school mathematics and science teachers is discussed and a program is described which aims to lessen the severity of this dilemma. The MidCareer Mathematics and Science Program (MCMS) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education demonstrates that quantitatively trained individuals with extensive knowledge of…

To help adults develop an awareness of midlife issues, to encourage personal acceptance of the transition, and to introduce appropriate coping skills, a speech communication course was designed that relied on river trip activities to develop insights about this passage. The vehicle for the seminar was a four-day raft trip down the Green River,…

Intended for employers, human resource staff, and adult educators, this digest addresses the purposes of career development programs in the workplace and describes the components of such programs. In the first section, the term career development is defined and labeled as just one component of organizations' human resource management. Eight…

People who have reached a career plateau may have become demotivated. The career plateau often coincides with the so-called midlife crisis. The midlife and midcareer crisis is a time of reassessment, self-evaluation, and reflection; awareness of aging and of the limitations of the future produces such problems as depression, discouragement and…

This study investigated several aspects of early retirement (prior to age 65) as reported by a selected group of Colorado educators from two large districts, one using the state system and the other its own local system of early retirement. Early retirees from these districts were surveyed by means of a three-part questionnaire: part 1 gathererd…

A special program was initiated in 1985 at George Washington University to encourage persons from other careers to pursue a second career in teaching in the Washington D.C. area. This report describes the variables that had to be and are continuing to be considered in the design of this training effort for mid-career professionals. Factors…