Occupational information is information about job opportunities.

It includes
information about educational and training facilities, professional institutions,
jobs and industrial occupational patterns, newly emerging occupations,
employment trends, information relating to the apprenticeship and on the job
training, the scholarship and the stipends given and the employment
opportunities. Occupational information is a long continues process, which
begins in the school. It is needed throughout the working life of the
individual. However, a big concern may have vocational counselors i.e. a
guidance officer, especially in a learning institution whose duty is enlighten
the learners on how to select an occupation. Therefore, this academic essay
will endeavor how occupational information in guidance is disseminated
using different methods.

According to Shartle (1952:1-2) defines occupational information as the

accurate and usable information about jobs and occupations. It includes
facts concerning the importance of an occupation, entrance requirements,
for promotion, health and accident hazards compensation and other working
conditions that are usually found in specific occupations or related group of
occupations. Every pupil requires advice as to what kind of work will be most
suitable for him/her keeping in view his/her abilities and aptitudes. When
such an advice is given, it is known as vocational guidance. Therefore,
occupational information assists the pupils to make a realistic vocational
selection.

In addition to the above, Occupational information is, of course, the principal

tool in exploring with an individual the jobs, occupations, families of
occupations, industries, and relative opportunities that may be ahead for him
if he makes certain vocational choices.

There are so many occupations as there are so many individuals and

certainly all individuals are not suitable for all the occupations. With a view to
organize an effective guidance programme, occupational information should
be disseminated from the early stages. Also in terms of educational
programmes, for them to be geared up to the actual requirements found in
jobs, schools and colleges should take upon themselves the responsibility of
disseminating occupational information. In addition, career information
should also be for the general public, i.e. adding their general education
disseminate it in such a way to the pupils that they are able to know what is
good and what is bad for them.

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Therefore, there are many different methods used to disseminate
occupational information in guidance to learners. These may include the
following;

One of the methods used in disseminating occupational information is

through carrier talks. For providing information about different occupations or
vocations, career talks can be arranged and experts are invited to deliver
talks on certain important group of occupations or vocations. For this, career
days also are organized. This can be given by the principal in the college and
by the head teacher in a school. Then teachers join now in the career talk.
The counselor if present should also do it. All the more, the learners or
students can be asked to speak on various occupations. Each pupil can
speak on the job of his choice in life. In addition, the parents also could speak
to the pupils about their jobs (Kochhar, 1987).

According to Hiebert et al (1988) mass media is another useful method used

to disseminate occupational information. Occupational information can be
widely imparted in pupils through different agents of mass media such as
radio, Television programmes, press, newspapers, journals, magazines etc.
He further stated that, the advantages and disadvantages of each form of
mass communication provide guidance for selecting the best medium to fit
the intended audience and the dissemination purpose. All these agents of
mass media due to their flexibility and adaptability wake us up, inform us,
and entertain us.

Hiebert et al (1988:173) stipulates that, radio has become more

individualized and personalized. Talk show hosts communicate directly to
each listener and caller. No longer is radio, the medium that unites family
members at night. Therefore, mass media can help acculturate or polarize its
audience. It is for this reason that, it speeds up the process of acculturation
by making available to diverse audiences the opportunities for simultaneous
exposure to a given event, movie, story, or kind of information.

Thirdly, publication and advertisement method is one of the methods that

have been found to be the most effective of providing in information to
needy pupils. Information regarding various occupations can be sought from
various publications such as the brochures, the books are printed, especially
employment news. These are meant for the general masses. Of course in
schools there are the pupils. They could also have the benefit of all kinds of
these publications. Besides occupational information can be published in

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different magazines, journals, periodicals, bulletins, directories etc. Also
advertisements play a vital role in it.

Fourthly, Agarwal (1987) stipulates that, the responsibility of dissemination

of the job information to pupils in schools lies with the career masters. It is
for this reason that, they are the centres of guidance for job information.
They are held responsible to tell pupils what they know about the job market.
Of course pupils need to know a lot of it. Therefore, career masters can
speak to them. Thus, they deliver talks on job information. However, they
have to find ways; they can be effective in doing what is expected from in
the schools.

Career visit or trips is another method that is used to disseminate

occupational information. Kochhar (1987) asserts that, the effective method
of occupational information is to go on trips especially, visiting places of
industrial importance. By visiting such places the pupils can get the
knowledge regarding various aspects of those industries and guidance. In
addition, visiting places of work, plants, factories, and business established.
It provides the pupils direct experience with certain occupations they can be
taken on educational tour or visits of some important industrial plants and
business establishments.

Furthermore, occupational information can be disseminated through displays

and exhibitions. Information collected from different sources is to be
classified and made available to pupils. This includes; charts, posters,
leaflets, newspaper cuttings can be displayed on bulletin boards. Besides
booklets, leaflets, books, journals, directories and other printed materials
may be exhibited on display racks. These materials can be placed in a
separate library or in a corner of the school library and the pupils can handle
them in their leisure hours. It must be noted that the display materials are
carefully selected and attractively arranged (Hiebert et al, 1988).

Consequently, Hiebert et al, (1988:92) added that, unlike newspaper with

daily deadlines, magazines have time to look more closely at issues for
analysis and interpretation. They can follow the flow of events over time
through a series on a given topic in subsequent editions of magazines.

Furthermore, a library can be used as a method in disseminating

occupational information. Libraries can do a lot in disseminating or
propagating occupational information to pupils. It can display books,
booklets, journal and other literature relating to occupational information and
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pupils can go through it. However, Cleaver (1987:30) asserts that, schools
should have effective libraries with sufficient information for pupils or users.
In his assertion, he emphasizes that such concept as selection, rejection,
evaluation, organization, topic definition, and question definition are
mastered by pupils.

Occupational information can be disseminated or propagated to pupils

through film strips and film shows. A film strip is a series of a particular item.
Film strips are made on different aspects of a particular item and on different
vocations or occupations can be screened. Therefore, Agarwal (1987) stated
that, to be more useful screening of film strips must be accompanied by a
commentary. Film shows on the other hand, it is a substitute for a visit. Film
shows are to be supplemented by a talk and followed by a group discussion.
Measures should be taken to produce a number of educational films which
can disseminate relevant information on different vocations or occupations.
These are the different methods of imparting information about different
vocations or occupations for meeting the vocational or occupational needs
and requirements of different categories of pupils.

From the foregoing discussion it can be deduced that, occupational

information it is information based on job opportunities. It gives accurate and
usable information about jobs and occupations. Therefore, it assists the
pupils at early stage to make a realistic vocational or occupational selection.
After all the process of knowledge acquisition pupils usually join a
professional training institution for the purpose of selecting an occupation.
The selection of an occupation depends on how the information is spread.
However, occupational information is disseminated in many different ways
using different methods of which some are; career conferences, film strips,
mass media, libraries, bulletin board, interview, publications, displays and
exhibitions etc.

REFERENCES

Agarwal, J. C. (1987). Educational Vocational Guidance and

Counseling. Doaba House Publisher.

Cleaver,

Hiebert,

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Kochhar, S. K. (1987). Guidance and Counseling in schools, colleges
and universities. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers.

Shartle, C. L. (1952). Occupational Information, its Development and

Application. New York: Prentice- Hall, Inc.

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