The Systems Theory Framework of career development: News of difference and a journey towards acceptance

Abstract

This 30th-year anniversary edition of the Australian Journal of Career Development (AJCD) represents a milestone for the Systems Theory Framework (STF) of career development, the genesis of which was published in the 1992 first edition. Beginning as a contextual model of adolescent career decision-making, subsequent research and refinement resulted in the first publication of the STF in 1995 in the AJCD. At a time when constructivist and social constructionist ideas were only just beginning to influence career development, the STF introduced news of difference to the field. In subsequent decades, the STF has consolidated its place as an important theoretical contribution to career development as attested by the fourth edition of its seminal textbook. The STF's history is marked by a continual integration of theory, research, and practice. This article briefly overviews the STF, its applications and contributions, and offers suggestions for its future directions.