Prof. Ans De Vos
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Affiliation: Full Professor at Antwerp Management School, where she holds the Chair on Sustainable Careers.
Title: Enhancing the sustainability of careers in disruptive times. |
Abstract:
Careers cannot be understood independently from the context in which they unfold. This context is becoming increasingly unpredictable, causing disruptions in many people’s careers. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the careers of billions of people in a variety of ways. Whilst some are working harder than ever before, others are faced with job loss or have seen their business go bankrupt. More recently the geo-political situation and energy crisis are affecting the live and work of many. This puts to the test the resilience of workers when adjusting to global insecurity, changing ways of working, increased digitization, or (temporary) unemployment. In these uncertain times, it has become even more clear that careers cannot be seen as a linear sequence of predictable work experiences one has full control over, and that individuals cannot just rely on others to take care of their career security. At the same time, it provokes questions regarding the role of different stakeholders involved. What determines the sustainability of a career and how can sustainable careers be developed? How can a context be created in which all workers are motivated, capable and supported to take ownership over their career in order to preserve their employability, (mental) health and satisfaction over time? What’s the role of employers, policy makers and labor market intermediaries? In this talk, I will elaborate on the urgent need to make careers more sustainable and why this requires a stronger connection between research and practice. The future of careers is created now!
Biography:
Prof. dr. Ans De Vos is Full Professor at Antwerp Management School, where she holds the Chair on Sustainable Careers. She is also Professor at the University of Antwerp. Her research focuses on careers from an individual and organizational perspective, with special interest in the topics of sustainable careers and employability. She has published in academic journals including Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Annals, and Journal of Vocational Behavior. She serves on the board of several academic journals. She actively stives to translate her research into practice, through her work with organizations, her role as an expert advising the Flemish government on labor market policies, and is chair of the Flemish Partnership of Lifelong Learning.
