How do we map to the CICA Guiding Principles?
The 2026 Guiding Principles for Career Development Services and Career Information Products gives Australian education providers the opportunity to self-assess how they meet these standards. Here’s how Study Work Grow stacks up.
A new national standard, and a fair question to ask
In March 2026, CICA released the 3rd edition of the Guiding Principles for Career Development Services and Career Information Products to raise the bar on ethics, currency, accessibility, and the responsible use of AI and digital tools.
That puts a fair question in front of every careers advisor and school leader: Do the resources we rely on actually meet it? We asked that question of ourselves as part of this benchmarking review and have provided all of the answers below (in short, yes we do).
We easily meet the standards (because we're here for students)
The Guiding Principles exist to protect the young people on the receiving end of career information. Our report shows that we have built these types of protections into everything we do:
- No ads, no third-party products. Students never see promotional content or sponsored options dressed up as advice.
- Government-sourced data. Labour market and occupational information comes from official bodies such as the ABS, Jobs and Skills Australia, and the ATO.
- A human checks every resource. There are no generative AI chatbots in our materials, and a qualified person has oversight of all student-facing content before it goes live.
- No tracking of personal traits. We do not record a student’s location, gender, age, or race, and none of those inputs decide what a student sees.
We’ve always been about putting student’s safety, aspirations, and needs first, which is why this benchmarking report was straight-forward for us to compile.
Key findings at a glance:
- Purpose is explicit
The intended use of every resource is stated clearly, in line with Principle 1. - Grounded in current theory
Our resources align to the Australian Blueprint for Career Development and the CDI Framework. - Sources are verified and cited
Information is checked at the source, dated, and published with a link back to the original.
- Currency is shown
Guides carry a publication date, are reviewed at least yearly, and updated when things change. - Plain language used throughout
Terms are defined for a general audience, with glossaries where acronyms pile up. - Free of stereotyping
Imagery and language are reviewed to reflect diversity and promote equity across every pathway.
Who is the report for?
This Study Work Grow report on self-assessment of CICA’s Guiding Principles 2026 is designed for professionals such as Careers Advisors, School Counsellors, Educators, School Leaders, and Policy Makers (Education & IT).
It has been completed voluntarily as part of Study Work Grow’s continuing commitment to transparency and best-practice.
Download the report here
The report is free. Simply fill in your details below and we will send it to you via your work/school email address.