From the day a child is born, parents have expectations of what their child will turn out to be in life. After the customary celebrations, most fathers and mothers dream about my son the football player, my son the dentist, my daughter the medical practitioner, my daughter the next Bates or my son the politician!

Perhaps with the years in which the child develops and matures the dreams fade a little, but it is probably an integral part of human nature that, as parents, the dream is at the back of any thinking about the child's future. Insurance policies are taken out to further the dream that has been created, money is put aside for future education, thought is given to the choice of school and even sometimes, potential colleges.

The question of what 'my' child is going to do in life becomes even more critical as secondary education creeps onto the scene. There are many questions that come to mind at this stage:

• Should parents try to influence their children?
• Do we as parents know enough about the variety of occupations that are available, and our children's capacities and interests?
• Do we tend to be biased about our children's ability?
• Do we over or underestimate these abilities?
• Should our children follow in our footsteps?

Cassel Research Centre's Vocational Interest Inventory (VII) software program is a career interest package, designed for individuals and professionals.

Earlier vocational tests (administered in Australia) were not originally standardised with statistical validations. In the fifties and sixties, vocational assessments like the Rothwell Millar and Kuder were somehow restricted, to psychologists. There are still no other published statistical validation studies for locally constructed tests apart from VII (Vocational Interest Inventory).

Computerised biofeedback innovations, through the refined computerised polygraph, now compare 'conscious and unconscious career interest assessments'.

The VII (Vocational Interest Inventory) was constructed as a left brain cognitive career interest inventory for comparison with right brain 'non-verbal' career interest assessment critiqued by Budzynski, Cassel and Meyer. Used by over 500 schools, Government Agencies and Colleges since 1987, individualised vocational assessment reports explained and elucidated the concept of biofeedback 'cognitive dissonance', originally professed by Festinger and later by Cassel.

VII is a stand alone vocational guidance instrument provided with US, AUS, NZ and UK versions. VII is a companion test for the Computerised Biofeedback Life Mission Test, constructed to assess the same 14 career areas.

There are many sub conscious variables in career interest. Where the conscious and sub-conscious interests are aligned we may confidently say we are looking towards a 'vocation' which may be the individual's Life Mission.

The Life Mission Test is the first standardised computerised biofeedback careers interest assessment. The system will be demonstrated in a workshop at a Conference in Key West, Florida in February, 1996.

Administered in 20 minutes for 280 multiple choice items, the VII assessment offers raw scores and T score conversion. Results are standardised for 'Student'/'Adult', 'General', 'Male'/'Female' norms. Normative, graphic and narrative data including cluster analysis is given in a three to five page individualised report. Additionally, the manual provides 14 descriptive key sheets for photocopying/printout. These are uploaded for inclusion in reports as well as airmailed to counsellors for the career categories of:

* Machine and Mechanical.
* Scientific Assessment.
* Education and Social Science.
* Medical and Health Service.
* Clerical and Business.
* Management and Supervision.
* Agriculture and Life Science.
* Performing Arts and Aesthetics.
* Crafts and Trades.
* Law Enforcement and Military.
* Marketing and Sales.
* Labor and Elementary Work.
* Engineering and Physical Science.
* Hospitality and Transport.

Statistical validations and publications together with a list of current software users and reviews will be E-mailed on request. Counsellor and Teacher handbooks are forwarded by airmail.