Learning for careers
Knowing about the preferences, needs, and wishes of young people is an important precondition to successful career guidance policies and services. The European Training Foundation (ETF) and the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO), in collaboration with young people, conducted polls and held focus groups to understand the needs…, Instead, young respondents painted a picture of a shockingly high level of limited to no access to guidance. Current services are focused on a traditional approach, consisting of interest, personality trait, and aptitude testing, providing information that aims to match learning and job opportunities. However, these services occur at specific…, ‘What I do not know, I cannot like’: Young people are seeking practical experience, Young people participating in polls and focus groups overwhelmingly showed a preference for practical experience, out-of-the classroom opportunities, and skills generated outside the traditional school curriculum. Such experiential learning increases the relevance of academic learning for their lives and their future, enabling them to better…, Traditional methods of career guidance are outpaced by preference for online tools, When asked where they get their information and support when choosing a future profession, more than half of the respondents chose “Internet searches, websites” (56.7 per cent), followed by “Social media, chat rooms/message boards, online tutorials” (38.7 per cent), and “Parents” (32.5 per cent) and “Friends” (32.0 per cent), with limited…, Young people want a profession that matches their skills and interests, Overwhelmingly, young people wish for a profession that matches their skills and interests; however, they are very concerned about skills mismatch and working conditions that do not allow for such alignment. Respondents stressed the importance of life and career management skills to support their emotional development and personal growth; they…, Career aspirations of young people remain limited to traditional careers, In line with other research, respondents showed a limited scope of career aspirations, with traditional careers such as teachers, doctors, or nurses being predominant. This finding is deeply concerning, as it highlights how the current state of career guidance does little to broaden the scope of career aspirations and how it has failed to showcase…, Educational aspirations of young people mirror parental and societal expectations, Over eight-in-ten respondents said that they intend to complete some level of tertiary education (81.9 per cent), showing extremely high expectations that may not necessarily align with either labor market or skill needs. Moreover, a preference for tertiary education tends to ignore the opportunities provided by vocational education and training (…, Many young Ukrainians lack access to career guidance services, Career guidance systems require a special focus on young Ukrainians. There are many young Ukrainians, both in Ukraine (including displaced persons) and abroad, that lack access to guidance services. More active outreach is needed, both face-to-face and online, as well as more holistic online services for self-help and self-learning. Personal…, Learning for Careers What kinds of career guidance and career education services do young people want in Europe and Central Asia? 2024 United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and European Training Foundation (ETF) Front Cover: @UNICEF/Romania/Adrian Ctu Design and Layout: Rec Design Editing: Formato Verde The contents of this report do not…
Europe and Central Asia
