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career guidance

Career guidance

The ETF works with EU neighbouring and Central Asian countries to further develop national career development support systems. This is done through a structured and systematic approach. 

Based on these assessments, the ETF produced three regional reports covering the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, and SEMED countries. 

Why Career Guidance Matters 

Career development support is closely linked to lifelong learning, quality education, economic growth, and social inclusion. These connections underline its importance and justify its prioritisation. 

Lifelong career guidance and counselling, career education, and career development support for workers in both formal and informal contexts act as catalysts for policies that promote: 

  • Economic growth 

  • Social equity 

  • Innovation 

These priorities are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

Lifelong Career Guidance  

Lifelong career guidance refers to services that support individuals of any age, and their families at any point in their lives, in making educational, training, and occupational choices, and in managing their careers. 

Services may include: 

  • Skills assessments 

  • Advice and information 

  • Job search training 

  • Mentoring and counselling 

  • Networking and job placement 

  • Career education 

Guidance can be delivered face-to-face, remotely, or in blended formats.

Career Education 

Career education consists of structured learning activities designed to develop career management skills. It is offered by schools, public employment services, NGOs, social partners, universities, adult learning institutions, and community-based services. 

Activities cover: 

  • Self-learning 

  • Capacity to interpret labour market information 

  • Awareness of learning and career opportunities 

  • Decision-making for education and career pathways 

Career education is a key tool to ensure young people in mandatory education, and beyond, have access to guidance. 

Career Development Support 

Career development support addresses the needs of different groups of workers: 

For employed workers in the formal economy - Activities aim to strengthen career management skills, support training and skills utilisation, and promote productivity, innovation, and strategic staff planning. Typical measures include career talks, assessments, personal development plans, and creating company environments that enable lifelong learning. 

For workers in the informal economy - More than half of the global labour force works informally, including over 90% of micro and small enterprises worldwide. Many of these workers, especially rural populations and women in domestic work, are unaware of or lack access to qualifications, decent work, and social protection. Initiatives that mobilise national, sectoral, and local actors are essential. Social partners play a key role in: 

  • Skills needs assessments and forecasting 

  • Cooperation with adult learning and vocational education institutions 

  • Continuing professional development 

  • Recognition of prior learning and workplace-based non-formal learning 

For the self-employed - With the rise of freelancing, contract work, and platform work, services must adapt to support independent workers. These services often combine learning incentives, financial and business counselling, and career guidance. Many countries are still defining comprehensive approaches for this group. 

Key resources

  • CareersNet Cedefop’s network of experts in lifelong career guidance and career development was created to monitor policy developments and innovative practices in the EU, EFTA/EEA and EU candidate countries. The network enables exchanges on career guidance systems, including topics such as quality assurance, coordination and strategies, monitoring and evaluation. The network has developed an EU+ inventory of lifelong guidance systems and practices and a methodology for system monitoring assessment and evaluation.
  • European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network An EU Member State-led network supported by the European Commission from 2007 to 2015. It promoted cooperation at Member State level in implementing the priorities identified in the EU Resolutions on Lifelong Guidance (2004, 2008) and supported Member States in their national lifelong guidance activities, policies, strategies and services. Its website presents a wide range of publications and resources.
  • Euroguidance A European network of national resource and information centres for guidance in 34 European countries. The network supports the competence development of the guidance community. Its main target consists of guidance practitioners in education and employment, including professionals who provide information and guidance on international learning mobility to end-users seeking study and training opportunities abroad.
  • International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance Established in 1951, the Association aims to provide global leadership in, and advocacy for, careers guidance by promoting ethical, socially just, and best practices throughout the world so that educational and vocational guidance and counselling is available to all citizens from competent and qualified practitioners. It oversees an annual international conference and publishes the International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance.
  • International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy Established in 2004 with the support of the OECD, the World Bank, the European Commission, the International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance, and national governments to promote international policy sharing and learning for career guidance. Its website provides career guidance policy and systems development documents and reports from international organisations and countries. The Centre organises the International Symposia on Career Development and Public Policy on a biennial basis, bringing together policymakers, researchers and practitioners.
  • Asia Pacific Career Development Association The Association connects career development professionals working or interested in the Asia Pacific region and provides a global forum for sharing career development ideas, research, and practices effective in the region.
  • IAG Global Careers Month establishing a global community linking policy, research and practice.