INVESTING IN CAREER GUIDANCE - new booklet by CEDEFOP, European Commission, ETF, ILO, OECD, UNESCO

The ETF corporate conference concluded, inter alia, that career development support, defined as lifelong career guidance, in particular career education, and career development support for workers, is at the heart of lifelong learning systems. Effective career guidance helps individuals to reach their potential, economies to become more efficient and societies to become fairer. It is critical to the smooth transitions of people as they make choices about education and training and to mobility within the labour market. Six international organisations (CEDEFOP, European Commission, ETF, ILO, OECD, UNESCO) came together to publish a booklet on the importance of investing in career guidance.

The joint effort reflects the fact that the need for guidance had increased sharply with people staying in education and training longer and pressure growing on people to upskill and reskill. Today’s labour market is still more turbulent. Covid-19 has deeply disrupted demand for workers and accelerated patterns of automation and digital transformation that are radically changing the character of work and increasing risks of joblessness and precarious employment. What’s more, globalisation, demographic trends and growing efforts to create greener economies are changing the character of demand for skills in labour markets around the world. Career guidance has an essential part to play in recovery plans and in helping people of all ages and backgrounds to navigate such disruption, hence, in building lifelong learning systems.

Evidence reviews give policy makers confidence that investment in guidance can be expected to provide positive economic, educational and social returns to both individuals and society. International data shows, however, that in too many countries access to guidance is insufficient, particularly for those who are in greatest need.

This booklet outlines the key arguments why to invest into career guidance.

Investing in Career Guidance (Russian, French and Spanish version following soon): https://www.etf.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/investing-career-guidance

Related relevant resources:

Developing national career development support systems: pathways to enhance lifelong career guidance, career education and career development support for workers: https://www.etf.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/developing-national-career-development-support-systems

ETF Career Development Support webpage: https://www.etf.europa.eu/en/practice-areas/career-development-support

Facebook live interview Career Guidance factsheet for Albania, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine: LearningConnects: Career guidance in the EU neighbourhood (facebook.com)

7 new Career Guidance factsheets in English and national languages: Career Guidance in Albania, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine | Open Space (europa.eu)

ETF publication "International trends and innovation in career guidance" (EN, Turkish and Russian version)

Volume I: https://www.etf.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2020-11/innovation_in_career_guidance_vol._1.pdf

Volume II (practice cases): https://www.etf.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2020-11/innovation_in_career_guidance_vol._2_0.pdf