6.2 LMI for career guidance

LMI for career guidance

High-quality career information is a fundamental requirement for young people and adults to steer their career paths in informed and strategic ways. It is likewise fundamental for career professionals, teachers and trainers who support them in this regard. The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop 2016) advises that career management skills development programmes in education/training and in employment services should be associated with labour market information and intelligence. Its quality and provision should also be addressed in policy strategies for lifelong guidance and career education at schools.

Labour market intelligence needed for lifelong career guidance

1. Information on the main characteristics of the given labour market: Demographics, indicators including employment, unemployment, inactivity; earnings outlooks by sector and occupation; national, regional and sectoral coverage.
2. Trends in skills, including skills needs and mismatches, skills gaps, together with current and future skills and qualification demands. National, regional, sectoral coverage.
3. Occupations: Including detailed skills requirements (technical, transversal; hard and soft), educational background, interests, working conditions, skills shortages, pay and earnings;
4. Job vacancies: Types of sources, search, selection. Localisation.
5. Information on work environments, job progression routes in those environments, and vocational training options available on-the-job; regulated professions. Types of labour contracts.
6. Entry and progression routes into and through occupational families.
7. Entry and progression routes in education and training to gain skills for an occupation, or to bridge a skills gap for a desired occupation.
8. Career education and guidance information, support to develop career management skills, sources.
9. Equal opportunities and diversity issues (support measures), and changing workforce profile.
10. Advise and examples to help preparing the job application, CV, interview.

Further reading:

• Cedefop. (2016). Labour market information and guidance. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Cedefop research paper; No 55. doi.org/10.2801/72440