Page 5 - euroguidance-insight-newsletter-2011-autumn

The economy works in such a way that it in terms of facilitating the match between What advice would you give to
is more and more difficult for a citizen to demand and supply of labour and skills. guidance counsellors?
get a contract for life in a job, mostly Moreover, career guidance can help The problem of career guidance
because businesses are after flexibility, in address the problem of early school services offered in Malta and in
order to ensure profits, even if this has leaving. It can help young people to find many other countries is that most
serious consequences for the citizen. This their niche, the course and/or work that staff have only been in schools and
is why there is so much rhetoric around they feel is suitable for them, in an have very little knowledge and
the notion of life long education and environment where they can blossom. I experience of the wider world of
training. Part of that rhetoric also includes believe that everyone has potential, but work. Therefore one of the things
career guidance, since transitions are no sometimes society and its institutions fail could be done is to become more
longer linear, and are becoming more to offer the right environment for knowledgeable about the world of
complex, which means that citizens of all potential to be actualized. work by trying to bridge the gap
ages stand to gain by having the support with the world of work through for
of in-formation, advice and guidance Guidance can help people find the right example short internships in
throughout their working lives, right into environment in order to make sure that industry, for example, and
retirement. young people are motivated to stay on at conducting research to know what
school, and to benefit from that is happening in work environments.
If a politician asked you what investment experience.
should be made in career guidance, what The complete interview can be read
would you advise? However, despite being useful in many here: www.euroguidance.org.mt.
One of the reasons why a government areas, we must not over-exaggerate its
should invest money in providing career usefulness, because a lot of the economic
guidance services is that it is supposed to issues we have are far beyond the reach Reinhard Attard, Euroguidance Malta
help economic development, specifically of career guidance. conducted the interview

Slovenia: National coordination point

The project National coordination point for lifelong career guidance was launched in terminology, and the confusion
in October 2010 with the goal of encouraging professional development in this field. surrounding the definition of the term
The project is based on guidelines of operative programme for human resources “guidance”. A working group of experts
development (2007-2013) and is financed with EU funds. The Employment Service of from different fields of career orientation
Slovenia will coordinate a variety of activities until the end of project in August 2015. was formed and the group defined
approximately 40 terms in the field of
As in many other European countries, Further training possibilities for career
career orientation which will be published
career guidance, requires development in counsellors will be developed and
in a special English-Slovenian dictionary.
Slovenia. It is in its infancy and is divided implemented before 2015. These can

among several fields and institutions. The later be developed into study programme
Several promotional activities will be
project aims to improve this situation by for guidance counsellors. The contents will
organised for the target groups, i.e.
trying to achieve the following goals: be formed until the end of 2011 and the
guidance practitioners and policy makers.
training will start in 2012. This training will
Some promotion will be targeted also to
Connect different sectors' policies in be open for all career counsellors who
end users of lifelong career guidance,
order to achieve higher visibility of career wish to further their training in the field of
informing them about the meaning of
planning and guidance on a policy level as career planning.
lifelong career guidance and its services.
well as in different sectors and institutions.

The project also aims to provide accessible Universal quality standards will be deve-

and quality career guidance services in all loped which are applicable to all sectors Staša Bučar Markič and Sabina Škarja MSc,
periods of life and for all target groups. and institutions. The firstly step relates to Employment Service of Slovenia