Page 6 - euroguidance-insight-newsletter-2011-autumn

Career Learning: Flanders is experimenting learning requests. The result is a lack of in-
trinsic motivation towards lessons and
with a new concept from the Netherlands subject matter. Thirdly, there is a general
need for more and better career guidance
The relatively new concept of “Career Learning” finds itself in a problematic transition because of individualisation within society
from education to the labour market and lifelong learning policy. The idea itself can and flexibilisation within employment re-
be attributed to the Dutch researchers Frans Meijers, Marinka Kuipers and J. Bakker lations.
and reflects a theoretical concept.
Internal Dialogue is Essential
The concept consists of different thinking has to be taught in schools,
A career dialogue is a conversation bet-
elements: Young people should be more where needed young people should be
ween a student and a trusted adult. Ideal-
aware of their intended profession. If they put in a tailor-made guidance trajectory.
ly, this would be a teacher, dean/mentor
are, they will join into the learning process
from the school. Such a dialogue focuses
more actively. The entire education system (vocational
on the explicit dependency between rele-
education in particular) is experiencing a
vant employment experiences students
Intended profession and real-job needs widespread need for an improved guid-
have had, their self-image and their work
prosper best in a very powerful learning ance practice for students.
identity. In this process, it is essential to
environment.
promote an internal dialogue (focusing on
There are three main reasons for this.
their personal construction of meaning) as
The process of dialogue is crucial in the First, a great number of students lack mo-
well as an external dialogue (focusing on
whole concept. Young people should con- tivation. Not only is there a high drop-out
the social meaning of work).
tinue their training while being personally rate, but also a lack of interest in the field

involved in their career pathway. of study chosen, i.e. many who continue
Studies show that a career dialogue at
their studies only do so to obtain their de-
school contributes to the formation of
Self –management of the young person’s gree and not because of a true interest in
three career competences: career reflec-
future career is essential. The decision for their studies.
tion (reflection on qualities and motivati-
a profession is not a one-time thing, but a
on), career formation (job exploration and
recurring situation in a lifelong learning Secondly, there is a lack of efficiency in the
career guidance) and networking.
process. learning process: Students will put into

practice an average of 15% of all theory
Conclusion
Tailor-Made Trajectory taught in a course. This is partly due to stu-
Learning programmes for career develop-
Full career counselling begins at an early dents not having a solid career vision, ren-
ment are an additional dimension to in-
age at school. Therefore career-directed dering them unable to formulate clear
stitutional strategies designed to foster

the employability of students. It makes
1
Scheme on Integrated Career Guidance the value of such strategies transparent to
students; it also strengthens the sustain-

ability of their benefits. Learning program-
mes for career development have not al-
ways been strongly present in educational
strategies. Over the last few years, how-
ever, we have seen a growth in learning
programmes for career development
within mostly higher education instituti-
ons. Their coverage ranges from reaching
a minority of students to being extended
to larger numbers of students or even
been made obligatory.

1 Jef Vanraepenbusch and Tanja Biebaut.
Career guidance: a complex learning process Frans Meijers from Career learning. Research and practice in
education ,Marinka Kuijpers & Frans Meijers (ed.) Euroguidance Flanders