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Career Guidance in the Life Course – Structures and Services in Germany
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Exchange) and online applications tools both for employ- the voucher are supposed to find a recognized and accred-
ers and applicants. ited training provider and course by themselves, assisted
either by the nationwide database on educational and train-
The counselling of unemployed and job seekers ing courses, KURSNET (see page 15) or by other guidance
in the EA is mainly carried out by placement officers, and counselling services outside the EA.
who usually have successfully completed a basic train-
ing in counselling. Basing their work on an analysis of Guidance for continuing education
strengths and weaknesses (profiling), they check skills, by the municipalities
competences and aptitudes required for vacant jobs. An
action plan describes the next steps and responsibilities Guidance services for adults outside the FEA often focus on
of the unemployed person and the placement officer. If adult general education and on continuing vocational educa-
occupational integration requires further training or any tion and training (CVET). Most municipalities maintain adult
other activities in order to improve the person’s employ- education centres (Volkshochschulen) which provide both
ability, these are also written down in the action plan and general education and CVET. Information and advice regard-
have to be put into practice. ing their programmes and assistance in individual learning
issues are part of their regular tasks, which are mostly car-
Since 2005, there have been substantial changes in leg- ried out by lecturers, who usually hold an additional guid-
islation with respect to the occupational integration of long- ance qualification, alongside their main teaching job.
term unemployed persons (Social Code II), merging un-
employment benefits and social assistance in what is now In addition, a growing number of municipalities main-
called basic subsistence for claimants who are capable to tain independent Municipal Educational Guidance Ser-
work. This assistance applies to all persons who have been vices, which often have been initiated and funded by the
unemployed for more than twelve months and to those who Federal Government as well as by Länder programmes.
have never previously worked in insured employment. In this They are open to everybody.
context, vocational guidance is obligatory following the poli-
cy principles of “support and challenge”. This means that un- Guidance for further training by Federal Government
employment benefits are only granted if support options, in- programmes
cluding vocational guidance and its outcomes, are accepted.
Within the framework of the lifelong learning strategy,
Guidance and support under Social Code II is mostly the Federal Government initiated and funded several pro-
delivered in joint Job Centres which are organised by the grammes which promoted continuing vocational training
local EA and the municipality, or by the municipality alone. and related guidance activities. As part of the programmes
Here, claimants under Social Code II receive intensive coun- Learning Regions – Supporting Networks (Lernende
selling, following a case management approach. In this con- Regionen – Förderung von Netzwerken 2001–2007) and
text vocational guidance not only involves placement and Local Learning (Lernen vor Ort 2009–2012) the govern-
counselling on vocational options and training but also in- ment promoted the establishment and professionalization
cludes information on benefits and other financial support. of educational guidance services in the municipalities.

Young unemployed under the age of 25 are served Another programme initiated and funded by the
by a special unit (Team U 25) and in case of multiple prob- Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMBF in order
lems receive even more intensive coaching (the legal ratio to strengthen lifelong learning is the Education Grant
is one case manager for 75 young people). They are enti- (Bildungsprämie) which is designed to promote continuing
tled to receive a job or training offer immediately. education and training for employed persons through fi-
nancial assistance. A voucher up to about 500 € is issued
Employed or unemployed persons who wish to take up after an obligatory counselling session, which focuses on
further training or retraining in order to improve their the personal conditions of financial assistance but also on
employability or job perspectives can claim a voucher for the aims and preferences which the person has for his/her
financial assistance from the EA (Bildungsgutschein; § 81 further education, and on possible training courses. Guid-
Social Code III). The voucher is only issued after a counsel- ance in this context is provided by certified private institu-
ling interview by the EA on the applicant’s personal apti- tions (mostly by adult education centres, chambers of com-
tude, motivation and individual circumstances as well as on merce and crafts, trade unions or private training institutes).
the type of education and training needed. However, EAs
are not allowed to recommend any particular educational Furthermore, the BMBF in co-operation with the Länder
institution, training provider or course. The beneficiaries of developed a concept for a nationwide telephone service