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Career Guidance in the Life Course – Structures and Services in Germany
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After compulsory education, upper secondary education modernisation and internationalisation as well as the qual-
ensues. Here the choice of educational career or type of ity assurance of the system.
school is based on parents’ wishes, pupils’ interests, their
school performance and the entitlements obtained at the
end of lower secondary education. Pupils may continue 3. Guidance in education, career
either in full-time general education or in full-time voca- and employment
tional schools; or they enter the dual system (apprentice-
ship training in companies and vocational schools) for vo- 3.1 Educational guidance
cational education and training (VET). in general secondary education

Far more than 50 % of the relevant age group achieve The provision of guidance services in schools is the
A-levels (Abitur) in upper secondary schools. This fi- legal responsibility of institutions of general education in
nal examination, which gives entry into higher education all the 16 Länder. Various forms of guidance are offered
institutions, can be obtained either in grammar schools at the different stages of the school career. These involve
(Gymnasium), in comprehensive schools or in other sec- advice and counselling on educational paths and on learn-
ondary schools, as well as in certain vocational schools ing difficulties, psychological counselling and assessment
(see Facts and Figures). by the school psychological services and classroom career
education. In schools, guidance is provided by specially
About 63 % of all people aged 25 to 35 have completed trained teachers, social workers, school psychologists and
vocational training, the majority of them in the dual cooperating vocational guidance practitioners from the
(apprenticeship) system. Education in the dual system Employment Agencies (EA).
is organized as in-company training which is accompanied
by courses in vocational schools. The Federal Government Individual advice and counselling in schools
is responsible for legislation regarding the in-company
training, whereas the Länder governments make deci- School guidance focuses mainly on the choice of school type,
sions about vocational schooling. school level and subjects. It begins with decisions related to
school entrance but is particularly important at points of
Higher Education, which is also under the legal transition from one type of school to another. Guidance is
responsibility of the Länder, is offered by autonomous especially important for pupils who proceed to secondary
universities, technical universities, universities of ap- education, when the choice between the different types of
plied sciences and universities for economics, fine arts, school has to be made. Again, at the end of lower secondary
music, theology, etc. Despite an increasing number of and in upper secondary education, students need guidance
private academic institutions, 94 % of students attend und vocational orientation related to their individual inter-
public Higher Education institutions (Autorengruppe Bil- ests and abilities, and their subject choices and academic
dungsberichterstattung, 2014). As part of concurrent opportunities. School guidance is also aimed at parents who
legislation the admission to and graduation at such insti- influence their children’s school paths.
tutions are under the legal responsibility of the Federal
Government. However, the Länder have been granted the Some municipalities have established special centres
power to enact their own provisions complementing fed- or institutions offering educational guidance. In addition,
eral law. most Länder offer online information resources for parents
and students.
The Standing Conference of Ministers of Edu-
cation and Cultural Affairs of the Länder (Ständige School Psychological Service
Konferenz der Kultusminister der Länder, KMK) coordinates
the necessary harmonization of education matters to The School Psychological Service (Schulpsychologischer
secure com parability. Dienst) exists in all Länder and is organized across schools
in the local community. The service focuses on psycho-
In the German education system, fundamental changes logical counselling, psychological diagnostics and assess-
are currently being implemented. The various efforts relat- ment, severe learning and behavioural problems as well
ed to quality assurance and quality development, includ- as conflict management. It offers services to pupils of all
ing the introduction of national educational standards, are ages, parents, teachers and other staff in schools as well
especially important. In Higher Education major reforms as to institutions of primary and secondary education. The
have also been introduced during the last few years, es- service is staffed with professional psychologists, who
pecially following the Bologna process, which focuses on sometimes also have a teaching qualification.