Page 8 - euroguidance-insight-2017-autumn

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Focus on Quality in Guidance Services

Several initiatives are addressing the quality of career guidance in Norway at present.
Erik Hagaseth Haug has examined how this important subject is torn between the demands
of society and the needs of the individual pupil or student.

“I am interested in finding a Norwegian pupils are fortunate
more nuanced and differentiat- Quality under pressure to have classes in lower sec-
ed understanding of the concept Haug’s research uncovered that ondary schools where they are
of quality in career guidance in many organisations and political introduced to the possibilities
schools” explains Haug. interest groups try to influence the that await them in the com-
content of the guidance offered. ing years answering questions
Writing his PhD, titled Quality of One axis is between the private such as “what should I study?”
Career Guidance in Norwegian business sector which campaigns or “what’s the best job for me?”.
schools Haug discovered an ex- for an increased focus on the de- “This means a lot of Norwegian
tensive diversity in the represen- mands from business and industry, kids have already had some
tation of good career guidance, as opposed to the trade union for thoughts on their future career
especially in the understanding teaching personnel which keeps a when they reach upper second-
of the preferable goal for guid- main focus on the individual needs ary school” says Haug.
ance. “I have found that there is of each pupil. According to Haug:
a power struggle between dif- “It’s a classical divide in the field of
ferent interests, on how quality guidance, but it results in different A period of transition
ought to be understood in career quality of the guidance services At government level, The Minis-
guidance in a Norwegian school depending on region and institu- try of Education and Research
context” he says. tion.” published a green paper (NOU)
in 2016, in which Mr Haug is one
of the contributors. The report
addressed the ongoing chang-
es in the Norwegian economy
and called for an increased
demand for Career Guidance
as a tool for directing society’s
use of available labour. Haug
reiterates that “there are many
who will need information and
guidance to varying degrees in
order to deal successfully with
restructuring, not just young
people. “

In Norwegian schools, guidance
is mainly a function, not a pro- 