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First virtual career fair for pupils and students in Slovenia ICT in Guidance and Guidance in a pandemic

The importance of partnership The year 2020 was very particular due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In March all schools were closed, and all
educators had to resort to remote teaching. In October 2020, schools re-opened again for the new scholastic
The municipality in Maribor in Eastern Slovenia near the
year. All educators had to think outside the box and come up with innovative methods of teaching due to
border of Austria, organized for the fifth year in a row a
various Covid measures being implemented in schools. During March 2021, schools shut down once more, and
career fair for youth with representatives from educational
online teaching was on the agenda yet again.
institutions, employers, and other partners from local
community.
Career guidance practitioners themselves had to adjust
As we all know, 2020 has been a very challenging year,
their projects in order to keep reaching out to students and
but as there was still a need to deliver quality information
parents in their respective colleges. The use of information
to pupils and students about career management, a
decision was to organise an online career fair, was made. and communication technologies (ICT) came to the
Activities
A team of IT experts, guidance counsellors and guidance rescue. The availability of ICT made it possible to continue
practitioners designed and developed an online platform. Employment Service of Slovenia arranged an online stand instruction and learning when physical interactions were
The career fair was primarily designed as a regional with career development materials. no longer possible, or very limited. One particular college
Employment Service of Slovenia’s Career centre Maribor decided to use Microsoft Forms to create an online quiz for
recorded a short promotion video about the services for all Year 8 students (12-13 year olds). During Year 8,
youth available here. Moreover, the fair also provided students have to choose two new option subjects to study
webinar for pupils in elementary schools about problem
for the next three scholastic years (Year 9, 10 and 11)
management in career decision-making available here.
depending on their abilities, interests and future career
The Virtual career fair had far reaching added value with aspirations. This quiz was intended as an additional tool to
the information from all exhibitors was available for help students with this important choice. The quiz was
months after the fair so that pupils and students can
prepared in both Maltese and English languages, and it
review them when in need of help in career transitions to
delved into the students’ hobbies, interests, likes and
education or labour market.
dislikes, personality traits and future career aspirations.
Visits
To compliment this ICT based tool, the career guidance Some of the ques�ons included in the quiz were:
To sum up 60 elementary and 57 upper secondary schools practitioners conducted online interventions through MS
participated in the online career fair. At the fair for
Teams with all Year 8 classes in order to explain how to What are you hobbies?
elementary schools there were 80 exhibitors who
access and complete the quiz. At the end of the quiz, What are your favourite subjects at school?
prepared 70 webinars and 125 chat rooms. At the fair for
secondary schools, a total of 47 exhibitors prepared as students also had the opportunity to ask for an individual What are your less favourite subjects at school?
many as 140 webinars and 170 chat rooms. Virtual stand session if they needed any further assistance and
of Employment service of Slovenia and our career centre information about the new subjects. Through this quiz, Do you enjoy reading and wri�ng?
experience, but the event stretched beyond to the whole
was visited by over 610 pupils and students and some career guidance practitioners also had the opportunity to
of Slovenia. Do you like science?
other visitors. Most of them were interested in
start building a career portfolio for each student. Various
The expectation was that pupils and students would visit presentation of Employment service and its activities, individual sessions were held with students, and even with Do you like cra�s and other hands-on ac�vi�es?
the career fair organized during class hours or hours videos, articles, activities/events, materials as well as the parents, who also sought for support and guidance. Do you play any sports?
dedicated to career orientation. webinar.
Are you an organised person?
The incorporation of these ICT tools, without a doubt,
For students we organised a webinar on how to prepare The overall conclusion was that the virtual career fair was Do you find it easy making new friends?
for job interview. a big success. The career fair for elementary schools had has generated changes in the educational and career
9.991 participants and career fair for secondary schools guidance field. This has not only been noticed in the Do you feel comfortable working with a group of people?
However, due to closure of schools, we faced additional
had 9.978 participants from Maribor and neighboring methodologies used in the teaching-learning process,
challenge, how to reach youngsters who are not at What would you like to become when you grow up?
regions. but also in the possibilities of innovation and skill
schools?
development for adaptation to the changes that
As in career orientation activities in general partnership of
educational institutions have had to undergo due to the
different representatives is needed, an organization such Daša Babič MSc current pandemic. Alan Camilleri
a fair also includes cooperation of different partners to
Career counsellor at Employment Service of Slovenia, Regional Career Guidance Teacher, National School Support Services,
provide professional, technical and financial input.
office Maribor Ministry for Education

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