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Digital self-service career guidance Preparation for COVID 19?

The Swedish Public Employment Service has recently relaunched and expanded a digital self-service One of the projects identified as a priority by Euroguidance Malta was the strengthening of the

package for career guidance. The package is now available for external parties, such as municipalities, information and communication strategy with their stakeholders; guidance practitioners in the

trade unions, social security organisations, regions and other authorities. education and employment sector, employers , national and public entities and other interested

partners involved in lifelong career guidance. Although Malta is a small country and news and

The package includes digital career guidance services information does travel very quickly, information related to EG matters such as mobility issues, EU

that can be of use for those who are unsure about updates on lifelong guidance and training opportunities for practitioners, may not be on everyone’s top

which profession to choose, those who want to know list of priorities. As every organisation has its own targets and priorities and is bombarded with

more about the current labour market and those who reports, studies and articles received through work correspondence or the social media, it is a

want to start studying or want to move on and take a challenging endeavour to get your message through.

new step in their career. The package includes the

following parts: The first step was to upgrade the Euroguidance contact with their practitioners and clients? These

website, with the aim of providing information and initiatives are a good first response to the current

resources to guidance practitioners and educators in situation, but of course, the need to develop new ways

Self-service career guidance education and employment on the European of reaching out to the practitioners is felt more than

dimension of lifelong guidance. The web now ever. It has certainly shown how important it is to have

A tutorial explains how to make the best use of includes a section with resources that practitioners your communication and information strategy in place.

the digital self-service package. It presents a can use with their clients, especially during the Since the start of the pandemic Euroguidance Malta

framework that connects the services and puts current pandemic. It also aims to highlight career has been working on developing and using new ways

them into context.
guidance initiatives in the Maltese scenario to the of connecting with stakeholders, in particular with

European community. students who are at a crossroads between futher

Interest guide

The package also includes other services to ensure as education and/or work. Besides communicating with

The interest guide consists of 12 questions. The comprehensive a career guidance service as possible. A Euroguidance Facebook page was also launched, the latter, using school websites/Facebook pages,

answers result in an interest profile with For example, the user has access to forecasts of the presenting the latest information and developments telephone helplines and emails, Euroguidance Malta is

suggestions for future careers. This service aims future labour market. There is detailed and in-depth on career guidance at the European level. A currently working on strengthening online one-to-one

to increase the individual's self-understanding data for different parts of the country to support the Facebook Group Page was opened, where sessions. This is all new but the hope is that, from a

and shows how his or her interests map against user in choosing a profession with good prospects. interesting information related to international negative experience which has suddenly changed our

the labour market. At this stage, the user may mobility and lifelong guidance of particular interest to lives, it is possible to develop new ways of operating,

book an online meeting with a career guidance the Maltese guidance community is posted – with the resulting in new knowledge which will provide the

counsellor. The interest guide is the beginning of Services can be used as part of a guidance session aim of enticing these same practitioners to also read necessary competences to work with the clients in the

a process that naturally leads the user on to the more on the general Facebook page. It is hoped to 21 century.
st

remaining services. have more participation in this initiative as many

The digital services can be used within a teaching and/

or guidance session together with clients. The user positive outcomes can result from such a discussion

Find a profession forum.

can choose only one part or combine several. All

services are free of charge, continually developed, and

In this section, the user is able to access updated by the Swedish Public Employment Service. Hoping to find different ways to engage practitioners, Dorianne Gravina

information on 350 occupations and 20 the first Euroguidance Malta Newsletter was

professional areas. The overview includes a launched. This is a bi-annual newsletter from Euroguidance Malta

description of duties for each occupation, labour

You can access the services here. Euroguidance Malta providing useful, relevant and

market data and information on salaries, as well up-to-date information for all members of the

as educational paths and requirements.

Questions about the services can be sent to product owner European Guidance community. The Newsletter also

Joachim Öjeryd: aims to give prominence to guidance initiatives and

Profession and studies

[email protected] research studies conducted in Malta.

On the Career Path Database page, the user is

supported in making conscious career choices, Were the Maltese preparing for the unexpected

based on both the individual's interests and con- COVID-19 pandemic without knowing it? Where they

ditions, as well labour market demand and offers. prepared to respond to the current experience of

social distancing, working from home and limited
Nina Ahlroos

Euroguidance Sweden