Measuring Impact in Career Guidance: Key Takeaways from the TCA Seminar in Bratislava
Author: Euroguidance Slovakia
In October 2025, career guidance professionals from across Europe met in Bratislava to explore how impact and sustainability in career guidance can be meaningfully measured and used to improve practice.
About the seminar
The international TCA seminar Impact Measurement and Sustainability in Career Guidance brought together nearly 40 participants from 15 European countries, representing public employment services, universities, schools, NGOs, ministries, and research institutions. Over three days, participants exchanged experiences and reflected on how impact measurement can support learning, quality development, and long-term sustainability of career guidance services.
Why impact measurement matters
Several sessions emphasised that impact measurement is not only about accountability, but also about understanding what actually works, for whom, and under what conditions. Participants discussed the need to distinguish between outputs, outcomes, and long-term impact, and to avoid reducing impact solely to short-term employment indicators.
Presentations highlighted that career guidance often produces changes that unfold over time, such as increased confidence, decision-making capacity, and sense of agency—outcomes that are meaningful, yet not always easy to quantify.
From methods to practice
The programme combined theoretical perspectives with practical examples. Participants explored different evaluation approaches, including theory-based and mixed-method designs, and discussed their feasibility in real guidance settings. Case studies from Slovakia and France illustrated how impact measurement can be integrated into national systems while still respecting complexity and context.
One session demonstrated how structured performance and skills assessment can support inclusive employment and improve cooperation between jobseekers, employers, and support services.
Critical reflections and future directions
The seminar also opened space for critical reflection. Speakers and participants warned against the risks of over-reliance on indicators, which can unintentionally distort practice and increase administrative burden. Discussions highlighted the importance of keeping impact measurement learning-oriented, value-based, and connected to the real needs of clients and practitioners.
Overall, the seminar reaffirmed that meaningful impact measurement requires balance: between rigour and feasibility, numbers and narratives, accountability and trust.
This article presents a shortened version of a blog originally published on the Euroguidance Slovakia LinkedIn page. The full version offers a more detailed reflection on the seminar discussions, presentations, and critical perspectives on impact measurement and sustainability in career guidance.
Full version link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/impact-measurement-sustainability-career-guidance-rqx1e
Picture: © Euroguidance Slovakia
