National Conference in Ukraine Highlights the Importance of Lifelong Career Guidance
Author: Yana Bobyrets, Euroguidance Ukraine
On 16 October 2026, the National Conference “Development of Career Guidance and Counselling in Ukraine: National Experience, Current Challenges and the European Dimension” was held in person in Kyiv. The event brought together more than 100 participants, including representatives of public institutions, educational organisations, employment services, employers, international organisations and the professional community of career counsellors.
The conference was jointly organised by the National Qualifications Agency, the National Euroguidance and Europass Centres in Ukraine, the NGO “Ukrainian Institute of Career Guidance and Counselling”, and the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine.
The event provided an important platform for professional dialogue on the development of career guidance and counselling in Ukraine, current challenges in the field, and the role of European experience in improving career support services.
One of the key topics was the importance of lifelong career guidance and counselling and the need to strengthen cooperation between education, the labour market, employers and career guidance professionals. Participants discussed ways to support people at different stages of their careers, including choosing a profession, developing skills, making career transitions and adapting to changes in the labour market.
Euroguidance Ukraine: Supporting the Professional Development of Career Counsellors
During the conference, Yana Bobyrets, Head of the Euroguidance Support Unit within the Project Management Department of the Secretariat of the National Qualifications Agency, presented the activities of the National Euroguidance Centre in Ukraine and the opportunities offered by the European Euroguidance network for career guidance professionals.
The presentation focused on four practical areas of Euroguidance Ukraine's work:
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Professional Community of Career Counsellors – bringing together career guidance professionals in Ukraine, encouraging the exchange of experience, sharing good practices and strengthening professional cooperation.
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Euroguidance and Europass Ambassadors Programme – engaging experienced professionals in supporting the priority areas of work of the National Centres, promoting European tools, and sharing professional knowledge and good practices in career guidance and counselling in Ukraine.
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Euroguidance Academia Project – providing opportunities for Ukrainian career guidance professionals to take part in international study visits, learn from European experience and develop their professional skills.
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European Resources for Career Guidance Professionals – providing access to European information materials, practical tools, publications and guidance resources that can be used in everyday professional practice.
These activities aim to strengthen the professional capacity of Ukrainian career counsellors, develop international cooperation and encourage the use of European approaches in national career guidance practices.
Developing Career Guidance in Ukraine Through European Cooperation
The conference programme also included a panel discussion on responsibility for individual career development, presentations of European initiatives, including Europass and Erasmus+, and practical sessions dedicated to lifelong career guidance and counselling, career transitions, inclusive career guidance and career education.
The event highlighted the importance of cooperation between national institutions, professional communities and European networks in developing accessible and effective career guidance and counselling services.
The National Euroguidance Centre in Ukraine continues to support the integration of Ukrainian career guidance professionals into the European professional community, the development of professional skills, international exchange of experience and the improvement of lifelong career guidance and counselling in Ukraine.
Read more about the National Conference on the Euroguidance Ukraine website:
