Ukraine Approves the Occupational Standard “Career Counsellor"

Author: Yana Bobyrets, Euroguidance Ukraine. 

On the 13th of October 2025, Ukraine officially approved the occupational standard “Career Counsellor” which was developed by the non-governmental organisation called Association of Career Counsellors of Ukraine. 

The purpose of the profession is now:  

• to provide services related to initial and further diagnostics and career guidance, taking into account individuals’ interests and career development opportunities 

• to support people during employment and further professional activities 

• to facilitate initial adaptation to a new workplace 

• to provide educational counselling 

• to assist managers of institutions, organisations and enterprises with human resource management. 

Why does Ukraine need an Occupational Standard? 

The need to introduce the occupational standard was driven by changes in the labour market structure, the requirements of the digital economy, the growing demand for support during career transitions and the development of lifelong learning systems. Until now, Ukraine lacked a clear and consistent description of the profession, which complicated the training of specialists, the definition of their functions and the assurance of service quality.  

Key provisions of the Occupational Standard  

The professional qualification is classified at Level 6 of the National Qualifications Framework, which corresponds to the first (Bachelor’s) level of higher education. 

Work functions 

The occupational standard contains a detailed description of job functions, including: 

• monitoring the current situation and social demand in the regional labour market 

• career counselling and support 

• organisation of human resource management 

• interaction with labour market stakeholders 

• professional development 

• career guidance activities 

Benefits for the development of the profession 

The approval of the occupational standard creates the basis for the formation of a high-quality career counselling system in Ukraine. The document will help to: 

• unify approaches to the training of specialists 

• develop educational and training programmes 

• improve the quality of career services in schools, universities, employment services, and the private sector 

• support counsellors in their professional development and self-assessment 

The next review of the occupational standard is scheduled for September 2030. 

The updated Procedure for the Development and the Implementation and Revision of occupational standards will allow stakeholders to initiate the review and amendment of occupational standards which will allow for prompt updating in line with new labor market challenges and educational trends.