The National Portal of Lifelong Career Guidance supports the lifelong career development of all target groups (students of all education levels, VET trainees, graduates, unemployed persons, disadvantaged groups etc) through the assessment of their personal characteristics (interests, values etc). Users receive an evaluation of their career management skills and the provision of information about education and the world of work. In addition, the portal is also aimed at career guidance stakeholders (public and private career guidance services and counsellors of all sectors, teachers, policy makers etc.) who can use the tools for career evaluation, career education, labour market information and networking.
National Portal of Lifelong Career Guidance
Abstract
Website: National Portal of Lifelong Career Guidance
Teachers working in schools as well as career counsellors of the Ministry of Education all over Greece use the portal:
For supporting the self-awareness of a student’s individual characteristics (vocational interests, values, and career decisions) using three digital assessment tests. The tests can be filled either at home (they take about 20 minutes each) or in the school and their results can be discussed during a face-to-face counselling interview. The tests look at personality types, career values (like work environment, free-time) and factors that empower or hinder career decisions (like career maturity and family background).
There are multiple formats for career education of students including “Career Guidance” lessons taught in the first grade of vocational secondary school, “Skills Workshops” and “Career Education Programs” that are delivered to primary and secondary school students. Multiple tools that are used in these career education programmes include the “National Life and Career Competences Framework” and the “Real Game”. These support the development of career plans, attitudes and skills of students with self-evaluation exercises and career games.
The resource includes videos of in-demand professions, information on educational pathways that lead to professions, information about the necessary qualifications and skills to succeed in the labour market, how to acquire further competences, with emphasis on soft, green, digital and entrepreneurial skills etc. It also provides targeted career support to vulnerable groups, links to European and national networks on career guidance, education, training, labour & entrepreneurship. The resource also provides information about job fairs & career talks, enabling students to hear directly from employers and people in work. This is done through the social media of the National Career Guidance Forum “Synergia”.
The resource provides information on the education system of Greece, the learning opportunities of all types and educational levels, learning and working in Europe, EU tools on living, learning and working abroad such as the National Qualifications Registry and an extensive “Professions and Study Courses” section that connects the various professions with education paths etc. This allows students to see how subject choices are connected with their personal assets.
The resource contains both free-to-access web pages that provide open career information to all, as well as career guidance tools that support the psychometric assessment of career interests, values, and career decisions. These tools require from the user to log in and therefore to create a personal account in the portal in order to have access. Other tools contained such as the tool “Real Game” provide opportunity to play a career scenario or self – evaluate one’s life and career competences. Filling the five self-evaluation queries of the National Framework of Life- Career Competences does not require log in.
The resource supports the provision of accessible, effective, impartial, lifelong career education and career development for all students and school career guidance stakeholders. It is free of charge for all and provides access to quality information and guidance to all target groups, especially students who do not have access to face-to-face career guidance due to different circumstances (financial capacity, distant location, available time, care responsibilities, disabilities etc.). The resource is used as a national resource which allows counsellors and other teachers to enhance guidance provision available to students.
The platform also explains to the parents the steps, methods, principles of career guidance and available public and private career guidance services, thus fighting career stereotypes that start inside the family environment. Other tools such as the “Real Game” support the family discussion on career values and aspirations.
Finally, the resource supports the co-operation and co-ordination of career guidance counsellors and stakeholders through the social media of the National Career Guidance Forum “Synergia”.
The platform is currently available only in Greek. There plans to provide it in English in the future. The platform is accessible to people with disabilities, but further work will be done concerning specific groups in co-operation with social services and the support on the General Secretariat of Social Solidarity and Poverty Fighting of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
The resource is free of charge.
Support on navigation and connection to the platform. Support on using the results of career guidance tests.
We are working on the further promotion of the platform as we recognise that not all students, schools, teachers, school managers and parents are aware of this free to access career platform.
We are also working with the guidance community to promote the correct use of the career assessment tools, meaning that these have to be used in parallel with other career guidance methods and that the results of the tests have to be explained by specialized career guidance counsellors.
This resource is funded by government.
Disclaimer: This content is provided by the submitting organisation.
