CBS RIGA 2022 Compendium of National Surveys

1. National survey: Austria

Cross Border Seminar "Hope in times of uncertainty"
National survey: Austria
(by Margit Pichler (University of Teacher Education, Lower Austria) for Euroguidance Austria)

Career choices in an uncertain time

Youth researcher Simon Schnetzer has presented the personal and working worlds of adolescents and young adults in Austria in a study of young persons aged 14 to 39. Far-reaching negative social, economic, and systemic changes are creating fundamentally new long-term life circumstances and career paths for younger generations. The desire for social contact, structure in daily life, and financial security are core issues for 71% of young people. This is shown by the representative study titled Young Austrians in 2021¹ , which provides a multi-faceted view of the situation and needs of the young generation in Austria. Especially in phases of transition, for example when entering the workforce for the first time, young people feel uncertain and see a lack of prospects.

The importance of a good job was not changed to any great degree by the COVID-19 pandemic. The security of a job comes right after the top three aspects of good employment: a good working atmosphere, fun on the job, and a good work-life balance. However, more and more job decisions are being made based on career and financial security. The five most important factors in the career decisions of young Austrians are career prospects (66%), financial prospects (60%), job security (59%), parents (48%), and school marks and other qualifications (40%). The overall trend has changed in that there is a clear focus on career and financial aspects and job security. A career in and of itself is important for 38% of 14 to 19 year olds. The most important performance motivators are money (55%), fun (37%), and passion (35%). The increasing importance of money is based on two important factors: fear of decreasing prosperity and elevated uncertainty due to crises².

Youth researcher Klaus Hurrelmann warned about the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, which are especially impacting Generation Z in the “critical phase of becoming independent and transitioning into working life” (Schnetzer et al., 2021). Study author Simon Schnetzer described the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic as alarming because the financial and career situation of 32% of the young generation has deteriorated as a result. Co-author and life and career orientation expert Heinz Herzceg noted that special focus must now be placed on ensuring the ability to work and pointing out existing prospects. The authors of the special analysis of the study titled Youth and the Coronavirus in Austria³ see a coronavirus scholarship as one possible solution. The goal of this measure would be to have social and community organisations as well as companies and potential startups allow young people to engage in fulfilling activities where they can apply their creative potential and skills – without red tape and in a manner that makes the young people feel appreciated and respected.

Potential consequences for education and career counselling services in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and changes in careers and the working world relate to the competences needed by the counsellors on the one hand and the counselling methods and topics on the other. Developments in the current refugee and migration flows also require target-group-specific approaches in counselling methods that go beyond the scope of this article.
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¹ Study Young Austrians in 2021 (Junge Österreicher:innen 2021), https://simon-schnetzer.com/studie-junge-deutsche-2021/
² Youth Trends in Austria in 2022 – Update of the Study Young Austrians (Jugendtrends 2022 in Österreich – Update zur Studie „Junge Österreicher:innen“), https://simon-schnetzer.com/blog/aktuelle-trends-junge-oesterreicherinnen-2022/
³ Special Analysis: Youth and the Coronavirus in Austria (Sonderauswertung: „Jugend & Corona“ in Österreich), https://simon-schnetzer.com/blog/aktuelle-trends-junge-oesterreicherinnen-2022/

Counselling approaches in Austria

Not only because of the current crises but also due to the steady increase in the number of education and training options, the specialisation tendencies in post-secondary and tertiary education, and the higher degree of shifting between educational paths, the uncertainty and thus the need for advice is growing among young people at the end of secondary level II (Bliem, 2017).

Key questions about the most important counselling concerns, trends, and challenges in uncertain times were answered in an abif⁴ study⁵ commissioned by the Labour Market Research and Career Information department of the Austrian Labour Market Service. According to this study, the “counselling needs of adolescents and young adults with psychological problems or with the need for social-pedagogical intervention” (Taschwer et al., 2020) has increased since 2018. The experts stress that offering easily accessible forms of counselling seems to hold particular potential for success to “align with the lives of the young people and to reach the clients” (Taschwer et al., 2020). Success factors here especially include youth outreach, low language prerequisites, and an open attitude in the design of the content. Pop-up counselling services, for example at sporting events or in shopping centres, facilitate spontaneous and uncomplicated contact with young people and parents. The counselling target group that presents the greatest challenges seems to be those who are neither in the educational system nor the labour market system, the so-called NEETs⁶ . Young NEETs are reached through the case management approach, where personal development work and individualised counselling are offered before competent education and career advice is provided. The “mandatory education until 18”⁷ that became law in Austria in 2016 included an important, easily accessible reintegration project that is implemented by the youth coaching team⁸ . Making contact and arranging appointments via messenger services and social media channels has proven to be effective for e-guidance and is leading to new norms and expectations on both sides of the education and career counselling system. The Austrian Education Counselling Initiative (Initiative Bildungsberatung Österreich) recommends specialisation or the outsourcing of online counselling services to cooperation partners to reduce the adaptation pressure that is placed on counsellors (Taschwer et al., 2020).
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⁴ abif stands for “analyse, beratung, interdisziplinäre forschung”, analysis, advice, interdisciplinary research – https://abif.at
⁵ https://www.ams-forschungsnetzwerk.at/downloadpub/AMS_info_480_-_Jugendberatung_Berufsorientierung.pdf
⁶ NEET – not in employment, education, or training
⁷ https://ausbildungbis18.at/
⁸ https://www.neba.at/jugendcoaching

Online counselling formats

In addition to one-on-one online counselling, group counselling sessions were quickly offered and conducted via video software due to the pandemic. The work for the counsellors was made easier through regular exchanges among team members. Interaction in online group counselling sessions is possible when the boundaries are clear. Using digital collaboration tools such as EduPad.ch and Padlet.com also allows communication to be maintained between education counsellors and clients in times of crisis. The goal is to allow participants to interact with confidence in online formats and to communicate comfortably and work on screen to attain a degree of closeness in human contact (Steininger, 2020).

Counselling methods and topics

After career choice topics (Mosberger et al. 2012) dominated as the theoretical underpinnings of the counselling approaches for a long time, the more flexible working and career worlds have now caused career and personal history examination (Dausien 2011) to grow in importance. In addition to defining the concrete starting point, existing competences and strengths are identified so as to develop stability-promoting strategies and thus a plan with solution approaches. The systemic counselling approach with a focus on solution- and resource-oriented questions “is intended to provide impetus for changing the dynamics of the system” (Götz et al. 2020).

Possible counselling questions:

• Are there alternatives to the current career situation?
• How high is the pressure?
• Where can security be found in the current situation?
• What is a source of positive feelings?
• Have I already successfully mastered changes in my life?
• What are the next concrete steps?

In addition to traditional dialogue techniques such as paraphrasing, mirroring, active listening, reframing, and visualisation to name just a few, methods for identifying competences are being used to a much larger degree in education counselling. This involves methods such as competence balancing⁹ and competence counselling¹⁰ as well as tools such as SkillCards®¹¹ and the Check Your Future¹² card set, along with methods for attaining higher qualifications such as the 2030 Vienna Qualification Plan¹³ .

Acquiring professional competences and qualifications presents a significant challenge due to the rising and changing requirements on the labour market. Experiences in the career and further education counselling centre at waff¹⁴ show that the range of counselling topics has increased and that counsellors are required to “more closely monitor the labour market, continuously expand their knowledge of existing and new careers, and deal more intensively with the topic of digitalisation as well as new forms of learning and working” (Barosevcic, 2020).

One instrument for quality assurance in education and career counselling is team intervision (Klabischnig-Hörl/Hammer, 2017). Especially in times of crisis, this method can be a low-resource measure for dealing with stress stemming from professional challenges. The two education and career counsellors Klabischnig-Hörl and Hammer illustrate the many advantages of this method:

• Even just presenting and verbalising the problem often reduces the perceived burden and brings clarity.
• The person presenting the case feels like he or she is taken seriously through the inputs and empathy of colleagues.
• Negative self-perceptions are relativised, and new perspectives can be found.
• Different options for action and solutions are discussed without pressure to act.
• All participants profit from the experience and knowledge in the team.
• Reflection on colleagues’ resources.
• Competences are expanded within the team.
• Feedback on the behaviour of the person presenting the case expands the professional toolkit.
• Positive effect on the working climate.
• Motivational effect.

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⁹ https://www.noe-kompetenzatlas.at/
¹⁰ https://www.noe-kompetenzkompass.at
¹¹ https://www.skillcards.at/
¹² https://www.valiskills.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/03_AU_ABIF_Kartenset_CheckYourFuture_23062021.pdf
¹³ https://www.wien.gv.at/arbeit-wirtschaft/qualifikationsplan.html
¹⁴ waff – Vienna Employment Promotion Fund https://www.waff.at/

A number of resources for work in the field of education and career counselling are described below:

Resources for identifying competences and orienting towards strengths

▶ Competence Atlas (Kompetenzatlas)

– https://www.noe-kompetenzatlas.at/ The Competence Atlas consists of an individual analysis of a person’s abilities, strengths, and competences. In addition analysing strengths and competences, the Competence Atlas also offers a wide range of further education, counselling, and funding programmes. This offers new perspectives that the participants can make use of.

▶ Competence Compass (Kompetenzkompass)

– https://www.noe-kompetenzkompass.at This scientifically-based instrument offers an individual analysis of a person’s abilities and talents and identifies new opportunities and perspectives for each participant. This free online offer that requires no commitment allows users to discover their key competences easily, quickly, and anonymously, and they can then directly contact an education counselling service with the results.

▶ Recognising and using strengths

– https://www.skillcards.at/ SkillCards® is a practical, interactive method for identifying and promoting a person’s potential and realising it in a targeted manner. SkillCards® is a “neutral” instrument. It does not measure, but simply identifies. The competence cards are intended to open doors. This promotes creativity, motivation, agency, and the willingness to make decisions. The user comes to a clear understanding of existing abilities and talents. The SkillCards® method is extremely diverse and is thus ideal for the career context. It is especially suitable for:

• Career and education counsellors as a decision-making aid
• Trainers as an interactive tool in workshops and seminars
• “Career orientation” teachers
• Social workers as an aid in integrating people with a migrant background
• Young people in clarifying potential careers
• People re-entering the workforce as an aid in reorientation

▶ 2030 Vienna Qualification Plan

The Vienna Qualification Plan is an overall strategy for offering persons with low qualifications better chances on the labour market. The Vienna Qualification Plan is being supported by the City of Vienna, the Vienna Economic Chamber, the Austrian Federation of Industry, the Austrian Trade Union Federation, the Vienna Chamber of Labour, the Vienna office of the Austrian Labour Market Service, and the Vienna Employment Promotion Fund. The 2030 Vienna Qualification Plan covers four key goals:

• Young people should have the opportunity to complete education beyond the mandatory requirements.
• Persons who have only completed mandatory schooling will be given a second chance. They will be assisted in obtaining professional and educational qualifications.
• Persons with a migrant background will be given support so that they can make better use of their prior educational qualifications on the labour market.
• Persons with post-secondary education can earn additional degrees and expand their competences for new career opportunities.

Digital transformation resources

DIGITAL COMPETENCES

▶ AMS further education database – Consult the AMS further education database to find regional offerings on the topic of digitalisation: www.ams.at/weiterbildungsdatenbank
▶ FUTUR – A dialogue with the future: Map of the competences of the future: www.futur.at
▶ Digital competence model – DigComp 2.2 AT; including a competence check for day-to-day digital competences: www.fit4internet.at
▶ The become digital (Werde-digital) initiative for the promotion of digital media competence, including a list of learning offerings: www.werdedigital.at

DIGITALISATION IN THE WORKING WORLD

▶ AMS qualification barometer – the Austrian Labour Market Service provides information about labour market and qualification trends: www.ams.at/qualibarometer
▶ Digital careers: How digital are you? (Digitale Berufe: Wie digital bist du?): https://www.digitaleberufe.at/
▶ Job-Futuromat: Could a robot do my job? (Job-Futuromat: Könnte ein Roboter meinen Job machen?): https://job-futuromat.iab.de/

DIGITALISATION INITIATIVES

▶ Digital Austria: https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/
▶ Research atlas – future technologies (Forschungsatlas): https://forschungsatlas.at/
▶ Fraunhofer Austria: https://www.fraunhofer.at/
▶ Austrian Industry 4.0 platform (Plattform Industrie 4.0 Österreich): http://plattformindustrie40.at

Other education and career counselling resources

▶ Austrian Economic Chamber career database (Berufsinformationscomputer WKO) – www.bic.at
▶ Links to further counselling institutions – such as www.neba.at, www.fit2work.at, https://www.psz.co.at/
▶ AMS method manuals on different topics (career orientation, competences, etc.) - https://www.ams-forschungsnetzwerk.at/deutsch/publikationen/amshandb.asp?first=0&hb=1&sid=808808171

Bibliography (Literaturhinweise)

Barosevic, Milja (2020): „Wie verändern sich Angebot und Nachfrage am Arbeitsmarkt und was bedeutet das für die Bildungsberatung? Tagungsbeitrag auf der 18. Überregionale Vernetzungstagung, Bildungsberatung Österreich. Arbeit... alles anders? Herausforderungen und Chancen für die Bildungsberatung.

Bliem, Wolfgang (2017): Arbeits- und Berufswelt im Wandel: „New Skiils“ für neue Jobs. In: Hammerer, Marika et al. (Hg.): Zukunftsfeld Bildungs- und Berufsberatung. Schwierige Zeiten - Positionierungen und Perspektiven. Bielefeld.

Dausien, Bettina (2011): "Das beratene Selbst" – Anmerkungen zu Bildungsbiografien im gesellschaftlichen Wandel und Strategien ihrer professionellen Bearbeitung. In: Hammerer, Marika et.al. (Hg.): Zukunftsfeld Bildungs- und Berufsberatung. Neue Entwicklungen aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Bielefeld.

Götz, Rudolf, Haydn Franziska, Tauber Magdalena (2020): Ansätze, Formate und Prozesse in der Bildungsberatung. Online abrufbar unter https://erwachsenenbildung.at/themen/bildungsberatung/begriffsbestimmung/beratung.php, Zugriff am 14.07.2022.

Klabischnig-Hörl, Barbara/Hammer, Jeanette (2017): „Kollegiale Beratung/Intervision“ – ein Instrument zur Qualitätssicherung in der Bildungs- und Berufsberatung. AMS FokusInfo 126, Wien.

Mosberger, Brigtte/Schneeweiß, Sandra/Steiner, Karin (2012): Praxishandbuch. Theorien der Bildungs- und Berufsberatung. Im Auftrag und mit Unterstützung des AMS Österreich. Abt. Arbeitsmarktforschung und Berufsinformation. Wien.

Schnetzer, Simon (2021): Die Studie „Junge Österreicher:innen 2021“. Zukunft neu denken und gestalten: Lebens- und Arbeitswelten der Generation Z & Y in Österreich.

Schnetzer, Simon (2022): Jugendtrends 2022 in Österreich – Update zur Studie „Junge Österreicher:innen 2021“.

Schnetzer, Simon/Herzceg, Heinz/Hurrelmann, Klaus/Leibovici-Mühlberger, Martina (2021): Jugend und Corona in Österreich: Wege aus der Corona-Krise für junge Österreicher im Lockdown.

Steininger, Astrid (2020). Neue Online-Beratungsformate in der „Bildungsberatung Wien“. Tagungsbeitrag auf der 18. Überregionale Vernetzungstagung, Bildungsberatung Österreich. Arbeit... alles anders? Herausforderungen und Chancen für die Bildungsberatung.

Taschwer, Mario/Steiner, Karin/Flotzinger, Michael (2020): AMS info, 480: Bedarfe und Trends in der Bildungs- und Berufsberatung für Jugendliche und Erwachsene. Ergebnisse aus einer Befragung im Auftrag des Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich. Online abrufbar unter https://www.ams-forschungsnetzwerk.at/deutsch/publikationen/BibShow.asp?id=13121&sid=229761527&look=0&stw=ams+info+480&gs=1&lng=0&vt=0&or=0&woher=0&aktt=0&zz=30&mHlId=0&mMlId=0&sort=jahrab&Page=1, Zugriff am 12.07.2022.

2. National survey: Croatia

Cross Border Seminar "Hope in times of uncertainty"
National survey: Croatia
(by Euroguidance Croatia)

Factors causing uncertainty for individuals making career decisions

As we are all faced with similar challenges on the global scale, it could be said the sources and/or causes of career uncertainty are multifaceted. The world labour market has been hit by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and related measures, technological advancements, environmental (un)sustainability, war crisis and what appears to be a looming severe recession with economic, financial and other societal and psychological consequences. It is understandable that all these comprise a pressing issue for a majority of the population and something that is beyond personal control. What we can try to manage and control is our own response to it and enhance overall preparedness. Therefore, while governments can aid and somewhat ameliorate the impact of the crisis through different avenues of support (e.g. fiscal policy, subsidies for job preservation and so forth), what can be done on a personal level is to build up and strengthen individual resources and resilience. 

The situation on the labour market is changing more rapidly than ever, and with forecasts of upcoming challenges, it is crucial to provide individuals and groups with coping tools and mechanisms and nourish the state of hope. This is especially important when dealing with clients face to face, and is undeniably a responsibility from the professional and ethical point of view for practitioners in career guidance and the lifelong learning field. Special attention needs to be targeted towards young people and NEETs, as on the EU level, so in Croatia (Impact of COVID-19 on young people in the EU; Eurofound, 2021). 

Proposed measures include the reduction of inequalities among generations, raising awareness on the importance of mental health, flexibility in service delivery (outreach and counselling), preparing for a possible future crisis by improving service delivery and prioritising long-term measures over temporary solutions. On the national level, these goals are implemented in the current Youth Guarantee campaign. Croatia has been implementing the Youth Guarantee since 2013, in accordance with the Recommendation of the EU Council. The Youth Guarantee is a comprehensive and multi-stakeholder approach to tackling youth unemployment. One of the elements of the Youth Guarantee is the provision of job search support and the implementation of active employment policy measures implemented by the Croatian Employment Service - CES. 

In addition, the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb in cooperation with the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education conducted a research-developmental project entitled “National monitoring of the effects of the COVID-19 disease pandemic and the 2020 earthquake on the organisation of educational processes and the well-being of pupils and educational workers in the Republic of Croatia”. In the project, 161 primary and secondary schools were examined from all parts of Croatia. Some of the thematic areas included in the project are as follows: the ways in which the coronavirus pandemic influenced the lives of pupils in Croatia; aspects of lives of children and youth that were particularly affected; how pupils view classroom teaching and learning in comparison to remote teaching and learning; how teachers assess pupils’ educational losses since the beginning of the pandemic; how educational workers see the psychological and emotional state of pupils. 

While students reported that their relationships with close friends and family members had not been badly affected (if anything, the effect was positive), negative impacts had been felt in relation to physical activities and playing sports, their plans for the future and out-of-school activities and hobbies. The greatest perceived negative impact, however, was the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health, with more than half of 18-year-olds claiming its effect was negative or very negative. 

Furthermore, the Agency for Science and Higher Education conducted research on the impact of pandemic circumstances on the study experience in the academic year 2020/2021, such as online and/or hybrid teaching and various restrictions in social life. Almost 4,300 students of all levels except postgraduate, answered questions about how they assess the quality of higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, how satisfied they are with certain aspects of student life, how they assess their mental health and how the pandemic affected freshmen students and their adaptation to higher education. The results of the research showed that the transition to online forms of teaching during the pandemic significantly affected the mental health of students, their social inclusion, study experience and quality of life. 

Other challenges include the ageing of the population, skills mismatch and worker shortages alongside with shifting to jobs with green and digital technologies (or in broader terms – the 4th industrial revolution). Relevant publications that study these challenges are: Gender gaps and the employment structure (Eurofound and Joint Research Centre, 2021), Green growth, jobs and social impacts (Directorate-General for Environment, EC, 2021), Upskilling and reskilling in the post-covid era: fostering new services and jobs creation: three scenarios for 2030: final report (Empirica et al., 2021), The future of jobs is green (Joint Research Centre, 2021).

Approaches for helping clients deal with uncertainty and for helping career practitioners manage stress

CES has developed different, but also interconnected avenues through which measures are delivered, so individuals and groups can manage job uncertainty better. CES implements numerous longstanding but constantly updated active labour market policy (ALMP) measures, some of which are those concerning (vocational) training, i.e., workplace training, training subsidies and training of the unemployed and employed (reskilling, upskilling). 

One of the most important new measures related to the transition to the digital / green economy that will be implemented within the Croatian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (HR – NPOO) is the implementation of education through the voucher system, in the period from April 2022 to June 2026 with the primary aim of raising the percentage of participants in adult education and lifelong learning, while at the same time acting as the support mechanism in the transition process to the green and digital economy. Vouchers for education are awarded to individuals for further education programmes, with the purpose of attaining micro or partial qualifications for green and/or digital skills. The planned 30,000 vouchers are to be awarded to employees and the unemployed, including young people, the long-term unemployed and the inactive. 

Furthermore, it is important to emphasise that in the CES, comprehensive career guidance services are provided through local offices and as well in CISOK (Lifelong Career Guidance) centres. CISOK centres stand out in this service provision as they are open to provide easily-accessible services to a wider range of the population (any group) and in the meantime promote and maintain successful cooperation with different stakeholders (schools, universities, NGOs, employers etc.). Through the aforementioned National Recovery and Resilience Plan, there is also a currently ongoing project concerning the expansion and reorganisation of the existing CISOK network with emphasis on their role in attracting NEETs. New CISOK centres will be opened in counties where they are not currently present, new individualised services and web services will be developed and capacity and skills of advisors in centres will be strengthened. 

Lifelong career guidance services help so that the career decisions are both in alignment with the personal interests of users and also taking into account labour market needs and career prospects. The services are wide-ranging and tailor-made to suit the needs of different target groups. Special attention is given to vulnerable groups and persons at risk of social and economic exclusion (e.g. NEETs, long-term unemployed, persons from less developed areas, women, minorities and others). 

Questions for guidance practitioners: what sort of approaches do you use to help clients who are dealing with career uncertainty? What sort of approaches do you use to help yourself deal with work uncertainty related stress? 

Clients are provided with all the necessary information about the labour market, their rights and possibilities of being included in certain measures and are helped in the process of job search/career management. Through individual and group activities, lectures and workshops, soft skills are improved, networking is encouraged, proactivity is stimulated and necessary support is provided. During the coronavirus pandemic (and after) we expanded our communication tools to online platforms (e.g. Zoom, Teams…). In a short time we approached numerous clients, especially pupils and students, and were able to give them all the necessary individual and group support, through the activity of vocational informing and counselling. 

At CES, career guidance advisors are mostly psychologists and pedagogists, so it is important to keep up to date with the latest research and approaches in the field, exchange knowledge and practices among colleagues and other practitioners. Also, since the workload is significant, making mental strain a real threat to personal wellbeing, it is advised to attend professional meetings, learn new skills, use informing, debriefing and supervision, especially when or after dealing with challenging situations. With that in mind, it is clear that the practitioners need to have a vigilant and proactive attitude and re(build) our social capital - professional and personal networks of support to better cope with uncertainty. For stress management, we can utilise the method of setting positive, but realistic goals. Training oneself to also see possibilities instead of only risky uncertainty gives us positive vision and generates much needed enthusiasm and creativity. To conclude, the best way to deal with uncertainty and change is to continuously invest in preparedness resources and hence be more inclined to adapt to any change.

3. National survey: Germany

Cross Border Seminar "Hope in times of uncertainty"
National survey: Germany
(by Euroguidance Germany)

Factors causing uncertainty for individuals making career decisions

There are hardly any recent studies or surveys in Germany specifically researching career uncertainty. There are several long-term studies (e.g. Shell Youth Study, Sinus study, etc.) that survey current state and trends of young people every four years. The most recent publication was in 2019 for Shell Youth Study and 2020 for Sinus Study. Neither of the studies therefore addressed topics of high uncertainty (e.g. pandemic, war, or climate change). One more recent study is the trend study “Youth in Germany. Youth in permanent crisis mode - climate, war, corona”, published in Summer 2022. However, the study only gives general insight into work-related statements but does not specifically focus on individual career choices. Another study is from Bertelsmann Stiftung about “Vocational orientation in the third year of Corona”, published in July 2022. The focus of this study is not on uncertainty in particular though it gives a general overview on career choices of the youth generation. 

According to the Shell Youth Study 2019, 93% of young people consider a secure job to be (very) important. If they are to set priorities, then most young people tend to prefer material aspects and job security and place the value of their work in a secondary position (Albert, Hurrelmann, & Quenzel, 2019). The Sinus Study 2020 also comes to similar conclusions, stating that it is important to almost all young people surveyed to have material security in life (Calmbach et al., 2020). 

Concerning career choices, the Sinus Study states, many young people feel uncertain about their career choice. Only a handful of the 14- to 17-year-olds surveyed have already clearly decided on a particular profession. In an interview, Dr. Christof Schleer, co-author of the Sinus Study, describes the majority of young people as rather mutedly optimistic. Hardly anyone is completely dissatisfied, but only a few are enthusiastic about their future. This is especially true of young people with low education, who often express existential concerns about their own circumstances. For many young people, the transition to adulthood and specially to working life is fraught with anxiety. Many of them worry whether their school performance is sufficient to be successful in the job search, whether they are up to the demands of today's working world and whether they will get along with superiors and colleagues (ibid.). 

These concerns are also reflected in the "Youth in Germany" trend study (summer 2022) in the list of the five most important aspects of a good (future) job. These are a good work-life balance (important to 88% of respondents), a good working atmosphere (87%), good supervisors (81%), job security (80%) and a high income (78%) (Schnetzer & Hurrelmann, 2022). 

In 2017, the German Youth Institute (DJI), one of the biggest social science research institutes in Europe, published a panel on how young people with lower secondary education (Hauptschulbildung) prepare for the transition to vocational training. This study mentioned in particular an increasing uncertainty among young people, especially regarding their vocational future. More than half of the young people interviewed have not yet made a career choice or were still unsure. Among young women and men with an immigrant background, this even applied to two-thirds. It became clear that, above all, continued school attendance is a possible alternative to direct transition to an apprenticeship. However, this step is often planned without a concrete career aspiration which means they do not attend school because they already have their sights set on a specific, possibly higher-quality occupation, but rather because they do not have any current occupational plans (Reißig et al., 2018). 

This might also explain why more than half of all students under the age of 18 want to start a university degree program (42%) or dual studies (11%) after graduating from high school and only a few are interested in starting an apprenticeship (17%), according to the trend study Summer 2022 (Schnetzer & Hurrelmann, 2022). 

The trend study “Youth in Germany” concludes that young people want a job that is fun, leaves them enough free time to and is paid well enough that they can afford to live well. A high sense of material security appears to be increasingly important to them, which can be attributed to the recent experiences during the pandemic and the war in Eastern Europe (ibid.). 

The results of the studies correlate with the typical characteristics of Generation Z (age group 1995-2009), the generation that is currently most concerned with the topic of career choice: 

• They are always online. Real life has merged with the digital. 
• Gen Z has great difficulty making decisions. There are too many options, too much information and too little time to think about the decision in a peaceful mood. 
• Youth is under enormous pressure to perform. Because they constantly compare themselves via social media with the (supposedly) beautiful lives of others, they feel bad and return to question the decisions they have already made. 
• Generation Z is highly non-committal. Whether it's a date or a new job, a decision is just interim until something better comes along. 
• Gen Z relies on the security of the family. Family support is more important today than ever before, as so many relationships of this generation are only maintained digitally and are not resilient in real life. Who will give you a hug when you're feeling down and a Like won't help (Schnetzer, n.d.)? 

These characteristics have a big impact regarding uncertainty when making career choices. This way, parents and peers play a significant and multifaceted role in the career orientation process. Parents are not only initiators and advisors, but also provide emotional support. Analysis and discussions with 14- to 17-year-olds for the Sinus study show that the support of parents often leads to the young people worrying less. However, parents often feel that they themselves are not sufficiently informed about all these tasks. Above all, they would like to see offers that suggest which occupations are best suited to their child's abilities. They also lack job descriptions, overview information about the range of career options, information about the future relevance of occupations, and pointers to job openings. Other information sources for young people mentioned are vocational orientation classes, class visits to the vocational information centre or career counsellors who visit the schools. These support systems become more important as school graduation approaches (Calmbach et al., 2020). 

The recent study of Bertelsmann Stiftung confirms the outstanding role of support parents play in career orientation, 73% of the young people named their parents when asked about who supported them. Among young people with a low level of schooling, support from parents is significantly lower (61%). Parents are followed by school/teachers (55%), the Internet (48%) and the vocational guidance service of the Employment Agency (36%). For young people with a low level of schooling, guidance services of the Employment Agency are much more important (52%) (Barlovic et al., 2022). 

Taking the flow of information into perspective, the Bertelsmann Stiftung study states that more than half of the young people feel well to very well informed by their schools and believe that there is enough information available. However, one in four also say it is difficult to find one's way around in it (ibid.)

References

Albert, M., Hurrelmann, K., & Quenzel, G. (2019). Jugend 2019-18. Shell Jugendstudie: Eine Generation meldet sich zu Wort. Beltz. English Summary available here. [27.07.2022] 

Barlovic, I., Burkard, C., Hollenbach-Biele, N., Lepper, C., Ullrich, D. (2022). Berufliche Orientierung im dritten Corona-Jahr. Eine repräsentative Befragung von Jugendlichen 2022 [engl. Title: Vocational orientation in the third year of Corona]. Only available in German. [27.07.2022] 

Calmbach, M., Flaig, B., Edwards, J., Möller-Slawinski, H., Borchard, I., Schleer, C. (2020). Wie ticken Jugendliche? Only available in German. [27.07.2022] 

Reißig, B., Tillmann, F., Steiner, C., Recksiedler, C. (2018). Was kommt nach der Schule? Wie sich Jugendliche mit Hauptschulbildung auf den Übergang in die Ausbildung vorbereiten [engl. Title: What comes after school? How young people with lower secondary education prepare for the transition to vocational training]. Only available in German.  

Schnetzer, S. (n.d.). Übersicht Generation Z [engl. Title: Overview Generation Z]. Only available in German. [27.07.2022] 

Schnetzer, S., Hurrelmann, K. (2022). Trendstudie – Jugend in Deutschland. Jugend im Dauerkrisen-Modus – Klima, Krieg, Corona [engl. Title: Youth in Germany. Youth in permanent crisis mode - climate, war, corona]. Only available in German. [27.07.2022]

Approaches for helping clients deal with uncertainty and for helping career practitioners manage stress

To prepare this section, a survey with two open questions was sent out to guidance counsellors of the German federal employment agency. 24 guidance counsellors took part in the survey and gave interesting insights into how they help their clients to deal with career uncertainty and how they help themselves.

Question 1: What sort of approaches do guidance counsellors use to help their clients who are dealing with career uncertainty?

One aspect some of the participating guidance practitioners talked about was the attitude. The systemic approach was mentioned several times. This implies first of all a positive view of humanity and a holistic view of people with their goals, current problems, individual resources and personal development challenges on the basis of a solution-oriented attitude. It further focuses on the unfolding of previously unused potential and the development of a positive, meaningful future. Many of the participating guidance counsellors mentioned as key words the analysis and identification of the client’s strengths, hobbies, interests or personality factors in order to help him/her with uncertainty. This way, focus is taken away from the problem.

It expresses a strong appreciation for the client and does not see him or her in isolation but as a system with all its characteristics, circumstances and social contacts. In this context, one guidance counsellor mentioned specifically the view on the client’s personal network.

Within the systemic approach, one guidance counsellor explicitly mentioned the constructivist attitude, which stands for the attitude that every person interprets and evaluates the things and events around him/her and constructs his/her own worldview from them. This worldview in turn determines the behaviour of the individual.

Other guidance counsellors mentioned in this context the importance of creating a trusting environment, e.g. by taking clients seriously addressing their fears. Furthermore, it is necessary to be accessible and reachable as well as to meet the clients where they are and understand their fears and uncertainties.

In order to understand the client's fears, comprehensive and in-depth counselling is required ("talking, talking, talking"). The counselling interview must be customised for each client. The use of open-ended questions is hereby inevitable.

It is important to clarify the kind of insecurity. Three different types were mentioned in the survey:

• Uncertainty due to difficulty of making a decision
• Uncertainty due to lack of information
• Uncertainty due to financial problems

Each type of uncertainty requires a different approach and method. When there is a lack of information, it is important to identify the information needed and to support the clients in a way that they receive the information and are able to find it themselves in the future. If there is uncertainty related to financial problems, it can also be helpful to educate clients about possible solutions and options on financial aid.

Most of the other methods mentioned deal in one way or another with the difficulty of making a decision and, above all, with the issue of getting to know oneself better in order to understand one's interests and abilities. Various types of self-assessment tests (online and offline) are particularly helpful in this regard. Other methods include the Card Sort method, which helps narrow down possible career fields. In addition to self-assessment, it is also useful to do an external assessment. A very practical way to find out if an occupation really suits well, is to do an internship in potential fields. To help in the decision making process, a decision matrix (sample see attachment) may help as well as determining certain decision making criteria.

Uncertainty concerning the application process and invitation to job interviews, can be dealt with by application and interview training.

Some of the guidance counsellors who participated in the survey also mentioned methods for how they deal with uncertainty in general. One guidance counsellor wrote:

One common method is reframing. Hereby, uncertainties are seen as possibilities. This method is often used in the systemic approach. In general, systemic methods and question techniques (e.g. Hypothetical questions, Miracle questions, Differentiation questions, etc.) are very useful in this process.

Others mention talking with the client about possible contingencies and to show alternative ways. One guidance counsellor quotes from recent studies, while another one uses hands-on wire exercises to help clients with severe tension.

Since all participating guidance counsellors work for the Federal Employment Agency, FEA specific methods are also mentioned, such as the possibility of involving in-house psychologists of the occupational psychology service. Furthermore, the FEA offers several measures, e.g. long-term internships for those who are unable to enter a vocational training or study programme right away.

Question 2: What sort of approaches do guidance counsellors use to help themselves deal with work uncertainty related stress?

The answers of many of the participating guidance counsellors show how important a positive attitude is. In a way, they use the method of reframing for themselves, when they describe seeing the positive sides of change. In particular, some guidance counsellors say that they are generally open to new things and approach change with optimism and curiosity. It also helps to strengthen their own self confidence. A few guidance counsellors relate the issue to their clients’ uncertainty, mentioning that it does not stress them out due to their professional distance. One guidance counsellor points out how important it is not to remain passive in a stressful situation, but to actively talk about it and analyse the situation. Another one advises getting support from others when needed.

Approaches that are used to deal with work uncertainty related stress can be divided in two sections: during working hours and outside working hours. During working hours, coaching, supervision, collegial counselling, regular case discussions and informal exchange among colleagues are mentioned several times. Peer support in particular is very important, especially since not every team manager sees the necessity for coaching or supervision. The informal exchange among colleagues is also mentioned as helpful, as well as self-reflection.

Furthermore, it is essential to keep up to date with developments in the world of work and therefore to continuously educate oneself by doing self-organised research or making use of further training opportunities. In addition, it is a necessity to be connected and establish a network that can serve as a support system. In general, it is advisable to schedule small breaks into the daily work routine. The occupational psychology service is also available to colleagues when work-related stress becomes overwhelming they themselves need counselling.

Outside working hours, it is important to find a balance in order to release stress. The participating guidance counsellors mention hereby above all sports, yoga, meditation, autogenic training, reading and music. Furthermore, in addition to exchanges with colleagues, it is also helpful to have exchanges with friends and family.

Glossary of approaches used in Germany for managing uncertainty and increasing hopefulness in the context of career planning and decision-making

• Application training: This includes assistance with job applications (cover letter, CV) and preparation for interviews. It can be offered either individually or in a group. 
• Berufe.tv: BERUFE.TV is aimed at young people and adults who want to find out about apprenticeships, courses of study or other career-related topics and is an ideal introduction to the career choice process. Based on occupational and study fields, young people can quickly and easily discover training and study occupations. There are 420 films on training occupations, fields of study, occupational fields and other topics. www.berufe.tv 
• Berufenet: BERUFENET is an internet portal with detailed descriptions and picture series on training and further education occupations, fields of study, university occupations, occupations with different accesses as well as occupations without regulated training. www.berufenet.arbeitsagentur.de 
• Card Sort Method: Card-Sorting is a lightly structured procedure that is scientifically founded in the context of guidance counselling. In Germany, the Card Sort Method is created through visual images of typical professional tools/environments. For the client, the reflective sorting of job-related terms offers the opportunity to express one's own reflections and sensitivities and to become more aware of one's own professional interests, skills, values and needs. For the counsellor, who supports this process by critically asking questions, systematising and recording results, this process is informative in several respects: he/she gets to know the client's decision-making criteria and learns how the client approaches work tasks, how he/she makes employment-related decisions or what possibly prevents him/her from taking goal-oriented next steps. 
• Career Choice Roadmap (Berufswahlfahrplan): The Career Choice Roadmap is a tool for keeping track of important dates. It supports students in all phases of career choice: gain an overview, decide, apply.  
• Decision matrix (Entscheidungsmatrix): The decision matrix is a relatively easy-to-use, rational tool to support decision making. It is intended to help compare and evaluate different alternatives on the basis of selected criteria. The method is recommended in the context of professional consulting whenever the best choice for the customer is to be identified from a limited number of alternatives. Alternative approaches that are less rationally based are for example "Symbols as a decision-making aid" and "Empty chairs".

• Measures (Maßnahmen): Measures include qualification, training and other offers to help customers find or keep a job. For young people who have not yet found a vocational training opportunity yet and are still uncertain, there are various options funded by the employment agency, such as pre-vocational training measures or introductory qualification. 
• Network analysis: The method of (social) network analysis focuses on the social structure in which an individual is integrated. At the centre of the network is the respective person. The persons who are in a relationship - of whatever kind - to him or her are symbolised by dots. The connections between the individuals can be represented by lines, resulting in the image of a "network". 
• Occupational Psychology Service (Berufspsychologischer Service): The Occupational Psychology Service is an internal service of the federal employment agencies. It advises and assesses among others clients on vocational issues, e.g. psychologists carry out the career choice test (BWT), which is used in pre-employment vocational guidance. It supports the determination of vocational aptitude in young people interested in initial vocational training for many years. 
• planet-beruf.de is an internet portal with accompanying print media. It provides information on all topics related to career choice, application and vocational education and training. It helps pupils and young people in vocational orientation to become clear about their career planning. The portal is also aimed at teachers and parents/guardians, career counsellors and career guidance coaches. They can find out how to support young people in their career choice. www.planet-beruf.de
• Potential analysis: The potential analysis is used to find out strengths, interests and abilities. The aim is not to determine a career direction. Instead, the students can find out what they enjoy and what they are good at through hands-on exercises. The exercises range from craft tasks to group exercises in which the students work together to build a paper city, for example, or a sturdy bridge made of straws. After the exercises, the young people receive an assessment from trained observers on how they implemented the tasks. The observations can be carried out by educational specialists working for an educational institution or specially trained teachers from general education schools.  
• Self assessment tools: Through online exploration tools, young people and adults can find out how well the requirements of apprenticeships or undergraduate degree programs match their skills and interests. The tool is based on four psychologically based tests (Skills, Social skills, Professional interests and Professional preferences). For young people, there is CheckU, for adults NewPlan. 
• Study check: Studiencheck offers 24 course-specific knowledge tests (checks) for prospective students in the areas of mathematics and language and text comprehension. The checks examine the prerequisites for taking up a degree programme at a specific university and whether the school knowledge meets the requirements of the degree programme. This helps prospective students to better assess what is expected of them in a specific degree programme. www.studiencheck.de 
• Study choice: Studienwahl.de is available online, but also as a print version. In addition to information on study programmes, types of higher education institutions and study applications, it contains information on financing a course of study, on funding opportunities, or on studying abroad. Terms from the world of higher education are explained in the University ABC. The Study Choice FAQ contains answers to frequently asked questions about studying, e.g. about living and studying. www.studienwahl.de 
• Systemic question techniques: Systemic questions are all those questions that aim to make people aware of connections in the individual system. They focus on how people see them and how they act and deal with each other on the basis of these views. Typical forms of questions and interventions are used, e.g. circular questions, scaling questions, the miracle question, hypothetical questions or reframing.

4. National survey: Hungary

Cross Border Seminar "Hope in times of uncertainty"
Hungary Country Note
"Uncertainty, career decisions and the well-being of career practitioners"
(Author: Tibor Bors Borbely-Pecze)

Rationale

The Euroguidance Cross Border Seminar (CBS) will address factors causing uncertainty in career decision making as well as career practitioners stress management techniques in Riga 8-9th of November 2022. This background paper had been prepared to support the Riga discussion, and underline important trends, which have effect in Hungary as well and to pinpoint recent Hungarian studies in the given topics.

Global trends - local resonances 

Fukuyama (1992) declared the end of history just a year before the collapse of the Soviet Union (USSR). The article version was published in 1989. He argued that history is an evolutionary process, so after the downfall of the USSR only Western liberal democracy as a model will remain. In his peace theory he debated that mature democracies rarely or never go to war with one another. 

This linear progression approach was heavily criticized by many. As Mark Twain said; “History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” Since the collapse of the USSR, during the last 30 years a number of significant events have taken place that disprove the linearity of history. These megatrends have been shaping and reshaping the global landscape as well as local realities. Just to name a few of these: Climate Change, the rise of China as the second superpower, “9-11” 2001 terrorist attack in the USA, in 2009 the Lisbon Treaty entered into force and reformed many aspects of the EU, finally the “24th of February” (2022) events have been influencing our life at local levels. Even globalisation has no linear trend line as the Global GDP stood at 15.1 percent in 2015, right before the COVID-19 pandemic and was 19.7 percent before the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (Chandy&Seidel, 2016). More recently the global shortage of shipping containers, primarily caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, has led to drastic inflation in shipping and container prices and increased delay times for companies. This had direct implications on regional and national labour markets. Not only geopolitics and environment but also human technology has been changing our livelihood. A global Internet network contains billions of personal data, nowadays referred to as the “Big Data” revolution. Since the late 1980’s VUCA as an acronym has become a key phrase for strategic management as it stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of general conditions and situations.

Impact on careers

Super-complex career information 

The traditional description of occupations is now being challenged by super-complexity (Barnett, 2000) – where even our frames of understanding are unstable – and a rapidly changing labour market (Borbély-Pecze, 2020). The challenge of shifting from a static matching approach to a more dynamic match has led to many new taxonomies and approaches. Career information provision for a well-informed career decision making process has become a challenge for most career support development agencies as well as a weak spot for career practitioners. Citizens/users as well as professionals have been overloaded with career information, but information might come through echo chambers or impartiality is not certified. 

Multiple career transitions 

Career transition is one of the most recurring concepts in the literature on modern labour markets. It relates to the changing nature of work and the new shape of the labour market. The Bureau of Labour Statistics counted 12 job/career changes during the lifespan of the average US worker in 2017 (BLS, 2017). EU figures have been catching up. In the United Kingdom an average worker experiences six different job roles throughout their working life. Career paths are becoming more fluid. The traditional three-stage model of education, employment and retirement is dead and now we live in a multi-stage model with several transitions. (OECD, 2020).

Hungary

The definition of career decision making went through a fundamental change during the last three decades in Hungary. During the years of Communism, career was more about fitness for work and occupations and it was not based on individual needs (Borbély-Pecze & Hloušková, L. & Šprlák, 2022). As a contradiction, in the 1990s, career had a negative connotation, as in somebody is “careerist, pushy or a trouble-maker’. By the 2020s this perception had been changed again and the term is now much closer to the original meaning. Still, it is often debated whether everybody has a career, or career means something extraordinary (such as to be an elite athlete or a scientist, politician, company director etc.). Even the Hungarian literature of career guidance reaches into modern career theories. For example the most widely used Hungarian definition puts the emphasis on the individual decision and the role of meaningful working life as; "the individual chooses an occupation independently, according to the opportunities available to them, activity which enables him/her to create value for society and/or for himself or for herself." (Szilágyi, 2000). Still in 2019, in a large sample career education survey (n=9264) most of the 8th grade students (65%) identified their parents as proper career decision makers and information providers (Kenderfi, 2019). 

Career decisions and uncertainty

Career decisions and uncertainty 

Uncertainty in career decision making is a well-documented field of research in Hungary. In this short overview a few recently published research papers are covered (Kiss, 2009, Lukács, 2012, Török, 2017, Tudlik, 2021, Oltenau, 2022). We may not be able to identify the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic or the Ukraine-Russian War as direct reasons for a higher level of career uncertainty, even with the most recent research of Oltenau, 2022 and Tudlik, 2021. Moreover, the end of the traditional three-stage model of career is present in these researches. Firstly, the extension of individual life stages (e.g. exploration may not stop at age 25 as Super (1980) originally pointed it out, and secondly, modern career is full of temporary jobs, which may hinder the fulfilment of other life roles also suggested by Super. The Poorly Integrated New Entrants (PINEs) issue (Bell&Benes, 2012) can be observed in Hungary as well. The following quotations are taken from the authors as a literature review.

Secondary education and higher education

Kiss (2009) - based on two samples from Hungarian higher education - further developed the original self-efficacy model (Bandura, 1993). He used 523 paper-based test results and additionally 1870 online answers. The construct of life competence and general self-efficacy were previously examined by several authors. The research examines a system the perceived effectiveness of a person in relation to different life management tasks of the person's experience of life's tasks. It captures a pattern between the skills that are critical for life skills, and the related experience of self-efficacy (Kiss, 2009).

The aim of the Lukács (2012) study was to reveal the cognitive and emotional factors of career indecision, as well as to define types considering the characteristics of career indecision among samples of secondary school and university students.

683 secondary school students took part in the first study. 219 female university students answered the inventories in the second study. Based on her research, Lukács (2012b) identified the following categories:

The path seeker type can be characterized by a high level of identity, balanced time orientation, high academic motivation, good results at school and high self-esteem.
The members of the ready to decide group have better results in terms of identity, time orientation and self-esteem than the choice anxious and the chronic indecisive, at the same time they fall behind in their achievement and academic motivation compared to the path seeker group, the reason for which is yet to be found out by further studies.

The type of the choice anxious constitutes a relatively small proportion of the entire high school student sample. The individuals belonging to the group score low on the commitment, the exploration and the ruminative exploration scales, as well as on both possible outcomes of identity crisis (identity synthesis and identity confusion).

The members of the chronic indecisive type constitute more than one quarter of the sample (N = 190, 29,73 %). The individuals are characterized by a low level of commitment and high ruminative exploration.

Secondary education

Török (2017) used the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale based on a sample of special education secondary school students in Hungary. The research sample comprises students of typical development and secondary school students with a sound mind who qualify as students of special educational needs based on the opinion of the expert and Rehabilitation Committee.

(source: Török, 2017)

The author found a moderate degree of positive significant correlation between career decision self-efficacy and self-esteem on both samples.

A recently published Ph.D. thesis of Oltenau (2022) used the adaptation of the Career Decision-making Difficulties Questionnaire, CDDQ (see: Gati, Krausz, et al., 1996) alongside the Career Factors Inventory, CFI (Chartrand et al. 1990). The research compares the results of the examination of questionnaires filled in by 544 grammar school and secondary school students who study in institutions of public education. 507 students took part in the questionnaire-based research, while 37 students participated in the pilot training that was designed to promote career decision-making.

The sample serving as the basis of the questionnaire analysis includes 507 high school and secondary school students, who are between 15 and 19 years-old. The gender rate in the sample is: 56.8% female (n=292), 42.4% male (n=215). The results of secondary school students show that both questionnaires suggest moderate level career decision-making difficulties. Among these results, the following factors have a considerable impact: general indecisiveness, general uncertainty, harmful misconceptions and the need for more information about careers. 16-year-olds struggle with serious career decision-making difficulties on the wide scale of examined variables that have been based on the research results of questionnaires. The need for concrete forms of career decision-making support appears in the age groups of 17- and 18-year-olds. The age group of 17-year-olds is faced with the pressure of the need for the choice in career decision-making.

Tudlik (2021) original field research took place in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County (Northern-Eastern part of Hungary). She covered 490 secondary grammar school students in 2020. Her main research question was to map the relation between career decision making uncertainty and the available career services. Her key findings were:

• at grade ten (age 16) is the strongest need for the development of self-awareness
• students usually have access to 3-4 types of career education activities, open career school days are the most popular
• there was no correlation between the number of career services taken and level of career decision making uncertainty
• however the individual absorption level of career information is linked with the level of self-awareness and negative career anxiety therefore this can be used as an indicator.

Coping with stress and career practitioners

It is almost impossible when addressing uncertainty, stress management in the career services as well as describing the well-being of individual counsellors not to mention the pandemic. Based on a recent research (Tajtiné Lesó & Borbély-Pecze & Juhász & Kenderfi, 2020) it is clear that Hungarian guidance professionals lost many of their clients during the lockdown period and were pushed by the circumstances “to be creative” and resolve their own client management. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) was a well known buzzword during the lockdown period. The quarantine of institutions, the rapid depopulation of schools, universities, chambers, and most workplaces due to the coronavirus has also put the Hungarian career guidance and counselling profession in an extraordinary situation. Although the country has several strategies adopted and under implementation in public services and human services (education, training, employment), some of the career counsellors have been left alone during the COVID-19 closures.



The lack of data protection was mentioned as a problem by many when using the platforms (mixing up personal and professional identities of the counsellors), which is an important element because counsellors have to comply not only with the GDPR, but also with their own institutional data privacy policies. Respondents were unanimous in their lack of a centrally operated and continuously updated career information platform that would cover all types of training.

Similarly to public education, within vocational training and employment services, career guidance and counselling are essentially based on personal presence although they have been digitally prepared for decades. Our main findings were in line with the key outcomes of the international reports, as a Russian guidance researcher explained; ‘All attempts to do what they did before, only remotely, look home-grown and artisanal.’ (Cedefop, European Commission, ETF, ICCDPP, ILO, OECD, & UNESCO, 2020 p. 39.).

Stress management exercise based on the short survey among Hungarian career practitioners

We also asked a small sample (n=4) of Hungarian practitioners about their stress-relief strategies during and after work. In addition to music, yoga, sports and other recreational activities, some counsellors also participate in regular case group meetings and supervision. Based on the answers and the literature review it is very clear that Hungarian guidance practitioners and researchers put a special emphasis on positive feedback to the client. Based on a recent national research about the influence of the teacher's personality and his/her role as a mediator in educational counselling; “Professionals working in educational (career) counselling are role models, good judges of character, positive with a positive outlook on life, the ability to lead, a planned and conscious personality.” (Kissné, 2016).

Conclusions

The contemporary Hungarian literature review suggests that the relation between self-esteem and self-efficacy is important. Modern career development tools and techniques are available in Hungary, and even more importantly as Hungarian is a unique language, are available in Hungarian. The high level of uncertainty of the current years (COVID-19, Russian-Ukrainian War in the neighbourhood, high inflation rate) may change people’s mind-set when looking for a career or a job, but so far these geopolitical and technological changes do not create an even higher level of uncertainty as the citizens of a transition country already have related experience for centuries. Based on the World Value Survey (WVS) time series Hungary has been moving toward a more Orthodox value structure (still inside the Catholic cluster) where traditional-survival mixture of values play an important role (Haerpfer, C. et al. 2022). The desire for security is also likely to be reflected in career aspirations and career decision risk-taking as well.

References

Bandura, A. (1993): Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning.in Educational psychologist, 28(2) 117-148 

Barnett, R. (2000). University knowledge in an age of supercomplexity Higher Education 40 pp. 409–422

Bennett, N. & Lemonie, G. J. (2014) What VUCA Really Means for You? Harvard Management Magazine https://hbr.org/2014/01/what-vuca-really-means-for-you

Borbély-Pecze, T.B., Hloušková, L. & Šprlák, T. (2022) Career/lifelong guidance systems and services: continuous transformations in a transition region. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance 22, 67–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-021-09473-4

Bell, D, & Benes, K. (2012). TRANSITIONING GRADUATES TO WORK: Improving the Labour Market Success of Poorly Integrated New Entrants (PINEs) in Canada CCDF. Ottawa https://ccdf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/PINEs-Report-Executive-Summary.pdf

Borbély-Pecze, T. B. (2022b). Labour market management skills among career practitioners: tackling increasing complexity pp 10-120 in Cedefop, Digital transitions in lifelong guidance: rethinking careers practitioner professionalism: a CareersNet expert collection, Publications Office, 2021, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/539512

Borbély-Pecze, T. B. (2020) The changing relationship between people and their job – the validity of career information, British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 48:3, 430-437, DOI: 10.1080/03069885.2019.1621264

Cedefop, European Commission, ETF, ICCDPP, ILO, OECD, & UNESCO (2020). Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic: Results of a joint international survey June to August 2020. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/318103

Chandy, L. & Seidel, B. (2016). Is Globalisation’s second wave about to break? https://www.brookings.edu/research/is-globalizations-second-wave-about-to-break/

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Haerpfer, C., Inglehart, R., Moreno, A., Welzel, C., Kizilova, K., Diez-Medrano J., M. Lagos, P. Norris, E. Ponarin & B. Puranen (eds.). 2022. World Values Survey: Round Seven – Country-Pooled Datafile Version 3.0. Madrid, Spain & Vienna, Austria: JD Systems Institute & WVSA Secretariat. doi:10.14281/18241.16

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/OECD (2020). Promoting an Age-Inclusive Workforce. Living, Learning and Earning Longer. Paris https://doi.org/10.1787/59752153-en

Kenderfi M. (2019). Szülői pályaválasztási attitűdök 2019 avagy a szülők véleménye felső tagozatos gyermekük pálya- és iskolaválasztásával kapcsolatban. Budapest. Innokend Kft. {Parents role in career attitudes of the students} https://mkik.hu/download/175/szueloi-palyavalasztasi-attitudoek-2019

Kiss, I. (2009). Életvezetési kompetencia {Life management skill) PhD. Thesis ELTE PPK. Budapest https://ppk.elte.hu/file/phd_tezisek_kiss_istvan.pdf 

Olteanu, L. (2022). Educational Aspect of Career Choices. PhD. Thesis. EKKE Eger http://disszertacio.uni-eszterhazy.hu/93/3/Olteanu_t%C3%A9zisek%20angolul.pdf

Lukács, F. (2012). Kompetencia, motiváció és pályaválasztási bizonytalanság egyetemi környezetben. { Competence, motivation and career choice uncertainty in an university setting.} Felsőoktatási Műhely {Higher Education Workshop} 2012/3 pp 51-66. https://www.felvi.hu/pub_bin/dload/felsooktatasimuhely/FeMu/2012_3/FeMu_2012_3_51-66.pdf

Lukács, F. (2012b). The Connection of Career Decision and Identity Development Types of Career Indecision from the Perspective of Identity Statuses Ph.D. Thesis. ELTE PPK, Budapest https://ppk.elte.hu/file/lukacs_eva_fruzsina_tf_angol.pdf

Kissné Gaál Zs (2016). A pedagógus személyiségének hatása és mediátori szerepe a nevelési tanácsadásban – a vezetői attitűd jelentősége { The influence of the teacher's personality and his/her role as a mediator in educational in counselling - the importance of leadership attitudes} Opus et Educatio 2 (3) pp 161-173 https://epa.oszk.hu/02700/02724/00004/pdf/EPA02724_opus_et_educatio_2015_03_161-173.pdf

Super. D. E (1980). 'A Life-Span, Life-Space Approach to Career Development,' Journal of Vocational Behavior, 16(3), 282-298.

Szilágyi, K. (2000). Munka – pályatanácsadás, mint professzió, Kollégium Kft. Budapest {Career development and career counselling as a profession} 

Tajtiné Lesó, Gy., Borbély-Pecze, T. B., Juhász, Á., & Kenderfi, M. (2020). "Quarantine counsellors": domestic career orientation and career guidance during quarantine from the perspective of counsellors. {"Quarantine counsellors": national career guidance, career education during quarantine from the perspective of counsellors} Új Pedagógiai Szemle, 5-6. 39-58. https://epa.oszk.hu/00000/00035/00199/pdf/EPA00035_upsz_2020_05-06_039-058.pdf

Török, R. (2017). The characteristics and change patterns of career decision self-efficacy among secondary school students of special educational needs and those of typical development ELTE PPK. Phd. Thesis https://ppk.elte.hu/file/torok_reka_tezisfuzet_angol.pdf

Tudlik, Cs (2021). Pályaorientációs szolgáltatások és pályaválasztási bizonytalanság kapcsolata egy gimnáziumban {The relationship between career guidance services and career choice uncertainty in a grammar school} Képzés és Gyakorlat {Training and Practice} 2021/1 pp 163-171. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353228939_Palyaorientacios_szolgaltatasok_es_a_palyavalasztasi_bizonytalansag_kapcsolata_a_gimnaziumban

5. National survey: Portugal

Cross Border Seminar "Hope in times of uncertainty"
National survey: Portugal
(by Euroguidance Portugal)

Portugal information

In recent years, the panorama of career guidance interventions has been marked by a context of uncertainty, deeply impacted by the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but also by the significant increase in migratory flows and the reception of refugees in Portuguese territory. In this context, national institutions, both in the public and private sector, have mobilized a set of responses, from which we highlight, within the scope of this compendium, those that fall within the area of career guidance, both in its school and professional aspects.

By bringing more uncertainty, demands and challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic made the intervention of guidance practitioners even more important, considering that, although many aspects of people's lives have been forced to be placed "on hold", the reality is that the process of career building throughout life cannot fail to happen. In that response, it is important to maintain the interventions in the field of guidance for the different age groups.

Intervening in vocational psychology at a time when change and instability are the hallmarks of society, and when transitions throughout life take place in a less normative way than before, is a challenge. In this context, as important as helping citizens to reflect on the content of their decisions, is to envisage an intervention in this area, which promotes personal development and facilitates the acquisition of adaptability skills to cope with changes in their environment. In a context of unpredictability like the present one, it is important to consider that this may constitute an opportunity to assume the role of an active participant in the creation of one's own future. Thus it is necessary to raise awareness for the development of attitudes of continuous planning and careful observation of opportunities in the environment, contributing to the development of career management skills.

In this section, we will list below a set of guidelines issued by entities with competences at the level of technical and scientific support to guidance professionals. The Portuguese Psychologists Order has published a set of guidelines containing recommendations for guidance interventions, differentiating approaches according to the target audience of the interventions.

In terms of interventions with students, a set of recommendations are listed that aim to ensure the continuity of interventions in order to resume the processes of vocational decision-making support. The clarification of the students' personal, vocational and professional projects and decision making should be ensured as a way to guarantee the maintenance and conclusion of the ongoing processes, particularly in students who are in transition stages in their academic pathway (changes of education cycle). This intervention should also be adapted so that it can take place at a distance, either individually or in small groups, using different resources available in digital format for self-directed exploration. Whenever possible it is desirable to involve teachers and parents. At the level of interventions with adults of working age, this Guide emphasises the importance of considering the context of uncertainty in which many young people find themselves at the moment they are in a normative phase of transition to the labour market. Facing a scenario of greater uncertainty, of a still worsening economic crisis, in which unemployment rates increase and companies retract their hiring efforts, the role of guidance practitioners becomes even more necessary.

The importance of guidance practitioners mobilizing working procedures based on distance modalities to ensure continuity of interventions is advocated.

The work with citizens may point to the development of personal career management attitudes (vocational exploration, defining objectives, outlining and implementing action plans, monitoring and getting feedback), as well as to the promotion of active job search skills. In this respect, the role of technologies in the access to labour market information is highlighted. An approach to the market focused on existing needs may be more effective, and the construction of a positioning message and good tools for professional promotion may be a differentiating advantage. The promotion of job shadowing and professional mentoring programs may also be an advantage.

In line with the recommendations mentioned in the Guide above, the Ministry of Education of Portugal has worked to fulfil its duties regarding technical and scientific support to guidance professionals who develop their work in school contexts. Given the exceptional situation in which we live, fighting the pandemic of the disease COVID-19, the Ministry has sought to monitor the needs felt by students, professionals and families, in order to overcome the contingencies that distance imposes on actions characterized by a predominantly face-to-face intervention. Currently, with the possibility of new restrictions on face-to-face work, in the context of the provision of career guidance interventions for students, it is urgent to offer a professional support system to help educational psychologists in the current circumstances of their intervention, making them more resilient.

The Ministry of Education has produced guidelines on distance intervention modalities in which the advantages of information and communication technologies and distance interventions have been emphasized in the promotion of career development. These include the ease of access to guidance practitioners (when guidance is not otherwise possible), the multiple contents, the ease of research and storage of information, as well as the interest that this means of research can trigger in students.

On the other hand, the above set of recommendations also alerts us to the need to take some precautions, namely regarding the quality of the resources made available, the support/guidance of the technician in exploiting these resources, and also the issues of confidentiality and equity in access.

Turning now to the context of uncertainty, focusing on the phenomenon of migratory flows and people in temporary reception situations, we found that several initiatives and guidelines were implemented that aimed to support the development of orientation interventions, within the scope of the work to be developed with migrant and refugee populations.

The work with these populations raises a significant set of difficulties, imposing the implementation of adequate responses, within which the Career Guidance interventions may play a structuring role in the development of integration plans adequate from the point of view of the reality and singularity of each citizen in a situation of vulnerability, but also aligned with the reality and context of the host country.

In the educational context, the Ministry of Education has disseminated a set of information and guidelines (https://www.dge.mec.pt/sites/default/files/Projetos/Criancas_jovens_refugiados/orientacoes_para_o_acolhimento_a_integracao_e_a_inclusao_de_criancas_e_jovens_ucranianos_refugiados.pdf) (https://www.dge.mec.pt/sites/default/files/Projetos/Criancas_jovens_refugiados/guia_acolhimento_mena_agosto2020.pdf), aiming for schools to mobilise the appropriate educational teams and specialised technicians to facilitate the integration of migrant and refugee pupils, with particular relevance here to the mobilisation of school psychologists, ensuring that their action is coordinated with the most appropriate educational teams according to the type of intervention to be implemented.

The Portuguese Psychologists Order (OPP), as a professional association of reference for technicians who, in Portugal, implement orientation interventions, published the Guidelines for Professional Practice within the scope of Psychological Intervention with Refugees and Asylum Seekers. The Guidelines are based on the aspirational dimension of the Code of Ethics, as well as on the precepts of our founding Law, serving, not as a regulatory document, but as a basis of guidance for Psychologists in the resolution of ethical and professional dilemmas.

The Guidelines for Professional Practice result from the synthesis of international recommendations and good practices adapted to the specific characteristics of the Portuguese reality, which are supported by the Code of Ethics that regulates the activity of Psychology.

Information on the intervention of Psychologists with refugees and asylum seekers in Portugal has not yet been systematized. It is known that there are professionals in governmental and non-governmental entities with specific activity in this area, as well as in several general services (municipalities, schools, health services, among others) who have, or will have in the future, contact with refugees. The above-mentioned Guidelines for Professional Practice are addressed to the various guidance practitioners who contact and/or work with this population, either within these services or in other services.

Guidance practitioners should promote the employability of refugees and asylum seekers. The integration of refugees and asylum seekers into workplaces is a good practice for promoting human and social capital, contributing to their adaptation process, sense of control and autonomy. In Portugal, psychologists have competencies to promote the employability of refugees and asylum seekers through direct interventions (e.g. how to write a CV, interview preparation, skills training) or through the development of programmes on career management skills and mastery of a new language. They should also encourage leaders and employers to include diversity in their vision and organisational goals/outcomes and to hire refugees and asylum seekers. Transparent recruitment processes in which diversity is clearly valued will be perceived as fairer and may encourage refugees and asylum seekers to apply. Once in organisations, developing integration and welcoming systems are essential for them to be able to carry out their roles and tasks, understand the organisational culture and establish relationships with other workers.

It is in this context of connection with the employment and vocational training sector that the Portugal for Ukraine initiative emerged. This programme is an initiative of the Government of the Portuguese Republic to support citizens of Ukraine who wish, for reasons of armed conflict and humanitarian issues, to reside in Portugal. In these situations of calamity, civil society and specifically Portuguese companies also mobilize and make themselves available to welcome and hire these citizens.

The Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP, IP) participates in the national efforts to welcome citizens from Ukraine to Portugal, which naturally includes their social and professional integration. In this context, IEFP IP intends to promote the social and professional integration of citizens from Ukraine, identifying and mapping the skills of the Ukrainian workers welcomed and their places of reception/residence to available job offers. The IEFP IP will contact potential candidates, if there is a compatibility to the profile required by the companies that express such interest.

The Ministry of Labor created a platform to collect available job offers for Ukrainian refugees arriving in Portugal.

Within the scope of direct work with migrant and refugee populations, we should also mention the initiative of the Mentors for Migrants Programme, which is an initiative promoted by the High Commission for Migration (ACM, I.P.) and developed throughout the country by a number of local partners. The responsibility of the ACM, I.P. (https://www.acm.gov.pt/-/apoio-a-integracao-de-pessoas-refugiadas) is, within the terms of reference of its assigned attributions, to support the integration of refugees, including those relocated, resettled and spontaneously in need of international protection. The Migrant Mentors Programme aims to promote experiences of exchange, mutual help and support between volunteers (Portuguese citizens) and migrants (emigrants and immigrants) and/or refugees.

The Migrant Mentor Programme has the following objectives:

• Providing support, follow-up and guidance in order to solve immigrants' difficulties or concerns, with a view to their integration.
• Provide ways to connect, accompany or support the return of Portuguese emigrants.
• Provide support, follow-up and guidance in resolving the difficulties or concerns of refugees that our country receives.
• To promote equal opportunities and raise awareness of the richness of diversity.
• To promote volunteering, active citizenship and the positive exchange of experiences.
• To contribute to the personal, social and organisational enrichment of the people and entities involved.

This Programme allows mutual knowledge, where differences are blurred in the resolution of similar difficulties, concerns and challenges of everyday life, offering the following opportunities:

• The immigrants who are mentored have the opportunity to solve a need or receive support to make a dream come true.
• Mentored refugees have voluntary support in their arrival and reception in Portugal.
• Mentored emigrants who have decided to return can count on support and guidance to find adequate solutions for the construction of their new personal and professional project in Portugal.
• The volunteer mentors can, from this experience, further develop their personal skills, openness to diversity and the opportunity to exercise their participative citizenship.
• On their side, the associated entities see this experience as an opportunity for personal enrichment of their employees as well and, therefore, for the environment and organisational culture.

Migrants and refugees

Since 2016, the Fundão Seminar is a Reception Center for migrants, refugees and seasonal workers, under the supervision of the Municipality of Fundão, in the center of Portugal. In September 2018, the Municipality responded to the international humanitarian appeal to welcome a group of 19 refugees from the Boat Aquarius and also to a request from António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations and a native of Fundão. The response to this reception involved coordination work between the Municipality and the services of the governmental areas of Internal Administration and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Foreigners and Borders Service and the High Commissioner for Migration.

To date, they have welcomed 251 asylum seekers who move for different reasons, of different nationalities, and who find their first place of welcome here. They work on their reception, integration and empowerment with the support of a multidisciplinary team, made up of psychologists, social workers, sociocultural animators, translators and intercultural mediators, jurists and specialized technicians.

The Office for Inclusion and Cultural Diversity (GID) is located at the Center for Migration. Daily they accompany all citizens and each one individually in the areas of health, education, work, documentation, housing and learning the Portuguese language. The GID is attentive and guarantees the answer to all the needs and vulnerabilities that these citizens present, due to forced displacements in the context of war and persecution.

Intervention phases:

1. Hosting – guarantee accommodation and essential goods; monitoring and referral to specialized responses in the area of health.
2. Integration – provide courses in Portuguese as the Host Language, integrate into the labor market, into schools and enhance professional training; support in documentation processes with the Aliens and Borders Service, Social Security and other entities; develop recreational, cultural and sports activities.
3. Autonomization - Elaboration of Life Plans; enable training in financial and social autonomy; support in finding and moving house, with access to a Home Grant made available by the Municipality to migrants; continuously monitor the process of citizen empowerment, with the aim of providing the conditions for an autonomous life.

Regarding the process of integration into the labor market, 44 Ukrainian citizens are already working, and in the municipality of Fundão, the average time between the date of arrival in the municipality and integration into work is 6 months. Regarding the school integration process, 89 minors are included in the municipality's school clusters and 5 are in the process of being included in higher education. Regarding the process of empowerment, 113 citizens are living in the Fundão Migration Center, 76 in autonomous houses and 31 citizens live in SOS Ukraine houses, with support from the Municipality and the Fundão community. The average time between reception and empowerment is 15 months.

At the local level, and like other low-density regions in Europe, the Municipality of Fundão faces the socio-demographic and economic challenges of an aging population, desertification and, consequently, the lack of manpower, especially in the agricultural and industrial sectors. To counter these trends, over the last few years the Municipality has developed local policies to attract permanent residents through programs such as “Move to Fundão” and “Inovar”. As a result of these policies, Fundão took on the status of “Municipality Friendly Toward Migrants and Diversity” and, in 2020, was distinguished with the “Municipality of the Year” award, for the work of welcoming and integrating migrants carried out at the Center for Migrants of the Municipality of Fundão.

New challenges are imposed on the municipality, which must anticipate the needs of its community, placing at the forefront of municipal strategies:

• Housing – availability of a housing catalogue published in several languages that allows access to decent housing and affordable rents;
• Training – creation of a Training Center for Third-Country Nationals, through the Fundão ACOLHE Project, training new arrivals to reinforce the supply of qualified labour, essential for the business fabric of an entire region;
• Autonomization – individualized monitoring with training strategies and tools in financial, social, educational and housing autonomy that guarantee full integration of the new arrivals;
• Portuguese Language – establishment of partnerships with Training Schools for learning Portuguese as the Host Language, at the Center for Migration, aimed at social and labor integration;
• Transport Network – the creation of a transport network that facilitates the journey from home to the workplace was established as one of the objectives of the municipality.

It is expected and intended to be able to attract, retain and integrate around eight thousand migrants in the next ten years, both in the more traditional areas and in the technological areas. The municipality wants them to come with their families and become integrated members of the community. They intend to share traditions, experiences and creativity. The objective is to create a multicultural community and make good examples to spread to neighboring regions.

Specifically, the municipality works towards the full integration of migrants from countries that do not belong to the European Union – the so-called “Nationals of Third Countries” (NPT) – in Portuguese society, through partnerships and local networks that promote and support social, labor, cultural and affective relationships between those who arrive and those who welcome them. Additionally, the continuous mobilization of the collective conscience of the Fundão society – itself already composed of locals and “new locals” – for the themes of diversity, dialogue between cultures, solidarity and cooperation – is a target.

Career development at schools

The exercise of a professional activity is one of the most important practices in the life of an adult individual, but it is in adolescence that, often, this subject generates anxiety in young people in the face of the incomplete knowledge of themselves, the possibilities of the learning and professional world and the construction of a life project. Faced with a world in constant and accelerated change, it is not only necessary to support these young people at this stage, but also to help them develop personal skills that allow them to deal with the changes necessary in the adjustment of their life-long life project. Thus, it is within schools that the process of vocational choice takes shape and is consolidated.

In this context of choices, the challenges imposed, both to vocational guidance and to education in general, go through the transformation and development of the characteristics of the young person. This should primarily be seen as "[...] a cross-cutting intervention parallel to student education [...]" (COIMBRA, 1995, p. 26), as a responsibility shared by the different actors of the educational community (KONIGSTED; TAVEIRA, 2010; STOP; CASTRO; COIMBRA, 1998).

In this multi-participation and longitudinal perspective of the school path, importance is given to the different educational agents that include parents, teachers and psychologists who specialize in vocational development, the latter having a fundamental role in the monitoring of young people, enhancing various modalities of individual and/or group intervention, from individual psychological consultation to orientation programs (GAMBOA; PAIXÃO; JESUS, 2011). The intervention involves the integration of vocational development in the global process of psychological development of individuals (CAMPOS, 1988), and the school has the role of facilitating a set of conditions in which young people are placed in relation to the world and in whose context they undergo experiences and perform learning that can influence their personal development (COIMBRA, 1995). To this end, it is necessary to challenge the exhaustive use of classical vocational guidance models and allow young people to develop their own perspectives on the world of work as well as their professional preferences.

In this context, and to support educational psychologists in the framework of Career Intervention, the Directorate-General for Education will provide a technical support instrument: the JANUS platform



The pandemic has brought about changes in the way interventions are made available, bringing a sharp increase in distance interventions. It was also necessary to support professionals from different sectors, but more specifically those of schools, in the use of online resources and in the use of ICT in interaction with pupils.

The JANUS platform allows a longitudinal intervention (from the 5th year to the 12th year of schooling), whose objectives are developmental. It contains:

• A set of activities related to the different dimensions involved in supporting transitions and career decision making, including exploration exercises, reflection and integration of practice, experiences and knowledge;
• The automatic provision of a portfolio for storage and sharing with psychologists, including results of activities and guided exercises performed by students;
• The uploading, by students and psychologists, of records relating to other relevant activities helping to integrate the career with other dimensions of life;
• The connection to reliable and up-to-date databases on educational and training provision, and the labor market;
• A Technical Manual for Psychologists.

In the current context, it is essential to develop tools that, ensuring all scientific, technical and deontological criteria, allow alternative and complementary forms of interaction in the development of guidance interventions. This instrument should be seen not only as a strategy to meet the challenges of this exceptional situation, but also as an opportunity to increase access to interventions, combining activities carried out autonomously with activities mediated by career advisers.

Bibliography

CAMPOS, B. P. Consulta psicológica e desenvolvimento humano. Cadernos de Consulta Psicológica, v. 4, p. 5-12, 1988.

COIMBRA, J. L. Os professores e a orientação vocacional. Porto: Universidade do Porto, 1995.

GAMBOA, V.; PAIXÃO, M. P.; JESUS, S. N. A eficácia de uma intervenção de carreira para a exploração vocacional. Revista Brasileira de Orientação Profissional, v. 12, n. 2, p. 153-164, 2011

KONIGSTEDT, M; TAVEIRA, M. C. Exploração vocacional em adolescentes: avaliação de uma intervenção em classe. Paidéia, v. 20, n. 47, p. 303-312, 2010.

PARADA, F.; CASTRO, M. G.; COIMBRA, J. L. A orientação vocacional como objetivo educativo transdisciplinar: análise do currículo enunciado do terceiro ciclo do ensino básico. Cadernos de Consulta Psicológica, v. 13, n. 14, p. 108-130, 1998

6. National survey: Serbia

Cross Border Seminar "Hope in times of uncertainty"
National survey: Serbia
(by Euroguidance Serbia)

Factors causing uncertainty in individuals making career decisions

In the labor market in Serbia, young people aged 15 to 29 represent 16.4% of the total population. Statistics show that young people in Serbia stay longer in the education system, which means that they enter the labor market later. This is reflected in the Law on Youth of the Republic of Serbia, where the term youth encompasses a wider age range– between 15 and 30 years of age – unlike in Europe, where young people are defined as those under the age of 26 (Regional Cooperation Council Western Balkans Youth Lab Project, 2022). 

Despite some developments and more opportunities to engage young people in NGOs and social initiatives, the youth in Serbia continue to face challenges. This is supported by the fact that 32.5% of young people aged 15 to 24 are unemployed, 15.9% of young people aged 15 to 24 are not in employment, education, or training, and 54% of young people do not work in a profession for which they have been educated or trained. In addition, 21.9% of students report feeling anxious at least once a week, and mental health services are not accessible enough. Further, 40% of young people aged 16 to 24 live at risk of poverty and social exclusion (UNICEF, 2022). 

In the last two years, when most regular activities have moved online, online career information and counseling has become even more important. Many people do not have access to career guidance and counseling services because these activities cannot be conducted in the usual way, which often involves longer counseling or face-to-face workshops with large groups. (Belgrade Open School, 2020). In addition, 42% of 755 young people surveyed claimed that they had not had any career advice, help with career choices or continuing education during their schooling (UNICEF, 2022). 

General uncertainty in the context of jobs and the economy can deepen the feeling young people already have – the feeling of insecurity and fear regarding future career development. Nowadays, career guidance and counselling are recognized as even more needed, with a growing number of unemployed people and disruptions in education. A survey conducted by the Belgrade Open School in 2020, several months after the beginning of the pandemic, showed that the most common difficulties faced by young people are a lack of information about education or finding a job, a lack of information about themselves, decision-making and career planning, but also unreliable information. 

According to another study (UNICEF, 2022) there are also difficulties such as limited job and internship opportunities, and a lack of necessary education, skills, and training. In addition, there is a lack of information about jobs and mentoring, as well as age restrictions for employment. Furthermore, coping with various career challenges and career transitions through education and from education to the labor market have also been recognized as problematic. 

Young people also believe that they need more practical experience through internships and more quality education to develop their skills. In addition, there is a need to harmonize professional skills with market demands and acquire skills such as communication and teamwork. 

The situation caused by COVID-19 has contributed to the fact that 46% of young people claim their view of the future has changed for the worse. Their biggest career concern is that they will not be able to find an adequate job and they see limited job and internship opportunities as the main obstacle. 

A review of activities and services in the field of Career Guidance and Counselling conducted by various stakeholders (NES, NGOs) shows that the dominant form of support for young people in career development are internships, which connect them with the labor market and employers, and help them develop soft skills (examples of good practice: “E2E - Education to Employment” project, Internships for young people with disabilities by the “Forum of young people with disabilities” NGO, “Promoting the employability of Roma people” project by the “Foundation for Education of Roma people” NGO, UNICEF’s platform biramuspeh.rs). 

On the other hand, career development platforms are gradually being developed in order to provide young people with educational and career opportunities, as well as to help them acquire competences and soft skills (examples of good practice: obrazovanje.rs, biramuspeh.com, karijera.bos.rs, dsi.rs, coca-colapodrskamladima.com). Furthermore, many companies within their learning and development departments have developed programs to support young people through engagement in summer internships (examples of good practice: Coca-Colapodrskamladima.com, Nestle, HART - Talent art). 

The role of civil society organizations in the past couple of years has been recognized as crucial in implementing various activities to reduce unemployment of young people in NEET categories (KOMS, 2022). 

Since educational institutions, youth organizations and companies have worked fully or partially online in the last two and a half years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, various services in the field of Career Guidance and Counselling have been developed and provided to users online (examples of good practice: workshops and webinars of the Foundation Tempus, Career Counsellor by the Belgrade Open School, Zoom Café by the Center for Career Development of the University of Belgrade).

Approaches to helping clients deal with uncertainty and career practitioners manage stress

To explore how career practitioners help clients deal with career uncertainty and help themselves cope with career uncertainty related stress, the Foundation Tempus – Euroguidance Center in Serbia conducted a brief survey among career practitioners in Serbia from May to June 2022. The survey was conducted through an online questionnaire created for this purpose and included 32 career practitioners from several cities in Serbia, employed mainly in secondary education (66% of respondents). 

Among the methods/techniques/approaches used to help clients cope with career uncertainty, the most prominent are workshops on the topic of career guidance and counselling, conducted by 87.5% of respondents. Many respondents use individual counselling (71.9%) and real meetings with professionals (50%). In addition, slightly less than a half of the respondents use informative publications and brochures (43.8%) and organize internship/job/education fairs (41%). 

Among all these activities, most of the surveyed career practitioners consider individual counselling to be the most efficient in helping clients to deal with career uncertainty (40.6%), while a slightly smaller number mention CGC workshops (31.3%). According to the results of the survey, individual counselling with clients is considered as the most effective since in this way clients’ needs are addressed individually and responded to as authentically as possible. On the other hand, workshops, with a significantly larger coverage, are also described as effective, because group work helps clients relax more easily – which means sharing experiences and concerns with peers who are in a similar situation. 

The survey shows that most career practitioners (46.9%) occasionally face stress resulting from frequent changes and developments in their work environment, while 31.3% stated that they are often stressed. 

When it comes to methods/techniques/approaches to cope with job related stress, most respondents mention leisure time (62.5%), i.e., spending time alone engaged in relaxing activities (e.g. reading, watching movies/TV series, listening to music etc.), as well as time spent with family and friends (53%). Furthermore, a significant number of surveyed career practitioners point out talking to colleagues in a similar situation as an effective way of coping with stress (46.9%), while playing sports (37.5%) and practicing relaxation techniques (28%) are reported as somewhat less effective in dealing with job-related stress.

Approaches career practitioners in Serbia use when working with individuals and groups to help them manage uncertainty and increase their hopefulness in the context of career planning and decision-making

• Individual counselling – an approach that involves direct communication, considering the person’s individual needs and capabilities. Individual career guidance and counselling includes the following activities (services): determining the person’s skills, competencies, motives and resources; psychological assessment ; counselling for choosing a profession or continuing education; consultations on the first job after graduation; consultations on career planning; counselling in referral for work, training, internship; support for writing a CV; help with job applications; practicing job interviews; work on overcoming personal difficulties; organizing on-the-job training. 
• Informative publications and brochures – information on various topics: lists of educational institutions or specific information about them, their departments, conditions for enrolment, activities they promote, opportunities for further employment and internship, etc. There are also brochures about occupations – descriptions of professions, requirements that need to be considered in terms of education, skills, knowledge, and abilities for working in specific fields, etc. 
• Internship and education fairs – events that provide information on different types of formal and non-formal education, high schools and universities, employment and career development opportunities in companies and available scholarship programs. University students, graduate students, and recent graduates in search of internships can apply for various internships and jobs and thus have their first work experience. In addition, elementary and high school students can learn about available high school programs and study opportunities. There are often workshops on how to prepare and write a CV and a cover letter, and apply for the desired internship. 
• Real meetings with professionals – In this area, people learn about interesting schooling and occupation opportunities in practice. The term "real meetings" refers to all direct encounters with the world of work, for example:
  • visiting workplaces and inquiring about occupations 
    
  • meetings with professionals 
    
  • job shadowing 
    
  • trying out an occupation 
    
  • in-company placement 
    
  • Girls'/Boys' Day 
    
• Workshops on the topic of career guidance and counselling – These workshops can be very diverse, both thematically and methodologically (using modern interactive techniques and training methods), designed for small or large groups of people. These workshops can focus on: 
  • self-awareness - recognizing one's own capacities, readiness for achievements, interests, and motivation 
  • information on occupations – available or new information about occupations, prepared in a structured way, to enable informed career choices 
  • education opportunities – information about schooling and career opportunities that lead to the desired profession 
  • real meetings – interviews with professionals and company internships through which people explore their desired occupation 
  • choosing an occupation – in this phase, people can make plans about their future education and/or occupation.

7. National survey: Slovakia

Cross Border Seminar "Hope in times of uncertainty"
National survey: Slovakia
(by Euroguidance Slovakia)

Factors causing uncertainty for individuals making career decisions

Within the last few pandemic years uncertainty has been an integral part of our daily lives. Furthermore it was a driving force behind significant changes within the labour market including an influence on career counseling. A changing work environment, changes in the flexibility approach and work culture endorsed by the Slovak government, ongoing digitalization across many sectors from economy to education are just a few reasons for clients to feel uncertain. 

Changes are ongoing and still ever evolving within the private and public sector. Digitalization brings great opportunities, yet at this point it is not clear which direction the market will go. Recently, we have also witnessed reconceptualisation of how careers are perceived across different generations. The younger generation, inspired by work flexibility in the IT sector, is considering nonlinear career paths more often, yet their career management skills and career ownership still need to be developed. An important aspect for individuals to make informed career decisions seems to be influenced also by data showing gaps between education system and labour market needs. 

Even though the ongoing curriculum reform includes a goal for the educational system to reflect changes on the labour market related to digitalization, automation, globalization of society and markets, the whole system transformation including career guidance is still in progress. The expected start date of implementation is January 1st 2023. 

Additionally, it should be stressed that recent geopolitical events on Slovakia's eastern border are an important source of uncertainty across all age groups and occupations. 

Despite ongoing changes in the work environment, the research and evidence base on their impact on career guidance and career paths of citizens is limited.

Approaches for helping clients deal with uncertainty and for helping career practitioners manage stress

New approaches to managing clients’ uncertainty during the career planning process were introduced by new training programmes provided by the Research Institute of Child Psychology and Pathopsychology (a public research agency) for teaching staff at schools and school facilities. These trainings are based on a holistic approach, multidisciplinarity and methods of experiential learning. They include training in new approaches which reflect the change in the overall paradigm of career guidance provision - from psychodiagnostics to employment of innovative (coaching) techniques, development of career management skills and self-exploration.

Information included below is based on interviews with practitioners of career guidance working mostly with teenagers, young adults and university students. It is also worth noting that the sessions more often than not include clients’ parents. 

It appears we may distinguish two main views: from a long term perspective uncertainty is related mostly to sector changes hence to career counselors and employers, short term uncertainty is more related to career decisions and therefore to clients themselves. A narrative where from time to time clients question their priorities or career path is not only normal, it may also be helpful when followed by reflection. Each client and their work situation is unique, hence approaches should be adjusted to the specific client’s expectations. Mapping their current needs (and when applicable also parents’ expectations) should be an integral part of any cooperation. 

Career counseling sessions should offer a safe place where clients are able to name their expectations and feelings attached to career path exploration. Then, it is important to support the individual and meet them where they are. Try to normalize whatever emotions the person brings with them - the situation is new, it makes sense that the client can feel uncertain about paths, choices, jobs and many other aspects. Whenever a client is stressed, we focus on some grounding techniques to reduce tension first. Then we focus on mapping skills, experience, and knowledge that the person already possesses. We think with clients about steps (remedies) that could help them in the current situation (brainstorming). It is crucial to strengthen the client’s trust in their ability to make informed decisions, to manage their career and to choose based on their individual priorities. 

It is a good idea to finish the session with a personalized action plan or call to action. It may be a question: what would be the smallest step you can make today to get closer to your goal by the end of today? Additionally, it is useful to share information, resources, books or links that clients can follow up with.

8. National survey: Slovenia

Cross Border Seminar "Hope in times of uncertainty"
National survey: Slovenia
(by Euroguidance Slovenia)

Factors causing uncertainty for individuals making career decisions

Individuals making career decisions have always been facing uncertainties, especially in career transitions. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, it has been a significant factor causing uncertainty, including uncertainty regarding making career decisions. The pandemic possibly increased already existing insecurities, also adding the social isolation aspect of remote working from home. 

The pandemic has significantly influenced the lives of young people, their feelings, views, and behaviours. The Youth 2020 study aimed to provide insight into changes in the social profiles of Slovenian youth and was implemented by the University of Maribor (Faculty of Arts) and University of Ljubljana (Faculty of Social Sciences) for the target group of 15-29 old youngsters (N = 1200), a poll and structured interviews were included. The main findings of the Youth 2020 survey (compared to the Youth 2010 survey): 

• Young people are more active, responsible and autonomous. They relocate from their parents’ home earlier and are more ready for mobility. They are more culturally and artistically active, and participate more in informal education. Moreover, young people are more flexible when searching for a job (52% would accept a job below their abilities for a lower salary, 85% would accept temporary employment, 92% would accept a job that demands new skills and knowledge). 
• Mental health and wellbeing of youth has deteriorated substantially. Feelings of stress have doubled, and feelings of loneliness tripled. The labour market situation is one of the sources of stress; young people express concerns also about other areas of life, such as lack of financing, failure at school or at work, unemployment and housing problems. Housing is a pressing problem that worries young people.
• Precarious work is a key problem for young people in the labour market, educational choices are more oriented towards the labour market, and readiness for (permanent) mobility is increasing. Fear of unemployment is increasing. On the other hand, more attention is given to the relevance of knowledge for the labour market. 
• Intergenerational conflict is not visible, but there are strong elements of sustainability and responsibility for future generations as well as a high degree of environmentally responsible consumer practices.
• Active citizenship is especially high. Young people are more socially engaged with less focus on institutional politics. 

In the last decades the individualisation of youth continues. Young people most often rely on informal social support networks (parents, partners, friends); parents remain the strongest actor, providing material and financial support as well as support in case of illness and job searching. The traditional permanent employment possibilities are often replaced by less secure, flexible employment, and new skills are often needed to fulfil the newly created vacancies. 

The Study about the influence of the pandemic on different aspects of life (SI-PANDA) was conducted by the National Institute of Public Health to provide an insight to understanding behaviours of individuals during and after COVID-19 epidemic in Slovenia. It was run from December 2020 to December 2021 and included around 1000 individuals from 18 to 74 years old. The data gathered provide key information about pandemic fatigue of the adult population as a natural and expected reaction to a long-term public healthcare crisis. The result of pandemic fatigue is also lack of motivation to respect recommended behaviours for self-protection that is influenced by individuals’ feelings, experiences and views. Similar surveys are also done in other European countries, with World Health Organisation-based methodology. The survey has been implemented as an online poll in 19 different repetitions, each focusing on a specific topic such as isolation or quarantine, mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, long-term COVID-19, restrictions, measures in the school system, etc. In the last survey wave, 23,4 % respondents 18 to 29 years old and 30 % respondents 30 to 49 years old experienced stress daily or often, the distribution of experiencing stress is similar in all runs of the survey, in general 20 % to 24,8 % respondents experience stress daily or often. Sources of stress included (37,7 % workplace overload, 34,8 % false information regarding SARS-CoV-2 virus and 31,7 % insecure financial future). Stress is experienced more with respondents with pre-existing depression (35,9 % respondents experienced it daily or often). Loneliness as a source of stress (11,1 %). Most respondents (82,2 %) managed stress easily or with a little effort, 13,3 % had trouble and 4,5 % had significant problems or could not manage stress at all. 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health can be seen directly (fear of infection, difficult illness, stigma) or indirectly (measures that forced us to change our way of living, changed what we were familiar with, such as limited social contacts, different work, restrictions of movement etc.). With more difficult access to healthcare services, also new mental distress will be harder to recognise and existing problems will deepen. Furthermore, the impact of COVID-19 on the economy can significantly affect the socioeconomic status of individuals and families, which can also influence the development of mental distress. The influence of the pandemic on lifestyles of children and youth (3 to 18 years old) was monitored by responses from their parents. According to their responses, the pandemic had the most negative influence on the children's social contacts with their peers and friends as well as their screen time, for 20 % family relations improved. 

Mental health disorders are a group of illnesses that contribute the highest burden to health of children and youth (Vinko, 2022). In the time of the pandemic, the National Education Institute Slovenia, the main national research, development and consultancy institution in the field of pre-school, primary and general secondary education, monitored mental health of children and youth directly with a few surveys as well as indirectly with feedback from school guidance counsellors and healthcare services. The main observations were (Vinko, 2022):

• School children in the first triad had less developed vocabulary and literacy, weaker reading skills, shorter concentration, additional time needed for homework, chatting and lower independence.
• School children in the second and third triad had slower thinking, weakened memorisation, restlessness, chatting, concentration problems, problems with goal setting and with some also less physical activity.
• Students in upper secondary education had increased sensibility to stimuli, such as surrounding noise, harder connecting with peers, problems with performing in front of the classroom, lack of motivation for schoolwork, decrease of physical activity and increased screen time. More successful students in school were also worried if remote schooling from home will give them enough knowledge for the desired university programme. There were more changes of schools, since information days were organised online, and the students did not get the whole picture about the school they were enrolling in.
• The perceived influences on mental health were an increase of psychosomatic or mental health issues, such as anxiety and impulsiveness. These problems even increased among children and youth that already have to cope with such issues. Guidance counsellors also noticed the increase of counselling interviews with children and youth. 

The Psychology department at Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana (Pirc and Pečjak, 2022) in cooperation with the National Education Institute Slovenia conducted a survey about psychosocial relationships of students before and during remote schooling from home in relation to their physical (social) wellbeing and cognitive functions. It included 1813 pupils (52,1 % girls) from the last 3 years of primary education from 21 schools from all Slovenian regions and 925 teachers of all classes in primary schools (87,8 % women).

Teachers and pupils responded to a set of questionnaires covering various aspects of remote schooling from home. In both target groups, they were researching ICT skills, personal resilience, the frequency of regular and additional contacts between teachers and pupils, the frequency of group work and the support and closeness of teachers. Additionally, with teachers, they also assessed teachers' empathy and perceived competence to consider pupils' emotional needs during remote schooling from home and their beliefs about the importance of psychosocial and learning aspects when returning to school.

The greatest contribution to pupils’ psychological well-being, which was measured as support and closeness by school friends and teachers, during remote schooling from home, was their personal resilience, group work in class, additional contacts with teachers and other pupils outside regular classes. However, teachers had more expressed beliefs that when they return to school, psychosocial aspects will be more important than learning, and their higher personal resilience predicts higher perceived competence to consider pupils' emotional needs and more frequent contact with pupils, which indirectly contributed to a greater sense of mental well-being. Moreover, the important role of school counsellors in promoting resilience in both pupils and teachers and the importance of teacher support and closeness with students for maintaining their psychological well-being was emphasized.

Guidance counselling is a helping profession and thus professionals are exposed to stress, indirect trauma and compassion fatigue (Litam in Šarić, 2022). Stress factors were increased during the COVID-19 epidemic (remote working, additional tasks) with less support, and maintaining one's mental health and wellbeing was more demanding. Changes in the ways of working during the pandemic that are/were sources of different emotional responses include overload due to new working tasks, adjusting and reorganisation of work; blurred border between public and private, for students as well as teachers; less informal contact among co-workers and loneliness at work; Zoom fatigue (Andel; Bennet; Pressley in Šarić, 2022). Unbalanced emotional stress leading to less desired professional and personal outcomes, lower productivity, increased risk for mistakes at work, identity confusion and dissatisfaction. Possible sources of personal strength and forms of support to maintain general emotional balance include development of resilience in emotional balancing strategies, widening coping skills strategies, such as reframing goals and expectations, motivation for active professional learning, development of empathy for oneself and others, etc. The importance of community, in the frame of which the emotions are developed, shared, regulated includes initiating networking, mutual learning, exchange of good practices, establishment of a support environment for joint problem solving (Šarić, 2022).

Approaches for helping clients deal with uncertainty and for helping career practitioners manage stress

Euroguidance Slovenia sent a survey to guidance counsellors in education and employment in May 2022 focusing on questions about approaches and tools they use in guidance:

• with clients that are insecure regarding choosing their career goals;
• with clients that have career goals, but who are worried that they might not be able to follow their career goals in an insecure future;
• to help themselves cope with stress, to deal with work uncertainty related stress.

Together 53 guidance practitioners responded, including school counsellors in primary and upper secondary education, career counsellors at universities, career counsellors at career centres for youth, guidance counsellors for NEETs, career counsellors at Employment Service of Slovenia and Eures advisers. Most frequently mentioned tools and approaches are described below.

Some approaches and tools used in guidance with clients that are insecure regarding choosing their career goals are:

• Individual counselling and structured interviews to identify the problems as well as to discuss the lifestyle they would like to live in future, to discuss skills, interests, challenges, fears, etc. Individual counselling also to review employment goals and competences with the unemployed.
• Tools such as SDS (self-directed search) test, e-counselling, interest tests “Kam in kako”, eVPP, personality trait tests, Test of vocational interests, JUMP cards, e-MFBT and other guidance tools, etc.
• Activity days for students, a competition for best representation of career path called “I know where I am going”, workshops, group work, lectures, fairs, etc.
• Web portals such as “Moja izbira”, dijaški.net, VKO točka or websites of schools (subjects, enrolments, educational programmes, enrolment calls by Ministry of Education, Science and Sport).
• Learning about professions (YouTube, descriptions of occupations, visits to local employers job shadowing, VR Job Avatar). 

Some approaches and tools used in guidance with clients that have career goals, but who are worried that they might not be able to follow their career goals in an insecure future include similar approaches as above. Additional focus is on individual counselling, encouragement, reflection, coaching, workshops, learning about oneself, motivation, labour market information (including job opportunities barometer with surplus and deficits in different occupations), possibilities for transitions, alternative goals, planning, including SMART goal planning and brainstorming.

Guidance practitioners to help themselves cope with stress and to deal with work uncertainty related stress state clear division between work and private life, setting clear boundaries and maintaining balance, continuous professional training on different subjects, including stress management, personal growth and development. Moreover, supervision and intervision are recognised as important, as well as discussions with co-workers, a network of guidance practitioners that they can rely on, and team meetings. Especially school counsellors would appreciate more time for career counselling. Outside the workplace they use different techniques, such as meditation, relaxation techniques, sport, quality free time, dancing, walking, activities in nature, etc.

2.1 Approaches for helping clients deal with uncertainty

Some approaches used in Slovenia when working with individuals and groups to help them to manage uncertainty and increase their hopefulness in the context of career planning and decision-making include:

• Where and How online guidance tool (“Kam in kako”) is one of the main online guidance tools for guidance practitioners in education and employment as well as individuals that is provided free of charge, because the Employment Service of Slovenia, within which Euroguidance Slovenia operates, ensures the payment of a national fee for all Slovenian schools, career centres for youth, our career centres and other guidance providers. The guidance programme is available in 2 specialised versions for students of primary and (upper)secondary schools and their guidance counsellors and for adults (the unemployed, jobseekers and everybody interested in career change). There is no similar guidance tool for independent career management available in Slovenia and this guidance tool is also a great example of how digitalization can be used to increase access to guidance, mostly in career transitions within education or from education to the labour market. Currently around 97% of primary schools and 84% upper secondary schools use it in their guidance activities for their youth as well as over 50 organisations providing guidance to youth. After answering the questions regarding characteristics of occupations, one can independently or together with a school counsellor or career counsellor browse suggested occupations or make a career action plan. Once an individual has answered questions about the characteristics of the profession, he or she can review the list of proposed occupations and make an action plan on his/her own or together with a guidance counsellor.
• Descriptions of occupations is an open learning resource for guidance practitioners and individuals to provide quality information for career choices in career transitions (over 500 occupational descriptions are currently provided to learn about and explore the potential limitations of relevant career choices). These are important information tools for guidance practitioners and individuals (young people who are choosing an occupation and education, adults who have lost their jobs and are looking for new careers, or those who simply want to change their career path). The information is provided on the Employment Service of Slovenia website and is a source for 3 important Slovenian guidance portals for guidance practitioners and individuals (Where and how, e-counselling and My Choice portal for youth).
• Career Path planning tool (eVPP) has been developed by the Employment Service of Slovenia and is an online survey to annually map the motivations and career paths of over 12 000 students (14 years old) in their last year of lower secondary school. The survey demonstrates planned career choices of Slovenian students. As such, the results of the questionnaire are both an important source of information for individual counselling as well as for possible group counselling. This questionnaire is a great source of information enabling counsellors to provide guidance to students in the transition from lower to upper secondary education. Answering the questionnaire enables students to start thinking more seriously about their future career decisions. At the same time, their answers illustrate their maturity and decision-making skills regarding their future educational path.
  Guidance counsellors get an overview about students’ answers and can identify the students who will need additional help. The answers give guidance counsellors an insight into students’ career choices, interests, and motivation, how well they know different careers, possible health limitations and educational qualifications necessary for selected careers. It enables guidance counsellors to see which students are ready for career decision making and which of them will need additional career guidance. The questions are focussed on:
  • students’ career expectations (a lot of learning, practical work, patience for working with people, good organiser, etc.),
  • favourite school subjects, school activities and extracurricular activities,
  • favourite careers and possible obstacles for following these careers,
  • why they wish to choose their desired career (respect, creativity, peers, salary, etc.),
  • students’ plans for the following school year (whether they will enrol in upper secondary education, which school and educational programme they will choose, and also if they plan to study abroad or perhaps not study at all).
• eCounselling is a comprehensive online guidance tool of the Employment Service of Slovenia that facilitates access to lifelong guidance and empowers citizens and improves their career management skills in unpredictable modern times. Individuals can identify their interests by reviewing the descriptions and choosing the appropriate interest types, as well as search for occupations within the labour market information section. The results can be discussed with a guidance counsellor. The tool guides users through the complete guidance process, including:
  • personality, interest, value and time perspective inventories to support the career decision process (Holland self-directed search, Myers-Briggs type inventory, Zimbardo’s Time perspective);
  • identification of general competencies to help users define and present their advantages to employers (general competencies questionnaires, behavioural descriptions of competencies, users can learn how to present themselves in CV, supports identification of one’s strengths;
  • descriptions of occupations database containing descriptions and labour market data to support setting goals;
  • job searching skills and advice;
  • action plan to keep job seekers active.
• Employment Service of Slovenia’s project “Service development of Lifelong career guidance and further strengthening of National coordination point for Lifelong career guidance” developed and/or translated several guidance tools. Among the translated tools is Savickas’ and Porfeli’s Career Adapt-Abilities Scale that measures four dimensions of career adaptability: career concern, career control, career curiosity and career confidence. An additional intervention which should be mentioned is the Counselling workshop for the (long-term) unemployed “If I want things to be different, I must change something”. This is a counselling workshop with five main approaches: self-reflection techniques, different exercises, methods and interventions for self-realization, training of certain skills, career counselling and personal counselling.
• Online Multifactorial aptitude test battery (eMFBT) is a psychological test and valued guidance tool that enables students in the last years of primary education to choose more clearly their future education and profession. The results contribute to awareness about one’s abilities and help to build realistic self-image. The combination of results tests speed of understanding words, calculating, spatial presentation of objects, data processing speed, concentration. The results provide insight into a student's potential in different work fields or in further education.
• JUMP cards: jump to discussion about employment, education and citizenship are a guidance tool adapted and translated by Employment Service of Slovenia’s projects Euroguidance Slovenia and Service development of Lifelong career guidance and further strengthening of National coordination point for Lifelong career guidance. The JUMP cards are a tool to discuss employment, education and active citizenship with pupils in the last 3 years of primary school.
• Occupational barometer is qualitative research by the Employment Service of Slovenia that aims to present the labour market situation regarding occupations.
• Moja izbira/My Choice portal for youth with short descriptions of occupations, shortage occupations, bright outlook and popular occupations.
• Learn, research, plan includes worksheets for primary school pupils that were developed by Career centre for youth Karierni Plac that are focused on learning about oneself and self-reflection. 
• Youth in transition project developed an online self-evaluation questionnaire about professional maturity that is used as a support tool for mentors and their NEET clients, youths ages 15–29 who are neither in education nor in sustainable employment, in their individual counselling process. The self-evaluation is focused on resilience, motivation, setting goals, labour market and working environment, adaptability and career skills. Young people in transition are challenged especially on their way from upper primary school to youth education.

2.2 Approaches for helping career practitioners manage stress

Some stress is inevitable and can be a positive element in activating creative energy, but when there is no possibility of discharging this energy by taking effective action, physical, mental, behavioural or/and emotional stress symptoms can appear. It is important to recognize the symptoms and to seek remedies through physical activity, therapy or supervision (Gogala, 2010).

Supervision with an independent supervisor is an optional activity available to career counsellors at Employment Service of Slovenia. Supervision in Slovenia is a method of professional reflection offering education and support to practitioners in helping professions, including guidance counsellors. It is a process-oriented form of counselling, mostly dealing with professional issues in organizational contexts. Supervision improves personal and professional performance and organizational roles of professionals. (Gogala, 2010). Besides its supportive role, supervision also plays an important role in improving the professional and personal skills of professionals. Supervision helps the professional progress from dependent beginner to autonomous practitioner, an individual who can make autonomous decisions as well as accept responsibility, adapt to new situations and be genuine and empathic. The model of supervision, mostly used in Slovenia, has two main functions (Gogala, 2010):

1. The supportive function focuses on the emotional side of interacting with clients. It helps a professional to get in touch with his/her emotions, to become aware of their impact on the counselling relationship he/she is creating with clients. It also serves to prevent burnout. As a support, supervision offers a professional the chance to:
   • be validated and supported both as a person and as a worker;
   • ensure that a worker is not left to bear problems, difficulties and projections alone;
   • have space to explore and express personal distress that may come up at work;
   • plan more effectively and use personal and professional resources.
2. The educational function involves developing skills and competence. It gives a professional the opportunity to explore and master his/her interventions, to be aware of the dynamic of a counselling relationship in addition to the content of the interventions. As education, supervision offers the worker the possibility to:
   • reflect upon the content and process of his/her work and to receive feedback;
   • develop understanding and skills within the job;
   • receive information and another perspective concerning his/her work;
   • facilitate the transformation of theoretical knowledge into practice.

Individual coaching training is an optional activity available to career counsellors at Employment Service of Slovenia. Career counsellors have the possibility of 5 one-hour sessions every year with an HR expert who coordinates and guides the individual coaching process. The career counsellors or their superiors can express the need for individual coaching when there is a gap between skills and needs, in order to strengthen skills or highlight new skills needed, especially with newly employed career counsellors, or when changing job fields. The model is based on the competence model, most often on recognising and solving problems, accepting differences, multidisciplinary aspects, etc, with the aim to support career counsellors in their guidance process.

Professional training and workshops for guidance practitioners are organised by different providers in different sectors, including Employment Service of Slovenia, with possibilities for international mobility exchanges in Academia, Cross border seminars or other Euroguidance study visits.

Resources

Where and How online guidance tool. Available at https://www.ess.gov.si/ncips/kam-in-kako ;

Descriptions of occupations. Available at https://www.ess.gov.si/ncips/opisi-poklicev ;

eCounselling guidance tool. Available at https://esvetovanje.ess.gov.si/

Online Multifactorial aptitude test battery (eMFBT) psychological test. Available at https://emfbt.si/

JUMP cards: jump to discussion about employment, education and citizenship. Available at https://www.vkotocka.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/JUMP-Nasveti-in-primeri-za-uporabo-kart.pdf

Occupational barometer qualitative research by Employment Service of Slovenia. Available athttps://www.ess.gov.si/obvestila/obvestilo/katerih-kadrov-bo-primanjkovalo-prihodnje-leto ;

I know where I am going. Available at: https://www.euroguidance.eu/guidance-systems-and-practice/good-practices/competition-vem-kam-grem-i-know-where-i-am-going-for-the-best-representation-of-future-career-path-in-the-form-of-diverse-creative-expression-each-year-a-new-challenge-a-photo-a-comic-a-career-ma

Lifelong guidance contact point. Available at: https://www.vkotocka.si/ Lifelong guidance contact point guidance tools. Available at: https://www.vkotocka.si/gradiva/pripomocki-in-orodja/

Savickas and Porfeli’s Career Adapt-Abilities Scale. Available at: https://www.vkotocka.si/pripomocki/lestvica-karierne-prilagodljivosti/

Counselling workshop for the (long-term) unemployed ‘If I want things to be different, I must change something’. Available at: https://www.vkotocka.si/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/If-I-want-things-to-be-different.pdf

Moja izbira/My Choice portal for youth. Available at https://www.mojaizbira.si/

Short descriptions of occupations. Available at https://www.vkotocka.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Opisi-poklicev-za-osnovno%C5%A1olce.pdf

Learn, research, plan working sheets for primary school pupils. Available at https://www.vkotocka.si/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/05_KCM-delovni-listi-VIO-123-tisk_zadnja_koncna_varianta.pdf

Online self-evaluation questionnaire about professional maturity. Available at https://youth-it.cool/Slovenian_version/

Gogala, Barbara. Supervision supporting guidance counsellors. Conference contributions. Professional Care for Counsellors – Who Cares For Those Who Care. Cross Border Seminar 2010. Bratislava 15 – 16 April. Euroguidance network Austria, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia and Slovak Republic. Available at: https://www.euroguidance.eu/images/cbs/CrossBorderSeminar2010_Compendium.pdf

Youth in transition transnational project. Available at: https://youth-it.cool/

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Pandemija COVID-19 v Sloveniji. Izsledki spletne raziskave o vplivu pandemije na življenje (SI-PANDA), 19. Val. NIJZ. 2022. Available at https://www.nijz.si/sites/www.nijz.si/files/uploaded/panda_porocilo_po_19._valu_koncno_0.pdf