National Career Guidance Awards 2024-2026
| Site: | Euroguidance Latvia Academy |
| Course: | KARJERAS BIBLIOTĒKA |
| Book: | National Career Guidance Awards 2024-2026 |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Wednesday, 15 April 2026, 1:03 PM |
Description
The
The National Career Guidance Awards Competition aims to highlight and recognise exemplary practices in the field of career guidance in Latvia. Since its introduction in 2019, the awards competition has become an annual tradition. The competition is organised by Euroguidance Latvia, hosted by the State Education Development Agency. Translation of description of practices is provided by Euroguidance Latvia.
1. National Career Guidance Awards 2025
In 2025, the competition was held for the seventh time, running from 6 May to 25 June. Participants could submit applications to showcase their own achievements or nominate outstanding initiatives by others, with collective submissions also welcome. In total, ten applications were received.
An impartial jury – comprising representatives of the National Guidance Forum and the State Education Development Agency – evaluated the submissions based on the significance of the practice, its innovative elements, and the geographic reach of its impact.
Three authors of exceptional products in careers education and career counselling received the 2025 National Career Guidance Award:
- Kristīne Kalniņa, career counsellor at Jelgava Secondary School of Technology, for creating the “Talent Classification Cards,” a tool designed to help identify abilities, strengths, and talents across different age groups.
- Līga Rubuļņika, career counsellor at Rēzekne Technical School, for developing an online career aptitude test and adapting it to the school’s educational programmes.
- Dace Siliņa, career development project manager and career counsellor at the Career Centre of the University of Latvia, for designing the elective course “Development of Career-building competences” at the University of Latvia.
Additionally, Certificates of Appreciation were presented to Elīna Bulāne, Sandra Dimitroviča, and Maruta Krasnobaja for their notable contributions to the field of career guidance. Conference participants also had the opportunity to explore the award‑winning initiatives during the thematic masterclasses and workshops.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EACEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
1.1. Career counselling tool “Talent Classification Cards”
Author: Kristīne Kalniņa, Career counsellor, Jelgava Secondary School of Technology
National Career Guidance Award for outstanding performance in the implementation of careers education and counselling activities.
Description of practice
Talent Classification Cards are a practical and versatile tool designed to support career development and self‑exploration by helping individuals identify and understand their talents and strengths. The tool is suitable for a wide audience, including both young people and adults. For young users, the cards make it easier to recognise the skills needed for a particular career choice, and can also be helpful when preparing CVs and motivation letters.
For adults, the cards provide an opportunity to reassess their abilities and understand how these can be applied in their current or future workplace, supporting both career growth and transitions.
The aim of the tool is to structure the talent identification process and make self‑reflection more accessible, while promoting a clear link between personal strengths and specific career or educational opportunities. The card format offers a positive, strengths‑based approach, providing an engaging and visually appealing alternative to traditional tests and questionnaires.
The cards are grounded in career development theories and the author’s professional counselling experience. Each card includes a concise and inspiring description of a talent, and a detailed user guide ensures easy application both individually and in group settings. The cards have been piloted at Jelgava Secondary School of Technology and introduced to career counsellors in Jelgava and surrounding areas. Their integration into the school’s career education programme and positive user feedback confirms the practical effectiveness of the tool, contributing to greater self‑awareness, confidence, and purposeful career planning.
Target groups: secondary school pupils, students, adults
Link: https://kristinekarjera.id.lv/konsultesanasriki
1.2. Online career aptitude test
Author: Līga Rubuļņika, Career counsellor, Rēzekne Technical School
National Career Guidance Award for outstanding performance in the implementation of careers education activities.
Description of practice
The online career aptitude test is a digital tool designed to help young people make informed decisions about their future education and career direction. Tailored to the study programmes offered at Rēzekne Technical School, the test enables users to explore their interests, strengths, and how these align with specific vocational pathways. The test is easily accessible at any time via the school’s website or the RT karjera mobile app.
The test includes questions on interests, practical preferences, self‑assessment of abilities, and attitudes toward different work environments. It takes only 10–15 minutes to complete, and the results are analysed automatically to produce a personalised report identifying the three most suitable vocational education programmes at Rēzekne Technical School. The result also includes descriptions of the professions, along with links to the Rēzekne Technical School website, where additional information is available about each recommended profession and its main characteristics. Students are also welcome to book an individual consultation with a career counsellor for deeper analysis and evaluation of the test results.
This tool supports not only young people but also teachers and career counsellors, who can use it during form lessons and guidance sessions, especially when students are unsure about their future profession or evaluating potential study options. Its digital accessibility and user-friendly format help the school reach a broader audience while offering a structured, modern approach to assessing career suitability.
Target groups: secondary school pupils, VET students
Links:
https://rezeknestehnikums.lv/wp-content/uploads/web/RT%20Karjera.html https://rezeknestehnikums.lv/audzekniem/karjeras-izglitiba/
1.3. Elective course “Development of career-building competences” at the University of Latvia
Author: Dace Siliņa, Career development project manager and career counsellor at the Career Centre of the University of Latvia
National Career Guidance Award for outstanding performance in the implementation of careers education activities.
Description of practice
The elective course “Development of career-building competences” at the University of Latvia aims to improve students’ understanding of key 21st century competences and their role in both personal and professional growth. The course focuses on developing a broad set of skills, including problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, conflict management, learning strategies, and entrepreneurial mindset.
Through seminars and practical exercises, students actively apply and refine these competencies, analysing their use in diverse life and professional contexts. The course also provides practical training in effective time management and introduces the coaching method as a structured approach to self-development and work organisation. Students learn to identify which skills are required in specific situations and to critically evaluate their own competence levels and opportunities for improvement.
In addition, the course offers essential knowledge about the job search and employment process. Students explore their interests and strengths, research labour market opportunities, and learn effective job search strategies, including the fundamentals of preparing a CV and a motivation letter.
The course is developed based on the author’s professional experience, reflecting the competencies most important for student and graduate successful career development and long-term personal growth.
Target group: University of Latvia students
2. National Career Guidance Awards 2024
In 2024, the competition took place for the sixth time, from March 18 to June 21. Participants had the opportunity to submit applications to showcase their own accomplishments or to nominate others. Collective authorship submissions were also welcomed.
An impartial competition jury, consisting of members from the National Guidance Forum and the State Education Development Agency, assessed the submitted applications. The evaluation criteria included the significance of the practice, the innovative aspects it introduced, and the extent of its impact. Below please find descriptions of awarded practices in 2024.
In 2024, three authors of exceptional initiatives in career education were honoured with the Career Guidance Award:
- Kristīne Aizpurve for Games (quizzes) for young people on career topics "Career VIP"
- Anda Andersone for Implementation of career education measures for young people of Kuldīga county
- NGO "Riga TechGirls" for the Career guidance module in the program "Get to know technologies"
Furthermore, three Certificates of Appreciation were bestowed to commendable individuals for their invaluable contributions and initiatives:
- Dagnija Gaubšteina, a career counsellor at the State Agency for Social Integration for the implementation of "Game nights" group counselling activities, improving the effectiveness of career guidance;
- Maija Kaļiņičenko of the Liepaja Līvupe Elementary School - Development Centre, for the organisation of guidance activities for learners with special needs and their parents, promoting an inclusive society;
- Ināra Puļaho, a career counsellor at the State Employment Agency, for the provision of career counselling in prison, contributing to the integration into the labour market of a target group at risk of social exclusion.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EACEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
2.1. Career guidance module in the program "Get to know technologies" | NGO "Riga TechGirls" |
Since 2020, the NGO "Riga TechGirls" has been implementing the nonformal education program "Get to know technologies", which has already been attended by almost 25,000 participants, exploring technologies and different career directions of the IT field.
In 2023, a special career guidance module was developed and piloted. An original methodology for the management of IT career ideas and a method for sorting the IT professions have been created. In addition to providing online career guidance modules, the NGO has held 14 group consultations for 510 participants with the participation of 11 guidance specialists and 61 individual free consultations. Career guidance module materials have also been used in Estonia.
The central element of the career guidance module was the completion of three online learning sections aimed at the development of career management skills. In addition to these, further activities were offered for informational and psychological support of participants – individual and group consultations, management of career ideas in the Miro application, communication in the Slack application, and networking events. Each participant could follow the career guidance module independently and flexibly – at a time, place and pace that suited them best.
2.2. Implementation of career education measures for young people of Kuldīga county | Anda Andersone |
Anda Andersone, by organizing extracurricular events, has made a significant and invaluable contribution to the career choice of approximately 500 young people of Kuldiga county. The activities were open to young people from both urban and rural schools, ensuring equal career education opportunities and career guidance activities regardless of the young person's place of residence.
The events "My Skills Portfolio" and "I am Latvia" were organized to improve the integration of career issues into the school curriculum, to provide a wider educational experience for students, and to develop the acquisition of knowledge and skills necessary for career research and career planning.
The events provided an unforgettable meeting with a number of industry professionals – individuals who, by their example and life story, are able to inspire young people planning their future. Role models provided examples including not being afraid to set ambitious goals, not to stop at the first failures, to believe in and pursue their ideas.
Link to the website of the Children and Youth Centre of Kuldīga county
2.3. Games (quizzes) for young people on career topics "Career VIP" | Kristīne Aizpurve |
While conducting career guidance classes on a daily basis, Kristīne Aizpurve realized that career guidance issues are not always easy for students to perceive. After a long school day, it is also difficult for students to even pay attention.
Kristīne Aizpurve found a way to succeed! She created a quiz modelled after a popular television gameshow and named it the "Career VIP"
The game can be played individually, in pairs, in groups, and among teams of classes. The game can be conducted by a career counsellor, a class teacher, a subject teacher, and the students themselves. The game can be played both in person and remotely. The game allows you to choose the topic and complexity of the question. It allows you to gain not only knowledge of career support topics, but also develop cooperation skills, the ability to discuss, argue, agree, react quickly, listen, get to know yourself and others. It is a game where you can win and you can also lose, but everyone wins!
There are two versions of the game, targeted at students in grades 8-9 and students in grades 11-12. It is also very important that the businesses and notable individuals of Madona region are promoted within the framework of the game.
Link to the game for students in grades 8-9
Link to the game for students in grades 11-12