Digital Career Guidance

Description

Germany has a federal education and vocational system. Each state can define the specifics of its vocational system within the framework of predefined national standards. The federal government of Rhineland-Palatinate has stipulated in its coalition agreement the strengthening of digital and virtual career guidance.

Vocational guidance in schools generally begins three years before the intended school-leaving certificate and is divided into three phases: reflection on one’s own strengths and interests, exploration and discovery of jobs and finding a suitable company for work-linked vocational training.

For each of the three phases, the Chamber of Crafts offers several projects:

• practical workshops in the training workshops ;

• the provision of a career guidance bus to visit schools with a series of activities;

• presentations made directly by trainees who present their daily experiences during their vocational training.

During the Covid pandemic, several new digital projects were created:

• “Azubi-Online-Datings” as a digital substitute for training fairs (on site);
• Classroom workshops in schools supported by digital tools and applications;
• Live YouTube broadcasts of training workshop practices as a substitute for hands-on workshops to give an overview of the workshops.

Points of interest

• The development of skills and knowledge in the use of new media and digital tools for professional counsellors;

• Better digital accessibility for certain target groups (especially adults such as teachers, parents and network partners);

• Digital offerings allow for a wider geographical reach and reduced travel time;

• The use of digital technology can give an innovative perception to the organisation.

 Points of vigilance

• It is necessary to take into account that digital offers risk excluding digitally vulnerable target groups (with low digital literacy and little or no digital equipment);

• Good IT support and digital equipment are needed.