In the last 2 years, the team of the Business Foundation for Education has been involved as an expert partner by the Ministry of Education in developing the first National School Career Guidance program.
The program addresses school advisors, psychologists and teachers, and provides a comprehensive methodological framework for career education and guidance of pupils from all ages – elementary, junior high school and upper secondary level (vocational and profiled).
The students are introduced to self-awareness, learning about career opportunities, decision-making and career transitions through a wide variety of activities. The topics are grouped by class and provide flexibility in implementation. Career practitioners may choose among games, carnivals, group tasks and projects, discussions, meeting professionals, job shadowing, contests, workshops, individual sessions, and other effective approaches.
The interactive online version of the curriculum is available in Bulgarian at http://orientirane.mon.bg/programa/. It enables one-click access to a large pool of exercises, videos, assessment tools, useful resources and inspiring good practices. Specific methodological guidelines are envisaged for students at risk of dropping out and students with special needs.
A central element of the program is the school Career Club. The Career Club flagship initiative, launched by BFE in 2007, has been recognized by the Ministry of Education as a model for career guidance at school, and during the last year, it was reproduced in 42 Bulgarian schools across the country.
The project results were officially presented last week by the Ministry of Education during the final event in Sofia.
The effectiveness and impact of the Program was assessed during the one-year piloting with over 7600 students and more than 100 career guidance practitioners and experts. The collected feedback was highly positive. The large majority of students consider the career guidance activities extremely useful, interesting and important for their own future:
“I have learned a lot of things which are not taught in the other subjects.”
“The atmosphere in the Club was great and I had the feeling that someone really cares about me.”
“I really liked the meetings with alumni. I wished someday to be on their place and my teachers to be that proud of me.”
“It was interesting and different from everything else at school.”
“I was considering a career path without having an idea of the job, but due to the career hours I revised my plans completely.”
“I learned a lot about the labour market, the jobs in demand and the professions which I can practice with my impaired vision.”
“I am so impressed that I will study psychology and I will become a career guidance advisor – this is a job of the future.”
The project BG05M2OP001-2.001-0001 „Career guidance system in school education“ has been funded with the support of the European Union.