Career management skills development at secondary and VET level: policy and practice

examples; Czech Republic

Vilnius, 5-7 May 2009Jasmin Muhič

Key documents

• Methodical Guidelines on Integration of Educational Area Introduction to the World of Labour into the Secondary Level Curricula (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, document No 22067/2000-2, valid from 3. 4. 2000)

• ACT No. 561/2004 Collection of Law, on Pre-school, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education (the Education Act, valid from 2005)

Curricular reform 2006

• Outcomes oriented education

• Key competencies

• Framework Education Programme

• School Education Programme

• Individual Education Programme

• Cross-curricular subjects

Educational areas-primary and lower secondary education

• Language and Lingual Communication,• Mathematics and its Application,• ICT,• Humans and his World,• Humans and Society,• Humans and Nature,• Art and Culture,• Humans and Health,• Humans and World of Labour.

Career education subjects

• Vocational Choice – lower secundary level

• Introduction to the World of Labour – upper secondary level

Cross-curricular subjects

• Personal and Social Education

• Democratic Citizenship

• Thinking within European and Global Contexts

• Multicultural Education

• Environmental Education

• Media Education

Personal and Social EducationThematic areas:1) Personal development• Developing awareness • Self-awareness and self-esteem• Self-regulation and self-organization• Mental health habits• Creativity 2) Social development• Meeting people• Interpersonal relationships • Communication • Cooperation and competition 3) Moral development• Problem-solving and decision-making skills • Values, attitudes, practical ethics

CMS related terms and concepts

Key competencies for the choice of occupation:• Positive attitude towards work;• Understanding of labour and work activities as an

opportunity for self-realization, self-actualization and development of an entrepreneurial thinking;

• Orientation in various fields of human activities, in various forms of manual and intellectual work;

• Acquisition of necessary knowledge and skills important for choice of one’s occupational direction, for further orientation in life and profession and for assertion at the labour market

Introduction to the World of Labour -, cross-curricular approach; areas and time allocated (example: Secondary

Vocational Education Centre-Trade and Services, Prague)

• The basic aspects of the world of labour, 1 hour;• Distinctive features of labour, 3 hours;• Distinctive personality traits in relation to the exercise of a

profession, 3 hours;• Education, 2 hours;• The main areas of the world of labour, 2 hours;• Economic structure of a respective region, 1 hour;• Organizational aspects of work, 1 hour;• Rights and liabilities of employees, 3 hours;• Private entrepreneurship, 2 hours;• The labour market, 2 hours;• Occupational path, 2 hours;• Skills of presenting of oneself at the labour market, 5 hours;• State benefits in the employment area, 3 hours.

Teachers‘ competenciesThe teachers are expected to be familiar with: • Theoretical knowledge of occupational orientation;• Preparation for occupational choice at the compulsory education

level;• Career guidance system;• Basics of the personality psychology, students’ self-knowledge and

decision making;• Specifics of adolescence;• Educational system of the Czech Republic;• World of labour and its requirements;• Legal aspects of work;• Information sources for occupational choice and theirs use;• Didactics of the thematic circle World of Labour.

Counselling and guidance staffs in schools

• Educational Counsellor

• Substances Consultant

• Special Education Teacher

• School Psychologist

Introduction to the world of labour as a separate subject matter (example: Vocational school Most)

• The second half of the third and the first half of the fourth year

• 17 + 17 hours, one hour a week• Experiential methods• Focus on practice• Self-awareness training• Job interview training• Selecting a job ad • CV writing• Work related legislation, social benefits

Introduction to the world of labour as a separate subject matter-thematic areas

• Self-knowledge  • Basics of the interpersonal communication • Success in life and self-presentation • Action planning • Secondary school leavers‘ prospects • Entering the labour market • Career guidance information tools and resources

 • Basic economic and legislative regulations

Guidance services outside the school

• Educational and Psychological Counselling Centre

• Special Education Centre

• Information-counselling Centre (PES)

Gaps and concerns

• Professional competencies of guidance providers

• Integration of information resources, providers, systems and tools

• Enlargement of the career guidance system

• Quality assurance

Thank you for your attention.