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Career guidance (1) describes the services which help people of any age to manage their careers and to make the educational, training and occupational choices that are meaningful for them. It helps people to reflect on their ambitions, interests, qualifications, skills and talents – and to relate this knowledge about who they are to who they might become in life and work. Individuals, families and communities differ in the extent to which they are able to visualise and plan their future. It is an important role of career guidance to address such differences and inequalities. The overall aim of career guidance is to develop the capacity of individuals to manage their careers (known as ‘career management skills’). It involves a range of connected learning activities that help people to access services, resources and experiences related to employment and further education and training. These include provision of: careers education, careers information, individual and group guidance/counselling, skills assessment and psychometric testing, engagement with employers, and the development of skills needed for job seeking and selfemployment.

(1) In some countries terms such as ‘career counselling’, ‘career development’, ‘careers information, advice and guidance’, ‘vocational counselling’ or ‘vocational guidance’ are used to refer to the range of activities that is included here within the term career guidance.

Career Guidance refers to services intended to assist people, of any age and at any point throughout their lives, to make educational, training, and occupational choices and to manage their careers. Career guidance helps people to reflect on their ambitions, interests, qualifications, and abilities. It helps them to understand the labour market and education systems, and to relate this to what they know about themselves.

The provision of services such as career information, career education, guidance and counseling intended to assist people at any age and at any point in their lives, to make education, training and occupational choices and manage their careers.

Source: European Union Council, 2004, 2008; OECD, 2004.