Lack of Career Guidance in Universities

According to Eurostat data, EU unemployment at 6.2 % in January 2022. 13.4 million citizens were unemployed in the EU-27 in January 2022. Youth unemployment tends to be higher than unemployment in older age groups. The same statistics show that the EU youth unemployment rate was 14.0% in the same period.

Research shows that this problem often stems from the fact that young graduates do not know which field they want to work in. According to new statistics released by Allaboutcareers.com, a leading careers exploration website, 44% of undergraduates cannot define the industry they would like to work in once they graduate (Gentle, 2015). Guidance programs to help graduates in this regard are inadequate because one-to-one guidance programs for business life are not common in universities. According to Special Eurobarometer European Area of Skills and Qualifications (2014), 45% of respondents reported having had no access to such services. Also, the “OECD Career Guidance” handbook states that there is generally a lack of career guidance provision for students in tertiary education. Moreover, an online survey of EURES guidance counsellors (2013) reported an increasing demand concerning qualified vocational, educational and professional guidance counsellors.

References

European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network. (2020). Guidelines for Policies and Systems Development for Lifelong Guidance. ELGPN. http://www.elgpn.eu/publications/browse-by-language/english/elgpn-tools-no-6-guidelines-for-policies-and-systems-development-for-lifelong-guidance/

Eurostat. (2022). Euroindicators. Eurostat. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/14317274/3-03032022-BP-EN.pdf/e9f04fd8-a9d7-0fd6-2341-e9194274dfcd?t=1646235822280

Gentle, S. (2015, 29 January). Worrying Statistics Prompts Action from Leading Careers Exploration Website. Onrec. https://www.onrec.com/news/statistics-and-trends/worrying-statistics-prompts-action-from-leading-careers-exploration-websi

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2004). Career Guidance. OECD. https://www.oecd.org/education/innovation-education/34060761.pdf