Comparisons of career choice theoretical advisory skills and support programmes Erasmus Project

Project Title

Comparisons of career choice theoretical advisory skills and support programmes

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Recognition (non-formal and informal learning/credits); Pedagogy and didactics

Project Summary

As part of the project, both the students’ need for advice and the differences and similarities in the teachers’ theoretical advisory skills in terms of career choice were examined. A focus was also placed on the respective support programs at the different schools. The main necessity of the project was to strengthen one’s own competencies in this area and to generate incentives for improvements. Up until now it was completely unclear which counselling methods and instruments were used in the different schools. It was clear, however, that there was a need for improvement at all schools, as the previous consulting was little used, although there was an increased demand for advice. Therefore, even before the start of the project, it was assumed that restructuring as well as a change in methods and instruments would lead to the desired success.

Initially, it was unclear how the teachers would react to factors such as a migration background, cognitive performance or counselling behaviour in the event of failure. A scientific analysis has not existed. Therefore, even before the start of the project, it was expected that knowledge would be gained regarding the development of advisory skills and a revision of the respective internal school standards.

The following partners took part in the project, involving both students and teachers from various fields:
– Commercial school in Lörrach (Germany) with a focus on business and economics, administration and health;

– IIS Stendhal (Italy) with a focus on science, languages, economics and land surveying;

– Anna Gironella de Mundet (Spain) as a full-time general and vocational school with a focus on fashion, (electrical) engineering, maintenance;

The activities of the project were structured in such a way that the project phases were precisely tailored to the achievement of objectives. All schools were involved over the whole period of the project. Particular emphasis was placed on applying the “best practice approach”.

In phase 1, an analysis of the current situation was carried out at the schools using self-created questionnaires. By evaluating the results, the identification of potential for improvement was already given in this phase. Furthermore, through the exchange between the schools and the presentation of the advisory instruments of the KS Lörrach the generation of ideas for new instruments was stimulated. Since the partner schools have already recognized in this phase that the individual school systems are so different, it was decided to establish a presentation of the school systems in the next phase.
In phase 2, a target analysis was carried out using a SWOT analysis and then a target / actual comparison was carried out. Again, there are initial aspects for the need of optimization. The target / actual analysis identifies the reasons for the discrepancies between the advice offered and the demand for advice. Proposed solutions for the described mismatch problem arise.

In phase 3, advisory standards and a measuring instrument were developed. Factors such as migration background, lack of ideas, lack of perspective and heterogeneity of the students were examined.

In phase 4, the optimization was implemented at the individual schools.

On the one hand, phase 5 was used to further implement optimizations and on the other hand to evaluate the implemented consulting standards.

Shortly before the end of phase 5, about 2 weeks before the planned project meeting, the meeting was cancelled due to Covid 19. The partners decided that the project should not be extended but should be continued online. In terms of content, the partners initially decided to postpone the presentation of the project results from the fifth phase and to exchange experiences on the pandemic with the pupils involved. The main aim was to further develop the social skills of the pupils by allowing mutual empathy. Thus, the focus was initially placed on a personal exchange of experience with regard to private challenges, digital learning and professional future prospects.

In phase 6, a scorecard was used in order to derive school internal measures and interactions between all those involved were shown.

At the end of the project, specific action results are now available for all partner schools, some of which have already been established in the schools and which should continue to be used in the future.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 64416,5 Eur

Project Coordinator

Kaufmännische Schule Lörrach – Regierungspräsidium Freiburg & Country: DE

Project Partners

• IIS “Stendhal”
• FURNESS ACADEMIES TRUST
• Ins Anna Gironella de Mundet