Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic : results of a joint international survey

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Author(s): Title: Year: Version: Copyright: Rights: Rights url: Please cite the original version: CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic : results of a joint international survey © The European Centre for Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), the European Commission, the European Training Foundation (ETF), International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy (ICCDPP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 2020 Published version Ananiadou, Katerina; Borbély-Pecze, Tibor; Hooley, Tristram; Jürges, Aline; Kadletz, Florian; Katayama, Hiromichi; Kettunen, Jaana; Kraatz, Susanne; Harrison, Cynthia Mary; Mann, Anthony; McCarthy, John; McKenzie, Jennifer; Moreno da Fonseca, Pedro; Vlachaki, Fotin; Villalba, Ernesto; Vuorinen, Raimo; Zelloth, Helmut Ananiadou, K., Borbély-Pecze, T., Hooley, T., Jürges, A., Kadletz, F., Katayama, H., Kettunen, J., Kraatz, S., Harrison, C. M., Mann, A., McCarthy, J., McKenzie, J., Moreno da Fonseca, P., Vlachaki, F., Villalba, E., Vuorinen, R., & Zelloth, H. (2020). Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic : results of a joint international survey. European Commission; Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2801/318103 2020 EN ENENEN ENEN In light of the growing negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on national labour markets and people’slives and livelihoods, the role of career guidance has become ever more important to individuals, families, communities, the workforce, employers and society. This report is based on aflash joint international survey, designed to provide asnapshot of how career guidance policies, systems and services were adapting and coping, following the declaration of the world Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. The survey, launched on 8 June 2020 and closed on 3 August 2020, included an exploration of these policies, systems and practices (focusing on remote and ICT-based delivery) in the context of the early phase of government reactions to the pandemic, the extent to which the pandemic and its social consequences triggered a debate on career guidance reform, and the role for career guidance in pandemic recovery measures. It also considered the support role of international and donor bodies. Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey Europe 123, Thessaloniki (Pylea), GREECE Postal: Cedefop service post, 570 01 Thermi, GREECE Tel. +30 2310490111, Fax +30 2310490020, Email: [email protected]opa.eu visit our portal www.cedefop.europa.eu 4193 EN – TI-03-20-890-EN-N – doi: 10.2801/318103 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey June to August 2020 Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2020 Please cite this publication as: Cedefop; European Commission; ETF; ICCDPP; ILO; OECD; UNESCO (2020). Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic: results of a joint international survey – June to August 2020. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/318103 A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2020 © The European Centre for Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), the European Commission, the European Training Foundation (ETF), International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy (ICCDPP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 2020 Except otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This means that reuse is allowed provided appropriate credit is given and any changes made are indicated. The facts and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily coincide with official positions of their institutions. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the publishers concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or its authorities, or concerning the delimitations of the frontiers of any country or territory. PDF ISBN 978-92-896-3113-6 doi:10.2801/318103 TI-03-20-890-EN-N The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) is the European Union’s reference centre for vocational education and training, skills and qualifications. We provide information, research, analyses and evidence on vocational education and training, skills and qualifications for policy-making in the EU Member States. Cedefop was originally established in 1975 by Council Regulation (EEC) No 337/75. This decision was repealed in 2019 by Regulation (EU) 2019/128 establishing Cedefop as a Union Agency with a renewed mandate. Europe 123, Thessaloniki (Pylea), GREECE Postal: Cedefop service post, 570 01 Thermi, GREECE Tel. +30 2310490111, Fax +30 2310490020 Email: [email protected] www.cedefop.europa.eu Jürgen Siebel, Executive Director Barbara Dorn, Chair of the Management Board Foreword This report is based on a flash joint international survey, designed to provide a snapshot of how career guidance policies, systems and services were adapting and coping, following the declaration of the world Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. The survey, launched on 8 June 2020 and closed on 3 August 2020, examined the policy, systems and practice changes that occurred during the first phase of government reactions to the pandemic, the extent to which the pandemic and its social consequences triggered a debate on career guidance reform, and the role for career guidance in pandemic recovery measures. It also considered the support role of international and donor bodies. In this joint initiative, several international organisation members of the Inter- Agency Working Group on Work-Based Learning (IAG-WBL), encompassing the European Centre for Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), the European Commission, the European Training Foundation (ETF), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) worked collectively with the International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy (ICCDPP) and Cedefop’s CareersNet. The survey design and implementation was coordinated by Cedefop. This survey also follows on the joint statement of the IAG-WBL, Investing in career guidance, published in December 2019 (IAG-WBL, 2019), a landmark precedent in international cooperation. In its introduction, the statement highlighted the importance of career guidance to individuals, families, society, the labour market and the economy at large: ‘Effective career guidance helps individuals to reach their potential, economies to become more efficient and societies to become fairer. It provides people with personalised, impartial, and timely information and support to make informed decisions about their lives. It acts as a lubricant for developing and nurturing human talent to power innovation, creativity, and competitiveness. It helps to implement lifelong approaches to learning and active approaches to labour market engagement and transition.’ In light of the growing negative impact of Covid-19 on national labour markets and people’s lives, the role of career guidance has become ever more important to individuals, families, communities, the workforce, employers and society. Our international organisations are strongly committed to continue to support 6 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey investment in quality career guidance as a permanent feature of services of public interest for our societies. Jürgen Siebel, Executive Director, Cedefop Cesare Onestini, Director, ETF Manuela Geleng, Director for Skills, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission John McCarthy, Director, ICCDPP Srinivas Reddy, Chief of the Skills and Employability Branch, ILO Stefano Scarpetta, Director for the Directorate of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECD Andreas Schleicher, Director for the Directorate of Education and Skills, OECD Borhene Chakroun, Director, Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems, Education Sector, UNESCO Executive summary Context The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has intensified challenges in our societies, adding complexity and accompanying turmoil to different economic and labour market developments. When governments started to react to the pandemic with lockdown, social distancing and other safety measures, many services around the world were reduced or shut down when most needed. Career-development support, notably, was at risk at an unprecedented time of social and economic turmoil. Such reductions and closures were particularly worrying since career guidance and counselling would be essential in assisting individuals, families and communities to successfully cope with the challenges of unprecedentedly turbulent transitions into and within the labour market. In order to study the impact of the evolving crisis, in late spring 2020 the individuals and seven organisations represented on the survey team joined forces to undertake an international survey to shed light on the new challenges presented worldwide to career guidance policies, systems and practices. The survey builds on the shared commitment of these organisations to support policies and systems for career guidance, and for universal access to comprehensive, quality services. The work built on the ongoing collaboration in career guidance of the Inter-Agency Group on Work-Based Learning (IAG-WBL). This report is intended to provide a better understanding of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and of any official measures, actions or decisions taken, such as lockdown and social distancing, on the implementation of policies for career guidance worldwide. The results from the survey are intended to feed into national policy discussions as well as into international debates on how to shape modern and flexible career guidance systems in the future. The results from the survey may also inform future policies, programmes and initiatives of international organisations. Data were collected from 8 June to 3 August 2020 via a web link questionnaire and distributed across the network of the organisations. This included national experts and country representatives who redistributed the link to their networks, multiplying the reach of the survey. The information collected presents the views and opinions of the respondents. Their answers are a function of their administrative or professional role in relation to guidance, the sector in which they work, and the beneficiaries to whom their answers pertain. While all respondents might have a certain degree of knowledge and understanding of the situation of career guidance, the report provides only an indication of these individuals’ 14 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey perceptions. Nevertheless, the survey provides a worldwide snapshot of the views of many professionals with administrative or professional responsibilities for career guidance provision who are likely to be well informed, giving us relevant and unique information on the situation in career guidance during the first months of the pandemic. Who answered the survey? There were 963 valid respondents from 93 countries. The highest number of respondents were career guidance practitioners (47%), distributed across 53 countries. Policy officials – including policy official/advisor (government), programme administrator or manager of guidance services (responsible for service delivery as a supervisor) – accounted for around 30% of the sample, collecting information from 73 countries. The majority of respondents work in public organisations or in organisations that are publicly funded. Responses pertain to different beneficiaries, reflecting the diversity of career guidance provision. Many respondents identified overlapping responsibilities related to several different beneficiary groups. These may be explained by the transversal nature of certain inclusion policies, such as those on gender and disabilities, which are integrated into education, training and employment policies in many countries. Respondents were also asked which policy field their response pertained to. A majority (77%) marked their responses as pertaining to education and training, while 49% identified the policy field of employment. Around 30% marked education and training together with employment as their policy field. Other fields (e.g. youth or social services) were marked by around a quarter of the respondents; in most cases, they also identified their responses as pertaining to education and training or employment. Did career guidance receive attention as part of the response to the pandemic? Career guidance was reported to have received policy attention or been part of policy actions to deal with the impact of the pandemic (40%), but an equal percentage of respondents stated that no such attention was given (40%). Career guidance was part of education and training measures in a number of countries, mainly in relation to undertaking online learning. Additionally, guidance was part of reskilling and upskilling measures. Through 2020, respondents from a large minority of represented countries reported that investment in career guidance had increased in their country in response to the unprecedented circumstances created Executive summary 15 by the Covid-19 pandemic. For the majority of respondents, however, it appeared too early to conclude whether investment in guidance would increase or decrease as a result of the pandemic. The survey highlighted innovative practice initiated in response to the crisis, drawing on examples provided by a small number of respondents. Much of such provision represented a ramping-up of alternative service delivery developed prior to the pandemic and which the Covid crisis served to accelerate. In a number of countries, however, new approaches were trialled during the pandemic. For example, greater use of social media was reported, as well as the development of online resources to replace face-to-face provision. In all cases, changes in practice were designed to make career guidance more accessible to users. In this way, and if delivered in ways to ensure equity of access, innovation represents a positive development in the provision of guidance. Did the pandemic trigger cooperation among professionals and stakeholders? According to the survey respondents, cooperation to ensure comprehensive coverage was led by individual providers rather than motivated by inter-ministerial coordination. It is noticeable that career guidance was reported to have been integrated into education, training and labour market measures in some instances. The survey also shows some evidence of a rise in collegial support among practitioners, and of cooperation between guidance practitioners and new actors such as social workers or health professionals as part of wider multi-professional networks. As an outcome of previous cooperation among stakeholders, many countries have established national career guidance forums or other representative structures that bring together relevant partners to share knowledge on national, regional and local levels. Given the known diversity of career services in different settings, the structures for cooperation need to be established in accordance with national conditions. It is now more important than ever to intensify the cooperation between government ministries and agencies, service providers, employers and other stakeholders in rethinking and repositioning guidance in the national Covid- 19 recovery strategies. 16 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey How has guidance been delivered since the pandemic started? The provision and operation of career guidance services was transferred mainly online during the lockdown. Services were for the most part successfully adapted, although certain provisions were dramatically reduced – especially highly individualised activities, such as counselling. While digital means were widely used, lower-tech solutions, such as telephone support, appear to have more relevance for vulnerable groups, helping to combat inequalities in access and in usage of equipment as well as barriers related to written communication and expression, and related issues. As a whole, career guidance provision was maintained at some level of operation, and practitioners’ positive attitude to the use of technology in career guidance was observed. Respondents reported an increased demand for various kinds of support (e.g. training, financial, material, online practice, resources) for practitioners as they adapted to new modes of delivery. What is the demand for career guidance since the pandemic started? An increasing demand for career guidance services was observed by respondents worldwide during the first stages of the pandemic; in particular, demands for labour market information, job-search assistance, reskilling opportunities, and education and training opportunities. There was also a considerable perceived increase in demand for psychosocial support. Such increases reflect the uncertainty created by the pandemic for specific groups of users, particularly for end-year students; low-skilled, low-qualified and low-income workers; the unemployed, and other workers at risk. The majority of the respondents noted that users had a positive attitude to the use of technology in career guidance. On the other hand, respondents reported that many people in vulnerable categories had difficulties in accessing career guidance services. The level of increase in demand for career guidance services was low or not significant among some groups, such as workers employed in micro, small or medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), older adults, people with special needs, rural populations, migrants and refugees, and platform workers. Low-qualified and low-skilled workers also reportedly suffered more the effects of reduced access to career guidance services, alongside people with special needs and the self-employed. Executive summary 17 What role can career guidance play in the recovery? Respondents confirmed the potential of career guidance to contribute to the recovery in terms of efficient investment in education, skills development, labour market efficiency, and social inclusion. Importantly, they highlighted the role of career guidance in supporting and enabling distance and blended learning, which itself has been an institutional response to the pandemic. Debate triggered by the pandemic, where it occurred, has focused on systems adaptation: the supply or provision of blended forms of career guidance and the move towards remote forms of delivery. Respondents highlighted the need for individualised solutions, given the uncertainty created by the pandemic: career counselling, coaching, mentoring, and psychosocial support. But problems of access exist, especially for persons with disabilities, migrants and refugees, and the pandemic has increased difficulties for these groups. A fair share of respondents consider that guidance can contribute to social inclusion and support, such as accessing social protection benefits, and accessing learning and work by women, migrants and refugees. Future considerations Career guidance reform It is more important than ever to intensify cooperation between different service providers, stakeholders and employers in rethinking and repositioning guidance in the national Covid-19 recovery strategies. The pandemic can constitute an opportunity for governments to pay further attention to and rethink career guidance provision from a systemic perspective. This might include actions to develop career guidance that moves from information delivery to more collaborative approaches, enhanced using technology, integrated in the services, and underpinned by appropriate/effective strategies for career management skills development. Ensuring access and outreach Access to digital services needs to be guaranteed to all groups and individuals, by ensuring sufficient access to digital equipment, internet coverage and the necessary digital skills. Remote or online career guidance services require that all modalities are accessible to ensure adequate interaction and optimal service delivery for all. In many cases, other distance technologies, such as the telephone, should be prioritised to overcome issues linked to skills or barriers related to written communication and expression, and related issues. 18 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey Distance services need to be extended to provide individualised support and develop outreach and holistic support to the most vulnerable groups. Referrals to and additional need for psychosocial support during the recovery for people with more complex needs should also be considered in planning guidance provisions, such as work with multi-professional teams and related services. High-impact youth support It is important that schools and school counsellors are supported in terms of resources, tools and methodologies to increase their responsiveness during this period. Impartial information and support to take up work experience opportunities and work-based learning need to be at the front line. Labour market information needs to be quickly updated to reflect a shifting labour market, and guidance practitioners need to be aware of the impact of new technologies and big data on the creation of labour market intelligence. At a time of unprecedented labour market turbulence, it is more important than ever that young people have multiple opportunities to speak with people who work in areas of career interest. People who work in fields undergoing significant change are well placed to provide advice that is particularly trusted and valued by young people making important education and training decisions. It is especially important that young people understand the opportunities presented by programmes of vocational education and training linked to access to good-quality employment. Upskilling, reskilling and adaptation Accelerating trends partly driven by technological change identified prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, growing numbers of workers can expect to need to train and retrain to be redeployed in other functions or move jobs. More than ever, career guidance will need to position itself to provide integrated learning pathways and access to financial resources, as well as validation of skills and job-search support. Effective guidance will be necessary to help people understand and address their needs, by choosing effective/appropriate distance and digital learning solutions, which lead to the right skills and credentials. The weak role assigned to career guidance at company level shows the importance at this stage of increasing penetration in enterprises, especially MSMEs. Guidance can play a critical role in enabling firms to have job-saving solutions that encourage strategic staff management towards a sustainable recovery. International and donor cooperation Finally, international and donor organisations can play an important enabling role in the development of national career development systems. This may include Executive summary 19 continued collaboration in promoting the role of career guidance in education, training, employment and social-inclusion policies by undertaking targeted research on these themes, developing tools and promoting peer exchange. Around the world, countries are responding to the unprecedented challenges presented by the pandemic in different ways. International organisations have an important role to play in enabling learning between countries and providing means to measure the expected effectiveness of policy interventions. Promotion of partnerships for developing national digital systems and increased access to multi-channel services is also a potential area for work. CHAPTER 1. Introduction 1.1. Career guidance services at the start of the Covid-19 crisis The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has intensified challenges in our societies, adding complexity and accompanying turmoil to different economic and labour market developments. Digitalisation and automation, global shifts and the emergence of new sectors were already exerting pressure on the economy. The first half of 2020 witnessed an unprecedented scale of global disruption (ILO, 2020). The pandemic accelerated the processes of digital transformation and, at the same time, influenced changes in work organisation, such as the need for remote working. It has also created multiple life and occupational challenges for those employed in precarious working conditions. Millions of people lost their jobs. There has been a decline in working hours and an increase in people ‘employed but not working’ (e.g. where workers are put on temporary leave), or who have experienced a significant loss of income. The assessment of the pandemic’s impact on the labour market is all the more challenging because employment and unemployment figures alone do not reveal the extent of the challenges faced, particularly when the employed are prevented from returning to work and are absent (ILO, 2020; Eurostat, 2020). The changes brought about by the pandemic are exerting pressure on individuals, families and communities in ways that will need to be studied to understand its long-term effects. Young people are vulnerable as the digital divide deepens rifts in Europe, where there is a risk of increasing the rural/urban divide and exacerbating differences between education systems (2) (European Committee of the Regions, 2020). Other access issues are increasingly reported. According to some estimates for the EU, higher risks are reported for those in micro-sized workplaces, and ‘the burden of the Covid-19 social distancing risk falls disproportionately on vulnerable workforce groups, such as women, older employees, non-natives and the low qualified’ (Pouliakas and Branka, 2020, p.6). When governments started to react to the pandemic with lockdown, social distancing and other safety measures, services all over the world were reduced or (2)Eurobarometer (2020) reports that only six Member States have highly digital school provision for 80% or more of students. CHAPTER 1. Introduction 21 shut down when most needed, including schools. This can entail high social and economic costs for people across communities, and exacerbate disparities within education systems (ETF, 2020; UNESCO, 2020). Importantly, career-development support such as career guidance and career learning programmes in schools, and career guidance provided in community settings, youth and adult learning centres, public employment services and other physical guidance settings, were at risk at an unprecedented time of social and economic turmoil, with the emergence of an increasingly unpredictable future (Cedefop, 2020). Such reduction and closures were worrying, since career guidance and counselling would be essential in assisting individuals, families and communities to successfully navigate the newly emerging transition challenges, to develop and reinforce career management skills, such as career adaptability and resilience, and to reinvent careers by capitalising on unplanned positive and even negative events (Krumboltz, 2009; Bimrose and Hearne, 2012; Savickas, 2005; Savickas, 2011). Career guidance services are changing to meet new needs for the already complex labour market, and to prepare the new generations. Employer engagement programmes for young people have proven effective (Musset and Kurekova, 2018). ‘Career guidance is both an individual and a social good: it helps individuals to progress in their learning and work, but it also helps the effective functioning of the labour and learning markets, and contributes to a range of social policy goals, including social mobility and equity’ (Musset and Kurekova, 2018, p.4). The continuing challenges and demands from the public urge policymakers and stakeholders in the field to respond with adapted policies, systems and resources to ensure quality and accessible career guidance services for all (e.g. Cedefop, 2020; Hooley, Sultana and Thomsen, 2020). There is a range of different solutions to this crisis and also potential benefits for users of guidance. Careful rethinking must accompany technology-driven discussions, such as how to learn videoconferencing (e.g. Barnes et al., 2020; Kettunen, 2017). To meet the new demand for career guidance and to reshape practice, there is also a need for enhancing practitioner reskilling and upskilling so as to reinforce and activate a well-trained, professional and motivated workforce. 1.2. Cooperating to explore challenges for career guidance policy and practices internationally In order to study the impact of the evolving crisis, in late spring 2020 the individuals and seven organisations represented on the survey team joined forces to undertake an international survey to shed light on the new challenges presented worldwide to career guidance policies, systems, and practices. The survey builds 22 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey on the shared commitment of these organisations to support policies and systems for career guidance, and for universal access to comprehensive, quality services. The work built on the ongoing collaboration in career guidance of the IAG-WBL. The questionnaire responses were intended to provide a better understanding of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and of any official measures, actions or decisions taken, such as lockdown and social distancing, on the implementation of policies for career guidance worldwide. The results from the survey should feed into national policy discussions as well as into international debates on how to shape modern and flexible career guidance systems in the future. The results may also inform future policies, programmes and initiatives of international organisations. The team worked collaboratively. Some group members contributed with analysis and writing of specific chapters and/or editing the report, while others provided constructive support and insight during the development of the survey, data analysis and report writing. All members could comment on the draft report. The report summarises some of the results and data collected. 1.3. Report structure The report is structured into eight chapters. Chapter 1 provides the introduction and Chapter 2 the survey methodology. Chapter 3 analyses government responses to the provision of career guidance arising from the pandemic, and reports on emerging systems and practice. Cooperation among career guidance stakeholders is analysed in Chapter 4, including cooperation across different ministries and organisations. The delivery and operation of career guidance services during the data collection period is covered in Chapter 5, while Chapter 6 reports on user demand for services. Chapter 7 looks at whether or not the pandemic and restrictions triggered a debate on guidance policy; if respondents anticipate a role for career guidance in pandemic recovery policies and measures, and its most important social, educational and economic aims. A brief summary and concluding remarks, followed by reflections for policy, are presented in Chapter 8. CHAPTER 2 Methodology and respondents 29 Figure 3. Source of funding respondents’ organisations NB: Government or publicly funded includes all cases where respondents identified the status of the organisation in which they work as ‘Public’ (Q3) and/or reported their organisation to be largely government-funded (Q3b). N=963 Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. Respondents were asked to indicate which beneficiaries their responses would pertain to. There was a relatively even breakdown among three main categories of beneficiary responsibilities: those who identified themselves as responsible for education and training participants (e.g. school, adult education students); those who identified themselves as responsible for different categories of labour market participants (e.g. employed, unemployed), and those who identified themselves as responsible for certain specific groups (e.g. NEETS (4), migrants, people with disabilities, etc). Many respondents identified themselves as having overlapping responsibilities for several different beneficiary groups. This may be explained by the transversal nature of certain inclusion policies, such as on gender and disabilities, that are integrated into education, training and employment policies in many countries. (4)NEETS: people not in education, employment or training. 79% 21% Government or publicly funded Not publicly funded 30 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey Figure 4. Respondents’ responsibilities in terms of beneficiaries of career guidance NB: Multiple response possible. N=963 Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. 83 230 257 297 320 326 344 354 359 365 374 379 410 426 468 0100 200 300 400 500 Other Economic and humanitarian migrants Economically inactive persons Older adults Youth at risk Adult education students People with disabilities or special needs Women Unemployed workers receiving a social security benefit Employed workers Unemployed workers not receiving a social security benefit Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) Higher education students Vocational Education and Training/Technical and Vocational Education and Training students School students Q5. Please indicate the beneficiaries of the career guidance activities that you are responsible for/concerned with. CHAPTER 2 Methodology and respondents 31 Figure 5. Responses policy field NB: Multiple responses possible. N=963. Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. Finally, respondents were asked which policy field their response pertained to. A majority (77%) marked their responses as pertaining to education and training, while 49% identified the employment policy field. Around 30% of the respondents marked education and training together with employment. Other fields (e.g. youth or social services) were marked by around a quarter of the respondents, who in most cases also identified their responses as pertaining to education and training or employment. In total, only around 4% of the respondents identified their answers as exclusively pertaining to youth or social services. 746 474 119 93 36 Education and training Employment Youth services (Centres, outreach) Social services Other Q6a. Please indicate the policy field your response will pertain to. CHAPTER 3. Career guidance as part of government response to the pandemic 3.1. Policy responses to the pandemic This section looks at how respondents perceived the attention that governments gave to career guidance during the initial stages of the pandemic and how it has been part of the response to the Covid-19 crisis. It also presents some examples of responses drawn from the data from the open-ended responses. Government attention and interest in career guidance is normally expressed through a range of policy instruments (regulatory, economic, information) to implement policies for career guidance. Regulatory instruments include government decisions, laws, mandates, regulations, guidelines, procedures, statements of priorities and principles, and standards. Economic incentives refer to the financial, material, physical and human resources that assist organisations in implementing their policies. Public information campaigns are used to influence people’s behaviour – e.g. to make the public aware of the existence of career services and to encourage their use (McCarthy and Borbély-Pecze, 2020a). A total of 40% of respondents reported that career guidance had received policy attention from government during the early pandemic but a comparable percentage stated that no such attention had been given. There were some interesting within-country differences (e.g. Canada and Spain), where policy officials reported increased policy attention while practitioners reported no change. CHAPTER 3. Career guidance as part of government response to the pandemic 33 Figure 6. Policy attention to career guidance NB: N=936. Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. In terms of regulatory instruments, the most frequently noted policy attention or actions involve the inclusion of career guidance interventions with regard to online learning (55%), education and training measures (51%), and reskilling and upskilling programmes (43%). Career guidance provision was least referenced in support measures for companies, especially for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) (19%). New regulations for career guidance were developed in some countries, such as Ireland, where the Department of Education and Skills published guidelines for career guidance practitioners on providing online support in the context of school closures due to Covid-19. 40% 43% 17% Q7. Has the provision of career guidance received any policy attention or been part of any policy actions to deal with the impact of the pandemic? Yes No Don't know 34 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey Figure 7. Role of career guidance in the pandemic Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. In terms of providing increased funding (economic incentives) during the period, the majority of respondents reported no changes in funding for career guidance. Where change did occur, there was a stronger tendency to increase rather than to decrease funding for such provision. In Norway, for example, a respondent indicated that counties had received increased funding as an incentive to regional guidance providers to better serve the career guidance needs of the newly unemployed. The counties were also noted to have received increased funding to provide more career guidance to refugees in integration programmes. 19% 24% 30% 30% 33% 37% 37% 43% 51% 55% used as part of support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) together with financial incentives to training part of stimulus measures to companies to help with staff planning during recovery part of economic incentives (e.g. financial, material, human and other resources) provided by government to institutions (e.g. schools) or organisations/entities (e.g. PES) combined with social security support provided as part of job retention measures part of any government information campaigns part of any regulations developed (rules, procedures, guidelines, laws, etc.) provided to help users with reskilling or upskilling part of education and training measures provided to help users in undertaking online learning Average percentage of respondents per country Q8. In reaction to the pandemic, please indicate if career guidance has been… CHAPTER 3. Career guidance as part of government response to the pandemic 35 Figure 8. Career guidance funding during the pandemic NB: N=935 Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. In some countries, there seems to be a clear commitment by governments to prioritise career guidance. The Irish government announced the allocation of an additional 120 career guidance counsellor posts for second-level schools as part of a package and plan to support student wellbeing in the context of the reopening of schools. However, this was also viewed nationally as another incremental step in redressing the severe cutbacks to the provision of career guidance in schools that were part of the government response in 2012 to the crisis in public finances that beset Ireland at that time. In Singapore, a public commitment was made to double the availability of counsellors (Ministry of Education of Singapore, 2020). In England too, greater investment in guidance was announced in July 2020 by UK finance minister Rishi Sunak, who said (July 2020): ‘We can do more for young people; […] the evidence says careers advice works, so we will fund it, with enough new careers advisers to support over a quarter of a million more people.’ With reference to information campaigns, the third category of government policy instruments for career guidance, few examples were given by respondents of government-sponsored information campaigns that encouraged the use of career guidance services at a time of increased social and economic uncertainty caused by Covid-19. 6% 4% 51% 7% 9% 23% Q9. Has government funding for career guidance… Decreased Stayed the same but there are plans to decrease funding Not changed Stayed the same but there are plans to increase funding Increased Don't know 36 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey 3.2. Practice changes The survey asked respondents whether any noteworthy guidance practices, which other countries could learn from, had appeared in their countries in response to the pandemic, and, if yes, to share details. Fifty respondents shared new and emerging practices. The remainder of this chapter summarises their responses. It should be stressed that the survey reflects the perceptions of pandemic responses of policy officials, managers and practitioners involved in career guidance, providing individuals’ perspectives on how governments and guidance systems during the early stages of the pandemic responded to the lockdown and the new culture of social distancing. There were few concreate examples provided that could be reported on. This might be attributed to the fact that the survey went out before many services, practitioners and providers had adjusted to the situation, and reflect the fact that systems and governments had other priorities to cope with (Cedefop, 2020). A common refrain among respondents (notably Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Sri Lanka, Spain, Singapore and Wales) was that support for users (young and adult) had been transferred online. Such transfers varied in strength and effect from country to country. A researcher from Russia explained: ‘All attempts to do what they did before, only remotely, look home-grown and artisanal. Only those few remote distance career guidance practices that were developed and tested long before the pandemic worked effectively.’ Several practitioners from different countries (e.g. England, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Malta and Montenegro) reported introducing greater use of email, online one- to-one counselling, webinars, online job fairs and other guidance sessions using such channels as Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Facebook community groups and YouTube for tutorials related to career guidance. Webinars were introduced for school-leavers (Scotland) and parents (Denmark, Wales) and virtual university career days were introduced in Greece. Educational institutions reported virtual open days (Wales), online question-and-answer sessions about courses and application processes (Ireland) and welcome sessions, after confinement, designed to reduce student stress and tackle psychological distress (Australia, France). In Latvia, Morocco and Spain, respondents reported significant increases in the use of digital documents, accessible through websites, rather than paper copies for administering and delivering guidance provision. This is in line with other reports, such as the one by Holland and Mann (April, 2020) which indicated: ‘As Estonia went into confinement in mid-March, the total number of counselling sessions dropped to around 600 per week. Since then, demand for remote counselling has skyrocketed. Between January and March 2020, the CHAPTER 3. Career guidance as part of government response to the pandemic 37 number of remote sessions rose from 182 to 1 327, and this excludes use of Microsoft Teams.’ Non-digital distance methods also proved useful during confinement, including telephone counselling (Chile, Greece, Spain), a redundancy hotline (Scotland) and guidance through radio shows (Turkey). A guidance practitioner from Estonia, for example, indicated that there had been a rapid switch from face- to-face delivery to telephone consultations. In many cases, innovation was sought to improve access and outreach of career support. In Mongolia, many guidance practitioners responded to the crisis by becoming active for the first time on social media. In Malta, infographics were prepared to present students with information on post-secondary course requirements, using a medium designed to be visually appealing and easily understood by students. In the same country, voiceover resources (adding a voice spoken description to resources that are mainly visual) were developed, aimed at students with low academic abilities and with disabilities, to ease understanding. Box 1. Spotlight on Malta: supporting adults in search of employment In Malta, a guidance practitioner described wide-ranging adaptation of services in response to the pandemic by the Public Employment Service: ‘Jobsplus has adapted its career guidance services to cater for the unprecedented changes forced on it by the Covid-19 pandemic. For instance, all Job search assistance, career guidance and job coaches of various vulnerable groups have been delivered through virtual meetings or on the phone. Additionally, since the traditional registration face-to-face process for persons with disabilities with Jobsplus was suspended, Jobsplus has referred its clients to apply for […] the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD) whose assessment is desk based. To access services for disabled persons, the CRPD special ID cards were […] used instead of Jobsplus disability registration. Moreover, given that a decrease in vacancies was registered, Jobseekers were mainly guided to seek online courses which could provide better future employability prospects post-Covid-19 restrictions.’ Respondents from a number of countries reflected on action taken to support practitioners working with young people and adults during the confinement. In Finland, one trade-union representative involved in career guidance highlighted the cooperation and peer-support networks made available to practitioners. In Ireland, a manager of guidance counsellors pointed to webinars delivered free of charge for practitioners. A practitioner working with school students in England reported: 38 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey ‘My organisation reacted very quickly to adapt the way we deliver careers guidance in our area. They have put together focus groups to create and develop a range of materials that the guidance practitioners have been able to use and pass onto our schools. For example, up-to-date labour market information, an eight-session careers lesson plan, information on local opportunities, who to contact for help, an online booking system and so on. Schools have put these on their websites for the students and parents to access. I have personally had regular virtual meetings with my career links in school to plan and co-ordinate the delivery of the guidance. It has worked well’. A number of respondents felt that the crisis led to innovations and raised policy questions of long-term importance to guidance systems. For respondents from Finland, the pandemic was expected to increase long-term demand for online provision and raised important questions about the feasibility of different communication methods and wider social elements of learning in online provision. Maltese respondents noted that many students had become more proficient in accessing information online. Prior to the pandemic, notifications for events aimed at 16-year-old students would be sent to schools and circulated by school staff to students. During confinement, information was circulated online, particularly through social media. While such engagement by students must be welcomed, indicating a stronger demonstration of individual agency as well as a technological competence, risks remain that some young people will fail to access information important to their ultimate navigation of educational pathways and labour markets. CHAPTER 5. Provision and operation of career guidance services This section deals mainly with the provision and operation of career guidance since the onset of the pandemic and social distancing or similar restrictions. The data (collected from 8 June to 3 August 2020) provide a snapshot of respondents’ views on (a) the level of operation of career guidance services; (b) guidance activities; (c) communication options offered to users of guidance services; (d) support for guidance service providers; and (e) the delivery of career guidance services before, during and after the lockdown (where relevant/applicable, during the time data were collected). 5.1. Level of operation of career guidance services Respondents were asked to estimate to what extent relevant career guidance services were operating as compared to the situation before the pandemic was declared. The results indicate that, although career guidance services have been partially or completely disrupted in some areas, most maintained some level of operation during the first phase of the pandemic. Some 22% of respondents estimated that service levels were less than half the pre-pandemic level (0-50%), and 11% that services had been closed down. Some 55% estimated that services were operating at more than half the previous level (50%-100%). A small proportion of participants (9%) estimated that service levels had increased compared to their pre-pandemic level. 46 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey Figure 10. Career guidance level of operation NB : N=741 Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. 5.2. Guidance activities Respondents were asked to indicate which guidance activities had been adapted or discontinued during the pandemic. A significant proportion agreed they had been able to adapt most guidance activities to the new conditions, while 31% reported no change in group information sessions. However, some job-search assistance, individual information and advice and career counselling activities had been discontinued, partly as a result of the overall closedown of services. Respondents seemed to mark ‘don’t know’ more when referring to psychosocial support and collaborative and participatory activities such as career coconstruction (collaborative, participatory approach). 7% 15% 26% 20% 9% 9% 11% 3% 0% 0-24% 25-49% 50-74% 75%-99% 100% At an increased level Services have been closed down Don't know Services do/did not exist Q11. To what extent are the career guidance services you are focusing on currently operating? Services are operating at ___ % of the level before the pandemic CHAPTER 5. Provision and operation of career guidance services 47 Figure 11. Level of adapted or discontinued guidance activities Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. 5.3. Communication options offered to guidance service users Respondents were asked about the extent to which different communication methods were offered to service users. Telephone, video (e.g. Skype, Teams) and email were most frequently offered (40%) while letters, radio/television and newspaper and print media were perceived as less widely offered. 26% 40% 42% 43% 46% 48% 48% 49% 52% 55% 59% 59% 18% 16% 16% 17% 9% 31% 9% 16% 14% 18% 12% 12% 10% 12% 10% 20% 21% 10% 15% 18% 15% 13% 21% 20% 24% 18% 16% 12% 15% 6% 14% 10% 10% 7% 5% 5% 21% 14% 15% 9% 10% 5% 14% 7% 9% 7% 3% 3% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Co-constructing careers (collaborative, participatory approach) Coaching of disadvantaged Collaborative career learning Skills assessment/ career assessments and tests Job-search assistance Group information sessions Psycho-social support Networking with professionals and employers Coaching and mentoring Career education and training Individual information and advice Career counselling Q12. Which of the following guidance activities have been adapted or discontinued? Adapted No change Discontinued Don't know NA 48 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey Figure 12. Extent of communication methods offered to users of career guidance Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. When asked whether social media platforms were being used to provide career guidance, 62% of respondents confirmed that social media were used. Individual respondents listed a number of applications (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram) used mainly to share information, for marketing purposes, to draw attention to certain information (e.g. blog entries, links, YouTube contributions) and to promote events and services. Only a few respondents mentioned using social media for communication or for collaborative activities. 5% 11% 11% 21% 22% 24% 30% 39% 40% 40% 21% 12% 14% 23% 19% 21% 20% 26% 26% 20% 33% 24% 30% 27% 32% 26% 33% 27% 20% 27% 20% 26% 28% 11% 14% 15% 9% 3% 6% 6% 3% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 5% 9% 3% 9% 6% 8% 1% 1% 5% 3% 13% 17% 13% 8% 6% 6% 6% 3… 3% 2% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100% Newspapers and printed media Radio/television Exchange of letters (via regular mail) Audio platform (e.g. using a video platform, but without video) Texting/instant messaging Live chat (typed live chat) Website and web forums (embedded inquiry forms) Email Video (using video platform e.g. skype) Telephone (speak to a practitioner over the phone) Q13. To what extent have the following communication methods been offered to users of guidance services? To a large extent To some extent To a small extent Not at all Not available during the pandemic Not available before the pandemic NA CHAPTER 5. Provision and operation of career guidance services 49 Figure 13. Use of social media for guidance Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. When asked to identify the three communication methods they considered most effective for reaching vulnerable groups, a majority of respondents (67%) reported the telephone as the most effective means of reaching vulnerable groups who in some cases are unable or unwilling to leave their home. Video platforms (41%) and email (40%) were also considered effective. In many cases, the telephone was reported by respondents to be the only available means of communication. Respondents expressed concern that vulnerable individuals were particularly affected by the restrictions imposed during the pandemic. These include people who lack ICT skills, online banking facilities, email, internet connection, and computer or smart phone. Such groups were considered the most difficult to reach or contact. Many have only limited access to stable internet or other essential technologies, and others lack the skills and competences to use these media or have no safe space for full engagement. Written communication presents particular challenges for those who lack language competences or the ability to express themselves. Respondents highlighted the need to ensure that official websites and online resources are accessible for people with disabilities. 62% 22% 16% Q15. Is social media being used to provide career guidance? Yes No Don't know 50 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey 5.4. Support for guidance service providers Respondents were asked to indicate whether guidance service providers had received any form of additional support. Practitioners’ attitudes to the use of technology in guidance were regarded as positive by 82% of respondents. Most (78%) also reported an increased demand for various kinds of support (e.g. training, financial, material, online practice, resources), and 56% strongly agreed that there was a lack of support for practitioners. Some countries were seen to have responded to the shift to remote delivery by updating or introducing guidelines for online support (59%) or by providing adequate support (e.g. training materials, ICT helpdesks) for frontline practitioners (47%). On the other hand, 40% of respondents did not agree that sufficient support was provided. Importantly, 44% of respondents indicated that guidance service users had not been provided with devices (or funding to acquire them) for accessing guidance services. 5.5. Modes of career guidance delivery When asked to identify the main modes of career guidance service(s) delivery, respondents highlighted a shift to remote methods during the pandemic. The availability of online career information was considered helpful in this shift to online service delivery. However, respondents felt that, while distance tools are now better able to support guidance processes than before the pandemic, this approach cannot fully replace personal communication. Organisations have realised the impact on clients and their desire for remote services, and online tools have gained acceptance among citizens and practitioners. However, respondents were unsure as to whether this will continue to be the case and expressed increased interest in the development of online tools, services and related professional practices. One perceived effect of the pandemic was that both on-site and remote service delivery are considered sustainable and valid operational models, allowing practitioners to work remotely when necessary. CHAPTER 5. Provision and operation of career guidance services 51 Figure 14. Support for guidance service providers Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. 5.6. Conclusions According to the survey responses, during the Covid-19 pandemic the provision and operation of career guidance services was transferred mainly online. Services were for the most part successfully adapted, although certain provisions were dramatically reduced, especially highly individualised activities such as counselling. While digital means were widely used, lower-tech solutions such as telephone support appear to have more relevance for vulnerable groups, helping to combat inequalities in access and usage of equipment. Written communication 7% 12% 14% 12% 13% 17% 23% 25% 25% 26% 34% 33% 36% 41% 39% 35% 53% 58% 26% 19% 27% 22% 22% 21% 21% 8% 5% 18% 13% 14% 13% 9% 11% 10% 2% 3% 15% 17% 9% 12% 9% 10% 6% 10% 7% 9% 6% 4% 6% 6% 3% 4% 2% 3% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100% Users of guidance are provided with devices or funding to acquire devices that can be used to access guidance services. Issues concerning the impact of the pandemic on the working conditions of career practitioners have been addressed by their employers (eg.… Sufficient support (e.g. training, materials, ICT helpdesk) has been provided for front-line practitioners. New tools have been/are being provided to deliver services. Reliable, real-time career information is publicly available. There is lack of support for practitioners. Guidelines for practitioners to provide online/distance support have been updated or created. There is an increased demand from career practitioners for support (e.g. training, financial, material, online practice and resources). Guidance practitioners have a positive attitude towards the use of technology for guidance. Q16. Please indicate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements. Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know NA 52 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey presents particular challenges for those who lack language competences or the ability to express themselves. Figure 15. Delivery of career guidance services before, during and after the lockdown (where applicable) Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. As a whole, career guidance provision was maintained at some level of operation and practitioners’ positive attitude to the use of technology in career guidance was observed. It can be assumed that the option of remote guidance services provision will become the most common and most desired by users. It should be noted that this requires that all modalities be made increasingly accessible to ensure adequate interactions and optimal service delivery for all. Special attention is needed for vulnerable groups. The remaining challenges for optimal and effective service delivery are investment in technological infrastructure and technical support, career guidance workforce development to ensure that career practitioners feel confident and competent in this aspect of their work, and investment in public access to online services. 15% 62% 7% 51% 20% 35% 8% 4% 54% 3% 8% 1% 11% 3% 2% 13% 3% 2% … after the lockdown (if applicable). … during the pandemic and lockdown (if applicable) … before the pandemic Q17. Please identify the main delivery mode of the career guidance service(s)... Fully remote Partially remote Only on site (face-to-face) No career services Don't know NA CHAPTER 6. User demand for career guidance This section concerns the perceptions of user demand for career guidance services since the pandemic began, and during the period of social distancing or other similar restrictions. It provides snapshots of respondents’ views on: (a) the demand for career guidance services; (b) the groups that they note exhibited an increased demand for career guidance services; (c) the groups that have been severely affected by the breakdown in guidance service, and (d) the delivery of career guidance services. 6.1. Demand for career guidance services The survey results highlighted a generalised increase in demand for guidance activities linked to support for labour market transitions, skilling and reskilling. A large percentage of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that there has been an increase in demand for labour market information (74%) and job-search assistance (73%). For example, in England there was an increase in the request for information about online job interviews and applications. Similar increases were perceived in the search for reskilling opportunities (70%) and information on education programmes (67%), especially online solutions; e.g. in Latvia the number of questions to the e-counselling service of the National Database on Learning Opportunities has increased. Results also indicate that users searched for more psychosocial support (60% strongly agree or agree), reportedly linked to higher anxiety levels among students and inactive youth. A respondent from Australia reported that many young people seem to have used the opportunity of lockdown to clarify career goals and to enrol in online courses. 54 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey Figure 16. Changes in demand for specific career services/activities Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. Nearly 50% of respondents reported an increase in demand for individual guidance sessions (see Figure 16). Some respondents commented that, while there had been an increase in short individual information requests, demand for more individualised services had decreased. For example, a respondent from Finland noted a sharp rise in online group sessions and self-directed career management skills development activities (described as ‘career guidance courses’) at the expense of individual services, including online. Services linked to geographical mobility (search for jobs abroad) seem to also have suffered, possibly as result of the closure of frontiers in many parts of the globe. While the data did not highlight significant divergence across countries, in some instances it was reported that the closure of services had a negative impact 7% 12% 14% 12% 13% 17% 23% 25% 25% 26% 34% 33% 36% 41% 39% 35% 53% 58% 26% 19% 27% 22% 22% 21% 21% 8% 5% 18% 13% 14% 13% 9% 11% 10% 2% 3% 15% 17% 9% 12% 9% 10% 6% 10% 7% 9% 6% 4% 6% 6% 3% 4% 2% 3% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100% Users of guidance are provided with devices or funding to acquire devices that can be used to access guidance services. Issues concerning the impact of the pandemic on the working conditions of career practitioners have been addressed by their employers (eg.… Sufficient support (e.g. training, materials, ICT helpdesk) has been provided for front-line practitioners. New tools have been/are being provided to deliver services. Reliable, real-time career information is publicly available. There is lack of support for practitioners. Guidelines for practitioners to provide online/distance support have been updated or created. There is an increased demand from career practitioners for support (e.g. training, financial, material, online practice and resources). Guidance practitioners have a positive attitude towards the use of technology for guidance. Q16. Please indicate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements. Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know NA CHAPTER 7. Towards the future The pandemic has prompted the need to rethink career guidance policy, systems and practices. These systemic issues were already being reviewed due to rapidly changing labour markets, related shifts in skills demand, changes in workers’ contractual situations, increasing use of digital technologies, and advancements in artificial intelligence and its use to collect and process labour market information, among other factors. While the previous chapters have examined respondents’ views on the actual role of career guidance during the pandemic, this chapter looks to the future. It presents the respondents’ views on possible roles for career guidance in the recovery. It also explores whether the pandemic has triggered reform and rethinking of career guidance systems, activities and roles. It concludes with respondents’ views on the role that international and donor organisations can play in supporting guidance systems across the globe. 7.1. Career guidance as part of the crisis recovery The survey asked respondents to what extent career guidance was being considered in government thinking for the recovery, after the current stage of the crisis. Around 47% reported that it was being considered ‘to a large extent’ or ‘to some extent’, while just over 14% specified ‘to a small extent’. Around a quarter reported that guidance was not considered in government thinking at all. The remaining 12% responded with ‘do not know’. Figure 20. Extent that career guidance is considered in government thinking for the recovery Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. 15% 32% 14% 27% 12% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Q22. To what extent do you feel that career guidance is being considered in government thinking for the recovery after the current stage of the crisis? To a large extent To some extent To a small extent Not at all Don't know 62 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey The results appear to be influenced by respondent group, relevant sector and/or occupation, and region (within and between countries). In Canada, for example, 36% of respondents answered that guidance was considered ‘not at all’ while 32% said ‘to some extent’; this might be due to differences in approaches among the country’s provinces, and also to different perceptions of policymakers and practitioners. Respondents from the education and training sectors tended to report that guidance was being considered in government programmes for the recovery to a larger extent than those responding from the employment sector, but this may also reflect the fact that there were more respondents from the education sector. 7.2. Main policy aims The survey explored which policy aims, in the areas of education and training, labour market and social policies, career guidance can best contribute to, in relation to the social and economic recovery. The results show that, overall, career guidance was considered to be important for increasing participation in vocational and higher education and for efficient investment in education and training, in skills development and labour market efficiency, and for social inclusion. In the context of the recovery, career guidance was viewed as contributing to different forms of efficient investment in education and training (44%): increased participation in education and training (53%), including through distance learning (37%), a reduction in early leaving from education and training (40%), and the development of core skills (42%). Increased access to work (41%) was among the top four policy aims. Most of these aims have been recognised in pre-pandemic conditions (such as McCarthy and Borbély Pecze, 2020b) but the emphasis that 37% of respondents placed on career guidance as enabling policy on blended and distance learning may reflect a shift in thinking and behaviour on virtual learning opportunities and the need for digital skills, forced by the pandemic. CHAPTER 7. Towards the future 63 Figure 21. Education and training policy aims Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. Similarly, the contribution of career guidance to the labour market sector during the pandemic recovery reflects aims identified in previous studies on guidance (such as Hughes et al., 2002; Hooley, 2014; Hooley and Dodd, 2015; Musset and Kurekova, 2018; Skills Development Scotland, 2020; Barnes et al., 2020; McCarthy and Borbély Pecze, 2020a): skills development (upskilling, reskilling, skills training and utilisation) and labour market efficiency (youth employment, job retention, combating unemployment, and employment mobility). The survey results can serve to underline previous evidence arguing for the role guidance can play in the labour market. Around 50% of the respondents on average considered that guidance can best contribute to upskilling (52%) and reskilling (49%). Just below 40% responded that guidance may play a role in combating unemployment in general (39%) and supporting youth employment (38%) in particular. A significant but lower proportion of responses pertained to policy aims related to effective skills training (33%) and utilisation (18%), job 27% 34% 37% 40% 41% 42% 44% 53% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Enabling learning mobility Increase participation in adult learning Enable blended and distance learning Reducing early school-leaving Increase access to work Development of core skills Efficient investment in education and training Increase participation in vocational and higher education Education and training aims Q26. In relation to social and economic recovery, which policy aims do you think career guidance can best contribute to? Please tick three most relevant for each category. 64 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey retention (23%) and supporting employment mobility (19%). The responses highlighted a weak role assigned to career guidance at company level: fewer than 15% of the respondents considered as the top three: supporting human resources at companies, employee engagement, and improving productivity. Figure 22. Labour market aims Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. Finally, as regards social policy aims during the recovery, respondents indicated that career guidance can contribute to different forms of social equity and inclusion: increased participation in social life (57%) and civic participation (35%). Included is access to learning and work for groups who face barriers or are typically identified as having access challenges, such as persons with disabilities (46%), women (40%), migrants and refugees (32%). Such inclusion is a major contributor to social cohesion, mentioned as an aim by many respondents. Many (42%) respondents also noted that career guidance can help to increase information on access to social protection benefits. 12% 13% 15% 18% 19% 23% 26% 33% 38% 39% 49% 52% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Improving productivity Employee engagement Support to human resources at companies Effective skills utilisation Supporting employment mobility Job retention Labour market efficiency Effective skills training Youth employment Combating unemployment Supporting reskilling Supporting upskilling Labour market aims Q26. In relation to social and economic recovery, which policy aims do you think career guidance can best contribute to? Please tick three most relevant for each category. CHAPTER 7. Towards the future 65 Figure 23. Social policy aims Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. Open-ended responses emphasised the importance of coordinating policy areas and services and the need for innovations in career guidance, more personalised services with regular meetings and effective follow-up and decisionmaking support; providing all-age guidance on the diversity of education and training opportunities and professions; career management skills development, and increased funding for training. 7.3. Most relevant career guidance activities in the near future When respondents were asked to select the top three most relevant guidance activities in the 12 to 18 months following the survey, career counselling (56%) including individual information and advice (60%), job-search assistance (54%), and coaching and mentoring (37%) (and 28% specifically for disadvantaged users) were considered to be the most relevant. Respondents also highlighted the need 32% 35% 40% 42% 46% 48% 57% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Increase access to learning and work by migrants and refugees Civic participation Increase access to learning and work by women Increase information on access to social protection benefits Increase access to learning and work by people with disabilities Social cohesion Increase participation in social life Social aims Q26. In relation to social and economic recovery, which policy aims do you think career guidance can best contribute to? Please tick three most relevant for each category. 66 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey for psychosocial support (38%), networking with professionals and employers (38%), group information sessions (33%) and skills assessment (33%). While all of these activities have been part of a range of interventions commonly included in career guidance services, the importance attached to individual interventions and psychosocial support reflects the need for more customised individual responses in times of great uncertainty. Fewer than 20% of respondents on average considered that collaborative career learning and career coconstruction would be the most relevant activities in the coming months. Figure 24. The most relevant guidance activities for the future Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. 17% 18% 28% 33% 33% 37% 38% 38% 49% 54% 56% 60% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Collaborative career learning Co-constructing careers (collaborative, participatory approach) Coaching of disadvantaged Skills assessment/ career assessments and tests Group information sessions Coaching and mentoring Networking with professionals and employers Psycho-social support Career education and training Job-search assistance Career counselling Individual information and advice Q25. What career guidance activities do you consider will be most relevant in the coming 12-18 months? [Tick three] CHAPTER 7. Towards the future 67 7.4. Will Covid-19 lead to reform of career guidance policies and systems? The pandemic and resulting restrictive measures also provided a new context for rethinking the way career guidance provision is delivered, as restrictions and associated measures have forced an often sudden move to hybrid or fully remote delivery. Respondents were asked whether this extreme situation in many cases had triggered a debate on guidance reform: 29% of respondents agreed, 37% disagreed, and 34% did not know. Additional comments suggested that the debate centred more on the supply or provision of blended forms of career guidance provision and the move towards remote forms of delivery. Practitioners tended to answer that the pandemic and lockdown experience had not triggered a debate, while researchers and policymakers suggested that such a debate had taken place. Figure 25. The role of the pandemic in triggering a debate about career guidance reforms Source: Joint international survey on lifelong guidance. 29% 37% 34% Q23. Did the experience from the pandemic and lockdown, if applicable, trigger a debate on reforming career guidance systems and policies in your country? Yes No Don't know 68 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey 7.5. The role of international and donor organisations in providing policy and systems support Respondents were requested to consider the role of international organisations and donor organisations in supporting the career guidance initiatives of countries in the post-Covid-19 or recovery period. The rationale for these questions is that career guidance provision faces challenges posed by the Covid-19 crisis, but also the parallel challenges of changes in the labour market and related changes in skills demands, as well as the need to adapt to remain relevant and effective. At the same time, career guidance cuts across many policy areas and therefore is a complex area to manage. International organisations and donor organisations may be able to support policy learning and systems development. Hence, knowing the needs of countries can inform the support work of those organisations. Of the fully completed questionnaires, around 45% provided responses to the open-ended question on ways that international organisations could provide policy and systems support to countries experiencing problems arising from the pandemic. In total there were 315 responses (212 in English, 20 in Russian, 63 in Spanish and 19 in French), distributed across 75 countries. Respondents showed strong support for the role of international organisations in facilitating peer learning and information exchange, including at practitioner level. This also includes enabling learning through sharing good practices. As regards the role of international organisations in the overall development of national career guidance systems, respondents stated that organisations have a key role in raising the awareness of national policymakers on the importance of career guidance provision and to make career guidance a priority issue on the policy agenda. At the same time respondents see a role for these organisations in raising the status of career guidance practitioners, which is linked to the demand for professionalism; i.e. national competence frameworks for service providers, legally defined qualifications, micro-credentials and badges, standards, licences, accreditation, national register of professionals, programme recognition frameworks, continuous education and training availability, and solid initial education and training for guidance practitioners. Respondents further highlighted the key role of international organisations in supporting national and international stakeholder cooperation and collaboration and providing technical assistance and financial support to this end. Technical assistance and financial support were, overall, seen as appropriate in general, such as in facilitating career guidance efficiency monitoring and evaluation, creating projects and programmes to improve career guidance provision, or through offering internships in developed countries. With respect to enabling international policy learning, respondents supported the idea of international CHAPTER 7. Towards the future 69 organisations establishing an information system on career guidance provision in countries, which would also enable cross-country comparison of strategies and policies. This would further support the promotion of common standards and guidelines which, respondents argued, is a role for international organisations. Related to this was a firm request to ensure the availability of more research, including on the impact of career guidance. Respondents underlined that international organisations should contribute to improving access to global and national labour market information. As concerns the role of donor organisations in providing support to countries, a total of 273 responses (40% approx. of completed questionnaires) were received across 66 countries (186 in English, 17 in Russian, 55 in Spanish and 14 in French). Responses emphasised the role of donor organisations in providing financial support; for example, for funding international peer learning, for supporting community organisations offering services, and for funding mobility. A second priority related to providing technical support, inter alia, through supporting countries’ shift to effective remote career guidance provision. Respondents saw a role for donor organisations in boosting research on guidance, ensuring the availability of publications on statistics, and facilitating the exchange of experiences through, for instance, the organisation of international events for professionals, feeding of social networks, or creating networks of professionals or tutors. Respondents further supported the role of donors in promoting integrated guidance services at national level. They also encouraged the creation of a global career guidance system to ensure common standards in the light of the global challenges of changing labour markets, changing skills demands, and epidemics like Covid-19. 7.6. Conclusion The pandemic has affected many people and is changing the way we live, work and relate to each other, as well as institutional and systems behaviour. Respondents confirmed the potential of career guidance to contribute to the recovery in terms of efficient investment in education, skills development, labour market efficiency and social inclusion. Importantly, they highlighted the role of career guidance in supporting and enabling distance and blended learning, which itself has been an institutional response to the pandemic. It is interesting to note that debate triggered by the pandemic, where it occurred, has focused on systems adaptation: the supply or provision of blended forms of career guidance and the move towards remote forms of delivery. 70 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey Respondents highlighted the need for individualised solutions, given the uncertainty created by the pandemic: career counselling, coaching, mentoring, and psychosocial support. But problems of access exist especially for persons with disabilities, women, migrants and refugees. A fair share of respondents consider that guidance can contribute to social inclusion and support, such as accessing social protection benefits, accessing learning and work by women, migrants and refugees. The pandemic has increased the difficulties of such groups in accessing career guidance. Respondents also highlighted the weak role assigned to career guidance at company level, which should be an integral part of targeted support for job-saving recovery, with balanced restructuring and reconversion processes. The results show that respondents assigned international organisations and donors a clear role in supporting countries, especially by adding value through peer learning, information exchange, sharing good practices, and financial and technical assistance. Further, respondents emphasised that international organisations and donors could play a stronger role in supporting the development of national systems through awareness-raising at national policy level. This would support the professionalisation of career guidance and providers, and enhance the professionalism of practitioners, the establishment of international standards, and the development of information systems and access to modern labour market information (LMI). Hence, respondents expressed a desire for the stronger involvement of international and donor organisations in national policy, systems and practice development, and in international knowledge-sharing. References 77 ILO (2020). ILO Monitor: Covid-19 and the world of work. Sixth edition: updated estimate analysis. ILO briefing note. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/documents/ briefingnote/wcms_755910.pdf IAG-WBL (2019). Investing in career guidance. https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/2227_en.pdf Kettunen, J. (2017). Career practitioners’ conceptions of social media and competency for social media in career services. Finnish Institute for Educational Research; Studies 32. University of Jyväskylä, Finland. https://jyx.jyu.fi/bitstream/handle/123456789/55367/978-951-39-7160-1.pdf Krumboltz, J.D. (2009). The Happenstance learning theory. Journal of career assessment, Vol. 17, No 2, pp. 135-154. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072708328861 McCarthy, J.; Borbély-Pecze, T.B. (2020a). Career guidance: living on the edge of public policy. In: Robertson, P.J.; Hooley, T.; McCash, P. (eds) (2020). The Oxford handbook of career development. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. McCarthy, J.; Borbély-Pecze, T.B. (2020b). Aims for and access to career development. Opus et education, Vol. 7, No 2, pp. 112-123. Ministry of Education of Singapore (2020). Enhancements to career schemes for school staff to achieve better student outcomes. Press release. https://www.moe.gov.sg/news/press-releases/enhancements-to-career- schemes-for-school-staff-to-achieve-better-student-outcomes Musset, P.; Kurekova, M. (2018). Working it out: career guidance and employer engagement. OECD Education working papers; No 175. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/51c9d18d-en. Pouliakas, K.; Branka, J. (2020). EU jobs at highest risk of Covid-19 social distancing: is the pandemic exacerbating the labour market divide? Luxembourg: Publications Office. Cedefop working paper; No 1. http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/968483 Savickas, M. L. (2005). The theory and practice of career construction. In: Brown, S.D.; Lent, R.W. (eds). Career development and counselling: putting theory and research to work. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 42-70. Savickas, M.L. (2011). Constructing careers: actor, agent and author. Journal of employment counselling, No 48, pp. 179-181. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1920.2011.tb01109.x Skills Development Scotland (2020). Delivering Scotland’s career service: a focus on career management skills. http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/46449/deliveringscotlands-careers-service-2020.pdf 78 Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic Results of a joint international survey Sunak, R. (2020). A Plan for Jobs 2020 [transcript from a speech delivered on 8.7.2020]. UK Government. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/aplan-for-jobs-speech UNESCO (2020). Adverse consequences of school closures. https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse/consequences Annex 1. Questionnaire Joint survey by international organisations COVID-19 pandemic and career guidance systems and policy development The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on career guidance systems and policy development The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on people’s working lives, employment status, and economic prospects. Career guidance assists individuals, families and communities to successfully navigate such transitions. The COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted on how policies for career guidance are implemented as part of education, training, employment and social service delivery. The European Centre for Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), the European Commission, the European Training Foundation,(ETF), the International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy (ICCDPP), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), have joined forces to undertake a survey to shed light on the current challenges of career guidance policies and practices around the world. The survey builds upon the shared commitment to support policies and systems for career guidance, and for universal access to such services. We greatly appreciate your valuable time in completing this questionnaire. We will use your responses to better understand the impact of a pandemic such as COVID-19 and any measures taken, such as lockdown and social distancing, on the implementation of policies for career guidance in your country and worldwide. The results from the survey will inform future policies and programmes related to career guidance in your country and those of international organisations. Respondents: The questionnaire is mainly designed for respondents who develop and/or monitor the implementation of career guidance policy and provision, such as national, regional and other bodies responsible for the management of career guidance services, as well as relevant private and civil society/non-governmental/third sector settings. Guidance practitioners and researchers may also respond to the questionnaire. INSTRUCTIONS the survey will take you about 25 minutes to complete we sincerely apologise for any cross-posting (there is need for only one response) please provide responses that pertain to the area(s)/beneficiary group for which you are responsible/manage in your country/region, or which concern your area(s) of focus participation is voluntary and you can stop or withdraw from the survey at any time we are not collecting personal data and we will not be able to identify you. Please see the privacy statement for any other questions, please contact Cedefop’s CareersNet team: [email protected], or ICCDPP: [email protected] Terminology: The activity described as ‘career guidance’ in this questionnaire is also known by other terms such as ‘career development’, ‘workforce development’, ‘career counselling’, ‘employment counselling’, ‘careers information, advice and guidance’, ‘lifelong guidance’, vocational counselling/guidance’, ‘professional orientation’ or ‘livelihood planning’ in different countries. The career guidance person or individual professional provider of guidance including specialised support, information, advice and career counselling is here referred to as the ‘guidance practitioner’. The survey is available in the following languages: English Spanish Vietnamese French Russian Section I - Information on the respondent COVID-19 pandemic and career guidance systems and policy development Q1. Country* Please specify: Q2. Please indicate your main occupational role in respect to career guidance [Tick all that apply].* Policy official/advisor (government) Programme administrator Manager of guidance services (responsible for service delivery as a supervisor) Social security administration representative Employer representative (includes sectoral) Worker representative/trade union Guidance practitioner Representative of career guidance professional association Researcher Independent consultant Other Q3. Please indicate the status of the organization in which you work.* Public (government) Private NGO/third sector/civil society Other, please specify: COVID-19 pandemic and career guidance systems and policy development Comments: Q3b. Is your organisation/company largely government-funded? Yes No Don’t know Not applicable COVID-19 pandemic and career guidance systems and policy development Q4. Please indicate at which institutional level you work.* National Regional Local/organisation/company Other, please specify: Q5. Please indicate the beneficiaries of the career guidance activities that you are responsible for/concerned with [Tick all that apply]. * School students Vocational Education and Training/ Technical and Vocational Education and Training students Higher education students Adult education students Employed workers Unemployed workers not receiving a social security benefit Unemployed workers receiving a social security benefit Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) Economically inactive persons Economic and humanitarian migrants Women Older adults Youth at risk People with disabilities or special needs Other, please specify: Q6a. Please indicate the policy field your response will pertain to.* Education and training Employment Social services Youth services (centres, outreach) Other, please specify: Comments: Q6b. In responding to this questionnaire, are you thinking about guidance activities that predominantly involve * Young people in educational institutions? Adults (seeking employment, job changes, upsklling, etc.)? Both? Other Other relevant information on your area of focus/responsibility that will help us to interpret your responses in the questionnaire? SECTION II - Government actions since the pandemic COVID-19 pandemic and career guidance systems and policy development This section concerns government actions relating to career guidance provision in your country since the pandemic and during the period of social distancing or other measures taken (e.g. lockdown). If yes, please specify: Q7. Has the provision of career guidance received any policy attention or been part of any policy actions to deal with the impact of the pandemic? Yes No Don't know Yes No Don't know part of any regulations developed (rules, procedures, guidelines, laws, etc.). part of any government information campaigns. part of economic incentives (e.g. financial, material, human and other resources) provided by government to institutions (e.g. schools) or organisations/entities (e.g. PES). part of education and training measures. provided to help users in undertaking online learning. provided as part of job retention measures. provided to help users with reskilling or upskilling. combined with social security support. part of stimulus measures to companies to help with staff planning during recovery. used as part of support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) together with financial incentives to training. Please provide examples related to the above changes you have observed: Q8. In reaction to the pandemic, please indicate if career guidance has been... If yes, please indicate in what way: Q15. Is social media being used to provide career guidance? Yes No Don't know Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Not applicable Guidelines for practitioners to provide online/distance support have been updated or created. Sufficient support (e.g. training, materials, ICT helpdesk) has been provided for front-line practitioners. Issues concerning the impact of the pandemic on the working conditions of career practitioners have been addressed by their employers (eg. employment status, pay, protective clothing, provision of ICT equipment for distance/online work etc.). Guidance practitioners have a positive attitude towards the use of technology for guidance. There is lack of support for practitioners. There is an increased demand from career practitioners for support (e.g. training, financial, material, online practice and resources). Users of guidance are provided with devices or funding to acquire devices that can be used to access guidance services. Q16. Please indicate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements. New tools have been/are being provided to deliver services. Reliable, real-time career information is publicly available. Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Not applicable Fully remote (e.g. on-line, telephone, etc.) Partially remote Only on-site (face-to-face, in person) No career services Don't know Not applicable before the pandemic. during the pandemic and lockdown (if applicable). after the lockdown (if applicable). Please provide comments here on any relevant lockdown or similar measures taken in your country/region/local area, that would help explain your responses: Q17. Please identify the main delivery mode of the career guidance service(s)... Do you have any additional comments on provision and operation of career guidance services covered in this section (Section IV)? V – Demand for career guidance services COVID-19 pandemic and career guidance systems and policy development This section concerns the level of demand for career guidance services since the pandemic and during the period of social distancing or other similar restrictions (e.g. lockdown). Again, we are interested in your opinion as we understand that there might not be data available. Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know There is a significantly stronger demand for labour market information. Information on education and training is requested by users more than before. Searching opportunities for re-skilling have increased. Demand for job search assistance has increased. More individuals/users are signing up for individual guidance sessions. More individuals/users are requesting/registering for group support sessions. There is increased demand for psychosocial support for users (e.g., guidance practitioners refer users to counselling related to mental health or handle more of this type of support, etc.). There is increased user demand for more short information delivery talks/chats. There is increased demand for crossnational services related to finding work in other countries. Comments on user-demand increase: Q18. Please indicate your agreement or disagreement about the demand for career guidance services. Comments: Q19. According to your observations, since the pandemic, among which groups do you note an increase in demand for career guidance services? [Tick all that apply] Students VET students (including apprentices) Students in their last year of school Students who are at risk of dropout Parents/guardians of students Low-qualified/ Low-skilled Employed workers Low-income workers Temporary workers Platform workers Workers in vulnerable sectors SME employees or those from microsized workplaces Self-employed People working in informal sectors Furloughed workers (temporarily unemployed) Unemployed workers not receiving a social security benefit Unemployed receiving a social security benefit Newly unemployed Inactive Economic migrants Refugees and asylum seekers Women Older adults Rural populations People with disabilities or special needs Comments: Q20. In your view, which groups have been more severely affected by the breakdown in guidance services (due to low access, isolation, etc.)? [Tick all that apply] Students VET students (including apprentices) Students in their last year of school Students who are at risk of dropout Parents/guardians of students Low-qualified/ Low-skilled Employed workers Low-income workers Temporary workers Platform workers Workers in vulnerable sectors SME employees or those from micro-sized workplaces Self-employed People working in informal sectors Furloughed workers (temporarily unemployed) Unemployed workers not receiving a social security benefit Unemployed receiving a social security benefit Newly unemployed Inactive Economic migrants Refugees and asylum seekers Women Older adults Rural populations People with disabilities or special needs Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know Users support each other through peer group activities and discussions on career guidance related issues more than before. Users have initiated/proposed new ways/tools/methods for career guidance services. Users of guidance have a positive attitude towards the use of technology for guidance. Comments: Q21. Please indicate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements related to delivery of career guidance services. Do you have any additional comments on the demand for career guidance services (Section V)? VI: Toward the future COVID-19 pandemic and career guidance systems and policy development This section concerns the role of guidance in the recovery period, yet uncertain, even if restrictions may still be in place. Q22. To what extent do you feel that career guidance is being considered in government thinking for the recovery after the current stage of the crisis? To a large extent To some extent Not at all Don’t know Q23. Did the experience from the pandemic and lockdown, if applicable, trigger a debate on reforming career guidance systems and policies in your country? Yes No Don't know If yes, please elaborate: Q24. Are there any noteworthy career guidance practices in your country that appeared as a result of the pandemic, that other countries could learn from? Please share relevant details below. Other, please specify: Q25. What career guidance activities do you consider will be most relevant in the coming 12-18 months? [Tick three] Individual information and advice Group information sessions Job-search assistance Coaching and mentoring Skills assessment/ career assessments and tests Career counselling Career education and training Collaborative career learning Co-constructing careers (collaborative, participatory approach) Networking with professionals and employers Psycho-social support Coaching of disadvantaged Q26. In relation to social and economic recovery, which policy aims you think career guidance can best contribute to? Please tick 3 most relevant for each category. A- Education and training [Tick three] Increase participation in vocational and higher education Reducing early school-leaving Enabling learning mobility Efficient investment in education and training Increase participation in adult learning Increase access to work-based learning Development of core skills Enable blended and distance learning Other, please specify: B- Labour Market [Tick three] Supporting upskilling Supporting re-skilling Labour market efficiency Job-retention Combating unemployment Supporting employment mobility Youth employment Effective skills utilisation Effective skills training Employee engagement Improving productivity Support to human resources at companies Other (please specify): C- Social [Tick three] Increase participation in social life Increase information on access to social protection benefits Increase access to learning and work by women Increase access to learning and work by people with disabilities Increase access to learning and work by migrants and refugees Social cohesion Civic participation Other, please specify: Please provide details on how career guidance can contribute to these policy aims: Q26a. In what ways do you think international organisations (European Commission, Cedefop, ETF, ICCDPP, ILO, OECD, UNESCO, etc.) can provide policy and systems support to countries experiencing problems arising from the pandemic (e.g., peer learning, facilitating space for discussion, technical support)? Q26b. In what ways do you think can donor organisations help and provide support (e.g. financing, facilitating space for discussion, technical support)? Annex 2. Respondents by country and role Policy official/advisor (government) Programme administrator Manager of guidance services (responsible for service delivery as a supervisor) Social security administration representative Employer representative (includes sectoral) Worker representative/trade union Guidance practitioner Representative of career guidance professional association Researcher Independent consultant Other Total Respondents TOTAL 141 69 138 10 34 24 453 117 113 76 111 963 Afghanistan 1 2 1 4 Albania 1 1 Algeria 1 1 Angola 1 1 Argentina 1 3 1 2 2 1 6 Armenia 3 2 7 1 1 1 20 6 2 1 1 35 Australia 2 2 1 1 22 8 4 6 3 33 Austria 1 6 1 2 1 11 4 3 2 23 Azerbaijan 1 1 1 3 Bangladesh 1 3 4 1 2 1 9 Barbados 1 1 2 Belarus 1 1 2 Belgium 6 2 1 9 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 1 Brazil 2 1 1 2 Bulgaria 1 1 Cambodia 1 1