Lifelong Guidance System in Croatia

Lifelong Guidance System in Croatia

OVERVIEW

In Croatia lifelong guidance, career counselling and information services are provided for all citizens who study, work, are unemployed or wish to make a career change. The services that support lifelong learning and career development are provided by national authorities in the education and employment sectors and are free of charge.

POLICY

Provision and development of lifelong guidance in Croatia is overseen by the Ministry of Science and Education and the Ministry of Labour and Pension System. These two are further supported by different authorities at national, regional and local levels, including the Croatian Employment Service (and its national, regional and local branches); the Education and Teacher Training Agency, the Agency for Science and Higher Education, the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education, and many others. Since 2015 an effort has been made to bring together relevant stakeholders from the above-mentioned sectors with the objective of developing more efficient and systematic policies, with the establishment of the Forum for Lifelong Career Guidance, a national policy advisory network on lifelong guidance.

There is currently no legislation in Croatia that defines the institutions responsible for the implementation of lifelong career guidance activities, and their responsibilities and roles in particular systems. At national level, lifelong guidance in the education and training sector in Croatia is indirectly regulated by the Primary and Secondary School Education Act, the Vocational Education Act and the Act on Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education.

A more systematic set of measures has been introduced with the national Strategy for Lifelong Career Guidance in the Republic of Croatia for the period 2016-2020, which represented an initial step in the establishment of quality lifelong career guidance system in Croatia, by providing a formal framework of priorities, measures and stakeholders in the education and employment sectors. Sustainability and long-term impact of the Forum activities have been ensured and regulated through the National Plan for Labour, Occupational Safety and Employment for the period 2021-2027.

The National Plan for the Development of the Education System for the Period Until 2027 (and its action plan) defines in more detail the implementation of the strategic goals and priority areas of public policy for the education sector. Euroguidance is currently listed as one of the implementing bodies in a measure of the action plan dedicated to supporting competence development of guidance practitioners in primary and secondary schools.

SERVICES AND PRACTICE

In Croatia lifelong guidance and career counselling is delivered in the sectors of education and employment:

Within the primary and secondary education system, guidance services are delivered in primary and secondary schools and are mostly performed by the non-teaching staff (including school expert associates - pedagogues and psychologists, experts of education-rehabilitation profiles, librarians, principals etc.), followed by the teaching staff. However, guidance is one of many responsibilities of expert associates in schools and is not implemented systematically across all institutions. Schools primarily focus on providing group information sessions and counseling for students and parents regarding education opportunities. However, less emphasis is placed on preparing students for job searches, enhancing transversal and decision-making skills, and fostering self-awareness.

Most schools conduct career guidance activities during the final two years of compulsory education (grades 7 and 8). However, there is a recognized need to introduce career guidance elements earlier in education to better equip students for future career decisions.

There is also a need for further training and continuous professional development for school expert associates in career guidance. The limited availability of specialized seminars and expert meetings within the school system presents a challenge. Additionally, increased funding is necessary for purchasing career guidance tools, such as diagnostic tests, and covering the costs of professional development courses for school staff.

In the higher education system efforts are currently being made to establish new faculty and university-based career centres for students and/or further develop the existing ones, which would offer psychological guidance services for students, as well as information on job search and labour market trends, networking activities with the business sector and information on mobility.

In adult education guidance services are delivered in a number of adult education and training institutions, such as Public Open Universities, offering education programmes, vocational training and additional training programmes, elementary, high school and secondary school programmes.

Within the employment sector, guidance services are primarily offered by the national Croatian Employment Service and Lifelong Career Guidance Centres (CISOK). Guidance services are offered through online counselling, brochures, leaflets and different types of group information activities and workshops, providing advice on seeking and creating professional opportunities and improving job-search techniques. Career guidance services for the unemployed, job seekers pupils and students are provided by specialised counsellors in career guidance, such as psychologists, pedagogues, and experts of education-rehabilitation profiles, who receive further training as career counsellors. Individual counselling services are offered to persons who need a more individualised approach, such as persons with health or learning difficulties, and those at risk of social exclusion.

TRAINING

Croatia does not currently provide initial education for career guidance counsellors in the system of higher education (such as specific career guidance study programmes), nor does it provide a single professional development programme on this subject. Guidance counsellors in the education and employment sector hold university degrees in relevant fields (psychology, social work, pedagogy, etc.) with additional professional training leading to a professional exam in lifelong career guidance (employment sector) or a professional exam in education (education sector).

In order to provide them with opportunities for further and continued professional development and training in guidance, Euroguidance Croatia has developed a professional development programme “Guidance and Career Counselling Seminar“, which has now been active since 2013 and has been attended by more than 900 school psychologists, pedagogues and teachers. 

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Research and development in the field of lifelong guidance is done by the following institutions:

The Croatian Employment Service (labour market data, labour market trends and forecasts) in the employment sector

The Agency for Science and Higher Education conducted a survey on the establishment of professional guidance services (career centres) for students and employees of higher education institutions, the types of services provided and their developmental needs

The Institute for Social Research in Zagreb conducts scientific research in the field of social structure and stratification, youth, space, education, science and technology, culture, religion, gender, etc.

Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes/ Euroguidance Croatia has done various research activities in the field of guidance:

1. Possibilities and Perspectives of Initial Education in Guidance in Croatia, 2013
2. Research on the existing capacities of primary and secondary schools to implement career guidance, 2014 (incorporated in the national Strategy for Lifelong Career Guidance in the Republic of Croatia for the period 2016-2020)
3. Guidance in Croatian Primary and Secondary Schools – Pupils' Perspective, 2017
4. Guidance in Vocational Education and Training, 2024

ETHICS

In its Strategy for Lifelong Career Guidance, the Forum for Lifelong Career Guidance (including all its members) outlines the following principles that underlie the provision of lifelong guidance in Croatia:

• Independence – Lifelong guidance providers respect the freedom of career choice and personal development of the citizen.
• Impartiality – Lifelong guidance provided is in accordance with the citizen's interests only, is not influenced by provider, institutional and funding interests, and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, ethnicity, social status, qualifications, ability, disability etc.
• Equal opportunities – Lifelong guidance enables and promotes equal opportunities for all citizens in education and work.
• Availability – All citizens have a right to access lifelong guidance services at any point in their lives.
• Accessibility – The guidance provided is accessible in a flexible and user-friendly ways such as face to face, telephone, e-mail, e-portals, in order to accommodate different citizens' needs.
• Data protection – Citizens have a right to protection and privacy of personal information they provide in the guidance process. All personal data obtained during the provision of guidance are considered professional secret and are treated as such.