In what ways can specialised education help teenagers discover their identities, and why is this important for the country's future?

In what ways can specialised education help teenagers discover their identities, and why is this important for the country's future?

Last week, this topic was discussed during a panel organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine as part of the Career Festival at the Expocenter of Ukraine (VDNH).

Special attention was paid to career guidance. Valentyna Poltorak shared her experience of developing a career guidance system in six regions, which was piloted this academic year in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. "As part of our initiative for students in years 8–9 in nine communities, we launched the JOBs course in collaboration with the Zurich University of Teacher Education. In addition, we trained career advisors who piloted the course in partner schools. We also involved career guidance coordinators from local councils of partner communities. Throughout the school year, students visited companies and vocational schools. In total, almost 15,000 teenagers participated in career guidance events and discovered the world of professions for themselves."