What is more important for teenagers – to hear about a profession or to try it themselves? What form should career guidance take to help teenagers make a conscious choice about their future professio
These topics were discussed during the youth dialogue platform at the National Forum «The Future We Choose!», organised by the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
Young people want more than just to hear about professions, they want to try them out for themselves
For teenagers, effective careers guidance is, above all, an opportunity to gain first-hand experience in a profession: to see how professionals work, to try performing certain tasks, to ask questions and to understand how well this activity matches their interests and abilities.
Kateryna Osnach, a student at Brovary Lyceum No. 4, made this point.
‘Effective career guidance is the opportunity to be creative and try out different professions. After all, unless we try something ourselves, we won’t understand how well that profession suits us.’
Dmytro Kolisnichenko, a student at Tarashcha Academic Lyceum «Uspikh», drew attention to the importance of field trips and internships, which allow students to see real working conditions.
‘For me, effective career guidance means field trips where we can see how people in different professions actually work. And then there are internships – I’d love to spend at least a week experiencing what it means to work every day.’
Sofiia Mykolaienko, a student at Bilohorodka Lyceum No. 1, emphasised the importance of talking to professionals who can explain not only the specifics of a profession but also the path to pursuing it.
‘For me, effective career guidance means talking to professionals, which helps students understand what they like, what path they need to follow to master a profession, and how it can bring not only an income but also satisfaction and benefit to society.’
Practical experience helps students see a profession from a new perspective
The youth’s demand for practical experience in the world of professions is also confirmed by the experience of civil society organisations that work with teenagers.
Taras Kozachenko, Programme Manager at Youth Spaces «12–21» NGO, explained that young people are most interested in formats that allow them to gain first-hand experience of professional activities.
‘Any format that gives a young person the opportunity to try out a profession in practice, even just a little, is useful. In our experience, excursion programs receive the best feedback. Indeed, first-hand experience of a profession helps young people understand what actually lies behind its name.’
The right to choose – the foundation of independence
An important part of preparing for a career choice is developing independence and taking responsibility for one’s own decisions. This process begins long before graduation.
Hanna Kuznetsova, HR Director at DLight, emphasised this fact, drawing attention to the role of parents.
‘It is important that parents do not make all of their child’s decisions for them, but give them the right to choose from an early age. After all, making choices comes hand in hand with taking responsibility for one’s own decisions. This is how the independence that a person needs in adult life is developed.’
Hanna Kuznetsova also shared the employers’ perspective: alongside professional knowledge, they value initiative, the ability to work in a team, keeping to agreements, and a willingness to learn. These skills help young people adapt to the professional environment and develop.
Cooperation between businesses and schools opens up new opportunities for teenagers
Kseniia Motorina, Head of the Youth Engagement and Development Group at PJSC MHP, is convinced that employers should be involved in career guidance long before young people enter the labour market.
‘We understand that, as a socially responsible business, we need to work with young people when they are still at school, rather than waiting until they become students or start looking for work. It is important to show them the opportunities available today so that they can make a conscious choice.’
The community – a space for youth initiatives
It is equally important that teenagers can influence the career guidance provided in their community, put forward their own ideas, and get involved in bringing them to life.
Nataliia Burdiuh, Career Coordinator of Chernihivska community, pointed out that cooperation between young people, educational institutions, the community, and partners helps to take teenagers’ real needs into account and create new opportunities for their development.
She also drew attention to the importance of balancing financial well-being with job satisfaction.
‘Any job should earn money, as this is a resource that helps us make a living. But if a person does not enjoy their work, that is not acceptable. When these two aspects are combined, we will have a happy country, a strong economy, and young people who have achieved their full potential in their chosen professions.’
The dialogue with young people showed that teenagers are keen to actively explore the world of professions. However, they have their own expectations, ideas and aspirations, which should be taken into account when developing the career guidance system.
The role of adults is to ensure they have access to information, practical experience, and the support needed to make a conscious decision.
Effective career guidance is not a ready-made answer to the question «What should I become?», but an opportunity to explore oneself, different professions, and find one’s own path.
To discover. To try. To choose. To shape one’s own future.
The DECIDE project is implemented by NGO DOCCU and PHZH International Projects in Education with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.
To view the photo gallery, click on the photo.