Career guidance in action. How Ivano-Frankivska community raises specialists who want to work from home
Imagine a nine-grade student who confidently claims that he dreams of a career in IT simply because he has heard about the high salaries in the sector.
Now imagine that same boy just an hour later: he walks out of a modern veterinary clinic, where, under a vet’s supervision, he has performed his very first ultrasound scan on a dog, and says enthusiastically, ‘I’ve changed my mind – I’m going to be a vet!’ Or take his classmates, who usually get bored in lessons, but here are eager to take turns at the wheel of a real trolleybus in the depot or sit down at a sewing machine for the first time in their lives.
The era of abstract theory about choosing a future profession is over. Teenagers need real-life experience, the chance to handle tools, instruments and equipment, and to feel the rhythm of production for themselves. Realising this, Ivano-Frankivska community has completely rethought its approach to careers guidance. The Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project supports the community in this process.
‘We are jointly developing a comprehensive career guidance system based on cooperation between business, education, and the authorities. Career counsellors help teenagers to discover their strengths, talents, and interests through the JOBS course, developed by the Zurich University of Teacher Education. The career guidance programme also includes a variety of excursions to enterprises, vocational schools, pre-university and higher education institutions, as well as meetings with employers. Thanks to this approach, Ivano-Frankivska community has managed to build an effective partnership that provides young people with practical guidance for life and shows them career prospects,’ explains Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager.
Synergy between three sectors. When a city works with the future in mind
‘In the past, our nine vocational education institutions collaborated with schools based on the Department’s official plans. They organised visits to training and practical centres and held field trips. However, new approaches have significantly enhanced this work, making it more interesting and engaging for the children,’ adds Yanina Sobol, a chief specialist at the Department of Education and Science of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council.
It all began with the initiative of Vocational and Technical Education Centre No. 1, which had recently created the DECIDE career guidance hub.
‘They approached us with a proposal to work together on the career hub – organising tours and developing a career guidance system in general. We were delighted to support them, as a comprehensive project like this requires synergy across all parts of the education system. After a year of training and piloting, we now have 10 pilot educational institutions in the community and are actively implementing measures to help children decide on their future profession,’ says Iryna Antoniak, a career coordinator for Ivano-Frankivska community and a consultant at the Centre for Professional Development of Teaching Staff at the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council.
Although the start was successful, implementing such a large-scale system at the local level required overcoming internal and organisational challenges, which initially caused considerable concern.
‘When we first started this project, our biggest concern was organising the practical side of things. Coordinating processes is one thing, but quite another is how the innovations would be received by the teachers who work directly with the children. Fortunately, we assigned this task to the teachers, who embraced the process with great enthusiasm. They often seek out the necessary contacts themselves and do their best to show the children as much as possible.
Similar concerns were raised about businesses, as we were aware of cases in other communities where business owners had refused to allow schoolchildren on excursions. In Ivano-Frankivsk, however, thanks to the mayor’s good reputation and well-established communication channels, such problems do not exist. Municipal institutions, private companies, and local entrepreneurs are happy to cooperate with us, support us, and even offer their own insights on how best to present different professions to young people,’ says Iryna Antoniak.
Ivano-Frankivska community believes that every child’s choice of profession is not merely a private matter for a single family, but has a direct impact on the economic stability and development of the entire region.
‘Career guidance today is about the future of the whole community. When the education sector, the authorities, and the business sector work together, children gain much more than just information about professions – they see real opportunities for development right here, in Ivano-Frankivska community. Cooperation between educational institutions and local businesses helps young people to better understand the modern labour market, the needs of employers, and the prospects in different industries. And for the community, this is an investment in skilled, motivated people who will work to develop our region and our country in the future,’ says Viktoriia Drotianko, Deputy Mayor and Director of the Department of Education and Science.
The space that breaks down stereotypes: A guide around the modern hub
One of the most important tangible symbols of this transformation has been the DECIDE careers guidance hub, created in the premises of the Vocational and Technical Education Centre No. 1. The idea behind it grew out of the realisation of a simple truth: aesthetics and comfort are of immense importance to today’s young people, and outdated premises can scare off prospective students before they even step inside.
The former IT classroom, equipped with technology from the last century, has been transformed into a designer space of almost 100 square metres. The renovation covered not only the classroom but also the hall, the stairwell, and the toilets.
Today, the hub’s space is divided into themed areas, each of which serves as a miniature model of a real workplace. There is an administration area with a stylish reception desk, a training area for workshops equipped with multimedia screens, a tailor’s space with a large cutting table, and a beauty zone. The latter is particularly popular: it contains professional mirrors, make-up artists’ and hairdressers’ tools, and, most importantly, training mannequins on which schoolchildren can practise doing hairstyles or make-up themselves during masterclasses. Senior students assist the guests, which helps break down communication barriers.
‘Schools often try to keep students in Grades 10–11, calling us “a seminary”. ‘But when teachers actually bring their students to the Centre, it really breaks the mould. I often stand there in jeans and trainers, and the children, not recognising me as the director, whisper, “We were told it was a bit of a drain here, but actually it’s us who are stuck in a rut – this place is amazing!” At these moments, I realise: we have achieved our goal; we have changed their perception of vocational education,’ says Nataliia Kohuch, Director of the Centre.
JOBS course: How teenagers explore adult life
While the hub hosts weekly excursions, students continue to explore the world of professions in their local school classrooms. The JOBS course helps students in Grades 8–9 to recognise their strengths, explore their interests, and understand what they enjoy most.
‘The power of these sessions lies precisely in their clear structure, which ensures that children are not left guessing but can see their progress from lesson to lesson. Career guidance is usually provided by both form classteachers and psychologists, but this course helps to systematise the work,’ notes Iryna Matskevych, a career counsellor who worked with the children last year during the pilot project.
In the practical sessions, teenagers do not simply listen to theory, but analyse real-life situations that make them think seriously about the financial and social aspects of growing up.
‘If we take a practical approach, without any lectures or imposing our own views, the children come up with incredible ideas. I was simply struck by the topic of basic living costs. When the students calculated the cost of utility bills themselves, they were shocked, “Wow, that’s a lot – I could have gone out to have fun at our shopping centre three times for that!” There were also heated gender debates about why men sometimes earn more. The boys said, “Because women are on maternity leave,” and I asked, “What’s stopping a man from taking it? Everything’s civilised these days.” Our aim is to help them hear different views and, ultimately, listen to their inner voice,’ says Ivanna Vintoniuk, a history teacher and careers counsellor.
For schoolchildren, this kind of self-exploration is often the starting point for a profound inner transformation and a re-evaluation of their values.
‘Young people today do not like abstract theory. However, in practical sessions such as “Me and My Interests”, teenagers’ eyes light up straight away. When we explored this topic, the children were surprised at the end and admitted that they had not even realised they possessed certain abilities or that they were actually ready to pursue them. For them, it was a real journey of self-discovery. They thought deeper and realised they were capable of so much more than just what their mum and dad had told them or what their neighbours had recommended. And, of course, these practical excursions are what teenagers remember most of all,’ adds Mariana Dehtiar, a teacher of world literature and careers counsellor.
From croissants to trolleybuses: Test-driving real-life professions
However, teenagers experience the most vivid emotions when they step outside the classroom and visit production sites. Interacting face-to-face with skilled workers and having the chance to stand at a real machine or piece of equipment completely changes their perception of different professions. Schoolchildren from the community have already visited the “Devaytis” mineral water production plant, a children’s toy technology park, and creative workshops.
‘One of the most vivid memories was the visit to the “Ligos” croissant factory. The children saw just how automated the process is, how carefully sanitary conditions are maintained, the speed and scale of production, and the number of countries to which the products are exported. The teenagers were thrilled by the offer to operate the machinery themselves. Such excursions have a wonderful effect on children’s understanding of their place in life, as professions look completely different from the inside than they do in films or on social media,’ recalls Iryna Matskevych.
Sometimes the best career guidance venues are the businesses that children encounter every day, without even giving a thought to the complexity of the work involved. For instance, the usual traffic jams on the way to school provided an opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of the city’s transport system.
‘We took the nine-graders to the “Elektroavtotransport” utility company, because the students are often late due to traffic jams. I wanted them to experience how road traffic affects the timetable of the routes. Afterwards, the boys came out and said, “Ivanna Ruslanivna, why do we need those museums and castles? We should have been brought straight here!” They were allowed to get behind the wheel and ring the trolleybus bells. Moreover, they were tempted by a real salary – after all, there is currently a shortage of drivers – and the boys seriously began to consider a career as a driver,’ says Ivanna Vintoniuk.
Meeting representatives of small and medium-sized businesses is also a key part of the programme; they show the teenagers how a passion can be turned into a successful business of their own.
‘We went on an excursion to a private veterinary clinic founded by one of our former students. It was important for the children to hear that he was not a top student, but still achieved his goal and built up a whole network of clinics. When the teenagers were allowed to perform an ultrasound scan on a dog, one boy, who had previously dreamt of a career in IT solely because of the high salary, decided to become a vet. There was a similar effect at the “Klaptyk” creative workshop: the boys sat down at sewing machines for the first time and realised that creating designer items is really interesting,’ says Mariana Dehtiar.
Dialogue with parents and the new economic realities of the city
Effective career guidance cannot be achieved without involving parents, because adults often pass on outdated stereotypes to their children or try to “pass on” their own profession to them. To break down these barriers, representatives from vocational education institutions in Ivano-Frankivsk have begun to be invited directly to parents’ evenings, demonstrating to adults the real prospects of the modern labour market.
‘We also realised, through the development of a new education network within the framework of the New Ukrainian School reform, that we needed to work with parents as a matter of priority. It is important that they understand the essence of the changes, so we organised meetings in every school in the community, attended by representatives from vocational education institutions. They explained their services, facilities, and conditions in detail. It was clear that many parents were seeing their outdated stereotypes about vocational colleges and the lack of prospects being dispelled. When they learnt about free tuition, modern facilities, and employment opportunities, it really changed their outlook on their children’s future,’ emphasises Iryna Antoniak.
The city-wide Career Fair was a vivid example of multi-stakeholder cooperation, which turned into a large-scale interactive event for school-leavers and their families.
‘Last year’s fair, held at the “Promprylad” innovation hub, demonstrated just how effectively the city, the education sector, and the business can work together. There was lively interaction, with vocational institutions opening their own mini-laboratories and activity stations with experiments and laser printers, where they created hairstyles or applied plaster right before visitors’ eyes. It is a modern venue that attracts young people and challenges old notions about learning,’ recalls Iryna Matskevych.
The benefits for the community
The practical aim of developing a career guidance system in the community is to address the skills imbalance in the labour market. At present, there is a surplus of some specialists, whereas there is a shortage of skilled workers. This has a direct impact on both the development of the local economy and the everyday life of the city.
‘It is important that children do not feel ashamed to choose blue-collar professions. It is not about shame, but about a good income. At the moment, we have three hundred lawyers for every plumber, and that is a problem. It is important to develop this area so that professions vital to the city’s functioning do not simply die out like the dinosaurs,’ emphasises Ivanna Vintoniuk.
Timely support from career counsellors helps young people avoid years of searching and disappointment, and make a more conscious choice of a profession in which they can fulfil their potential, develop, and earn a decent income.
‘I believe that the development of career guidance benefits everyone. Choosing the wrong career path takes a great deal of effort, energy, and money, creating unnecessary obstacles along one’s life journey. What we are creating now helps children minimise such mistakes. We want to build a strong society, and this is only possible when we are all in our rightful places – as successful, financially independent, and in-demand professionals,’ says Iryna Matskevych.
A high-quality blue-collar profession can today provide young people with a reliable safeguard in an unstable world. Creating conditions in which young people can see the prospects of their own work from an early age lays a solid foundation for the future of the whole country.
‘This project is a great opportunity to help children find their place in life. If a person does not pursue what really inspires them, they will eventually lose interest in their work. If, after our sessions and excursions, even just two people in the class can confidently say they have found their path, this is already a great success. When children are happy, the whole country will be happy too,’ concludes Mariana Dehtiar.
The DECIDE project is implemented by NGO DOCCU and PHZH International Projects in Education with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.