CAREER GUIDANCE IN BULGARIACAREER GUIDANCE IN BULGARIA

Nadezhda KamburovaChief expert in NAVET

Peer Learning Activity9-10 April 2008, Vienna

GENERAL FRAMEWORKGENERAL FRAMEWORK

Legislative basisLegislative basis – VET Law, Employment promotion Act, Law for – VET Law, Employment promotion Act, Law for the higher education, Law for the public education the higher education, Law for the public education

Strategic documentsStrategic documents - - National Programme for Development of National Programme for Development of School and Pre-School Education 2006School and Pre-School Education 2006--20132013, National Strategy for , National Strategy for continuous vocational training 2005- 2010, continuous vocational training 2005- 2010, Revised Employment Revised Employment strategy 2008 – 2015, National Employment Action Plan 2008strategy 2008 – 2015, National Employment Action Plan 2008

Guidance for choice of occupation and career development – Guidance for choice of occupation and career development – element of VET systemelement of VET system

Institutions for providing guidance stipulated in the VET LawInstitutions for providing guidance stipulated in the VET Law Funds for providing guidance for unemployed - ensured through Funds for providing guidance for unemployed - ensured through

the active labour market measuresthe active labour market measures

COORDINATION MECHANISMCOORDINATION MECHANISM

National Agency for Vocational Education and Training (NAVET) – National Agency for Vocational Education and Training (NAVET) – specialized government body for licensing of activities and coordination of specialized government body for licensing of activities and coordination of institutions and organizations related to vocational education, training and institutions and organizations related to vocational education, training and guidanceguidance

Functions of NAVET Functions of NAVET - - pparticipation in the development of policy documents articipation in the development of policy documents in the field of in the field of VETVET and their implementation; and their implementation; d development and updating of evelopment and updating of the basic documents for regulation of the basic documents for regulation of VETVET – List of Professions for – List of Professions for Vocational Education and Training and State Vocational Standards for Vocational Education and Training and State Vocational Standards for acquiring qualification in professions;acquiring qualification in professions; l licensing and icensing and ffollow up control of ollow up control of Centers for Vocational Training(employed and unemployed persons);Centers for Vocational Training(employed and unemployed persons); Licensing of Centers for Information and Vocational GuidanceLicensing of Centers for Information and Vocational Guidance

Management Board – constituted on tripartite principleManagement Board – constituted on tripartite principle Expert Committees in vocational areas and 1 in vocational guidanceExpert Committees in vocational areas and 1 in vocational guidance

Experience in coordination in the field of VET, still not in guidanceExperience in coordination in the field of VET, still not in guidance

GUIDANCE IN EDUCATION SECTORGUIDANCE IN EDUCATION SECTOR

National Pedagogic Centre with 27 regional branches – teachers training National Pedagogic Centre with 27 regional branches – teachers training including in the field of guidanceincluding in the field of guidance

Pedagogical advisors in schoolsPedagogical advisors in schools Training of advisors and teachers for acquiring Training of advisors and teachers for acquiring internationally aknowledged internationally aknowledged

certificate Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF)certificate Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) – 60 trained, 600 – 60 trained, 600 involved in training, 15 certified trainersinvolved in training, 15 certified trainers

Introduction of modular training for early vocational guidance since Introduction of modular training for early vocational guidance since 2006/2007 school year for students from 5th to 8th grade2006/2007 school year for students from 5th to 8th grade

514 curricula for the obligatory vocational preparation for XIIth grade 514 curricula for the obligatory vocational preparation for XIIth grade including themes for career development approved for 2007/2008 school including themes for career development approved for 2007/2008 school year and 400 teachers trainedyear and 400 teachers trained

Building up of National Education Portal has startedBuilding up of National Education Portal has started Career centres within 22 higher schools establisedCareer centres within 22 higher schools establised

GUIDANCE IN EMPLOYMENT SECTORGUIDANCE IN EMPLOYMENT SECTOR

Local offices of the Employment Agency provide information and Local offices of the Employment Agency provide information and counselling of youth and adultscounselling of youth and adults

Centres “Work” within local offices provide:Centres “Work” within local offices provide:

- information about professions- information about professions

- group meetings – presentation of professions and different progammes- group meetings – presentation of professions and different progammes

- individual and group motivation activities, support for job search and - individual and group motivation activities, support for job search and preparation for applying for a jobpreparation for applying for a job

New opportunity – licensed by NAVET Centres for information and New opportunity – licensed by NAVET Centres for information and vocational guidance to provide guidance services to job seekers and the vocational guidance to provide guidance services to job seekers and the services will be paid with funds for active policy measures on the labour services will be paid with funds for active policy measures on the labour market market

COMPLIANCE WITH THE KEY COMPLIANCE WITH THE KEY CHARACTERISTIC OF EU MODEL FOR LLGCHARACTERISTIC OF EU MODEL FOR LLG

Necessity ofNecessity of::

development of development of common national visioncommon national vision, policy and technology for , policy and technology for implementation of the activities for LLG implementation of the activities for LLG - - analysis and evaluation of the long term experience and analysis and evaluation of the long term experience and achievements in guidance in education and employment sector achievements in guidance in education and employment sector - - development of a national document for policies and activities, development of a national document for policies and activities, national strategy for their implementationnational strategy for their implementation

implementation of implementation of agreed national frameworkagreed national framework for providing for providing lifelong guidance services in normative and institutional planlifelong guidance services in normative and institutional plan

involvement of all interested institutions at national level involvement of all interested institutions at national level in the in the process of building up system for strategic leadership of LLG in process of building up system for strategic leadership of LLG in BulgariaBulgaria

PROJECT PROJECT ““STRENGTHENING CAREER GUIDANCE POLICY IN BULGARIA”STRENGTHENING CAREER GUIDANCE POLICY IN BULGARIA”

Key objectiveKey objectiveSupporting Supporting the development and implementation of national policies for the development and implementation of national policies for information, guidance and counselling services in Bulgaria. information, guidance and counselling services in Bulgaria.

Expected resultsExpected results:: Analysis and assessment of the current situation in the career guidance Analysis and assessment of the current situation in the career guidance

policies and practice development in Bulgariapolicies and practice development in Bulgaria

Study of the European tendencies in the career guidance developmentStudy of the European tendencies in the career guidance development

Organization of a broad public discussion for achievement of commitment Organization of a broad public discussion for achievement of commitment of the responsible for policy making institutions and career guidance of the responsible for policy making institutions and career guidance service providers in Bulgariaservice providers in Bulgaria

Development and approval by all stakeholders at national level of an Development and approval by all stakeholders at national level of an agreed document agreed document – – Road Map for establishment of a lifelong guidance Road Map for establishment of a lifelong guidance system in Bulgariasystem in Bulgaria

Establishment of a national guidance forum in BulgariaEstablishment of a national guidance forum in Bulgaria

The project:The project:

Initiated by ETFInitiated by ETF

Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, culture and science through Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, culture and science through CROSS agency – government agency responsible for the cooperation with CROSS agency – government agency responsible for the cooperation with candidate and new EU member statescandidate and new EU member states

Implementation was delegated byImplementation was delegated by CROSS CROSS toto CINOP – CINOP – the largest innovation the largest innovation and expertise centre in the field of VET in Netherlandsand expertise centre in the field of VET in Netherlands

Main partner from Bulgaria - NAVETMain partner from Bulgaria - NAVET

Duration: Duration: 2007 - 2009 2007 - 2009

ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTEDACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTED

Expert mission of CROSS/CINOP in Bulgaria for study of the current Expert mission of CROSS/CINOP in Bulgaria for study of the current situation in the career guidance policies and practice development situation in the career guidance policies and practice development in Bulgaria – Report published in Bulgaria – Report published

Two study visits – in Brussels and in Netherlands of Two study visits – in Brussels and in Netherlands of representatives of NAVET, EA, trade union, employers organization representatives of NAVET, EA, trade union, employers organization and Sofia municipalityand Sofia municipality

National seminar with representatives of the main stakeholders – National seminar with representatives of the main stakeholders – presentation of the EU perspective in career guidance and presentation of the EU perspective in career guidance and discussion of the Report from the expert mission discussion of the Report from the expert mission

Concept for sub site to the web site of NAVET for providing career Concept for sub site to the web site of NAVET for providing career information – professions requiring up to secondary education information – professions requiring up to secondary education levellevel

PLANNED ACTIVITIESPLANNED ACTIVITIES

Preparation Preparation of policy document for career guidance in Bulgaria (including of policy document for career guidance in Bulgaria (including model for providing services focused on the client for youth and adults) model for providing services focused on the client for youth and adults) and documents for establishment of a National Guidance Forumand documents for establishment of a National Guidance Forum

Regional seminarsRegional seminars with relevant regional stakeholders – discussion of with relevant regional stakeholders – discussion of policy document and documents for establishment of National Career policy document and documents for establishment of National Career Guidance ForumGuidance ForumParticipants: representatives of the local and regional authorities, Participants: representatives of the local and regional authorities, institutions and organizations responsible for the policies and providing institutions and organizations responsible for the policies and providing guidance services at regional and local levelguidance services at regional and local level

National conferenceNational conference for establishment of the Forum for establishment of the ForumParticipants: representatives of government institutions, employers and Participants: representatives of government institutions, employers and employees organizations, municipalities, education and training employees organizations, municipalities, education and training institutions, employment services, NGOs, guidance services providers, institutions, employment services, NGOs, guidance services providers, research institutes and organizationsresearch institutes and organizations