Counseling programme

Career Guidance Center

Sliven, Bulgaria

The theoretical framework of the programme is based on the adapted version of the

developed by S. Low and T. Watts model of career education in secondary school. It

includes specific exercises that foster the active participation of the students in making

decisions about education, vocational training and opportunities for professional

development and career. The guidelines for training in career counseling are structured in

four global fields:

Decision

Opportunity

Transition

Self-awareness

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SECTION 1: DECISION

This section includes exercises related to inform on different professions. The exercises

help to create a more realistic idea of the dream job. Students' attention is focused on the

educational system and the relationship: professional field→ profession →specialty.

EXERCISE 1

WHEN, WHERE AND WHAT DO I

WANT TO WORK?

Essence: Depending on the position and the professional sector, there are large

differences in when, where and how people work. Occupations are associated with certain

conditions. Not everyone is able to cope successfully with different conditions. This

method helps students to determine the conditions in which they wish to pursue the

desired profession. They will determine both: the conditions in which they prefer working,

in order to cope and work well, and the professions associated with these conditions.

Objective: Specifying the desired working conditions and the related occupations

Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups

Description: In groups, the participants discuss the conditions under which they want to

work. With the help of the career advisor, they discuss the professions which meet these

conditions.

Preparation: Worksheet- Appendix 1, flipchart

Target group: Students who are about to make a choice of education and/or

profession.

Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes

APPENDIX 1: WHEN, WHERE AND WHAT DO I WANT 2

TO WORK?

WHEN WHERE WHAT WITH

During the day Office People

At night Factory Sport facilities

Part time Workshop Plants

Shifts Lecture hall Fine tools

On rotation basis Hotel Data

At your own choice Outdoors Texts

Flexible working hours Restaurant Chemicals

Parks Wood

On the street Computer

Airport Paper

Railway station Vehicles

Hospital Ceramics

Shop/mall Glass

Construction site Instruments

Leather

Clay

Farming

Stone

Machines

Plastics

Electronics

SECTION 2: OPPORTUNITY

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The exercises in this section are subject to the idea that for the

adolescents it is essential to be self-reflective and learn more about themselves. They

reflect on their own abilities, skills and interests and how they might evolve towards future

successful career and life fulfillment.

EXERCISE 2

MY STRONG AND WEAK POINTS

Essence: As the symbols of Yin and Yang in Chinese

philosophy depict the interaction of opposites; both strengths and

weaknesses co-exist in every person. The knowledge of the person's strengths and

weaknesses is an important tool for self-control and a condition for the targeted use of

strengths to achieve professional and personal success. The exercise enables the

participants to recognize their strengths, and through feedback mechanisms to correct the

perception of themselves.

Objective: The students will describe their own strengths and weaknesses and identify

steps to overcome the weaknesses

Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups

Description: The facilitator writes on a flipchart the following strong points: energy,

organization and diligence, then the participants continue the list. The facilitator writes the

weak points: quick temper, unsociability and laziness, then the participants continue the

list. The facilitator asks the participants to indicate to each strong point its antonym, for

example, energy - apathy, organization - disorganization, diligence - laziness. The

participants complete the worksheet – Appendix 2. Each participant completes the self-

assessment of his own strengths and weaknesses, and then the participants switch the

worksheet to complete the second part of the assessment of the others. Finally, they

discuss strategies for overcoming the weaknesses.

Preparation: Worksheet- Appendix 2, flipchart

Target group: Students who are about to make a choice of education and/or

profession.

Duration: 1 hour

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APPENDIX 2: MY STRONG AND WEAK POINTS

I about myself

I think my STRONG POINTS are I think my WEAK POINTS are

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

The others about me

Your STRONG POINTS are Your WEAK POINTS are

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

SECTION 3: TRANSITION

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This section includes exercises that

allow the students to come to the conclusion that the

choice of education and profession is an independent act

and personal responsibility. Decision-making is a process

that requires preparation. Some exercises are related to

case studies and the ability to accept and/or reject the

different alternatives for a decision on a case.

EXERCISE 3

WHAT IS THE BEST CHOICE?

Essence: The model of making a decision presented here is prompted by the fact that

the more complicated a problem is, the more substages we have to include in the three

major stages of solving the problem. Making decisions often involves moral dilemmas.

They come up when we try to decide what to do in situations concerning the interest of the

others or when our moral values of justice, honesty, etc. are in conflict. When we make

such decisions it is necessary to consider criteria which take account of the other part

alternatives.

Objective: Applying the model of making decisions in a situation with a moral dilemma.

Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups

Description: The facilitator gives the participants a work sheet- Appendix 3 and divides

them in subgroups. Each subgroup becomes acquainted with the problem case and

discusses the substages of the major stages. A spokesperson of each group presents the

arguments and their final decision. A discussion follows where the participants try to

achieve a consensus.

Preparation: Worksheet- Appendix 3, flipchart

Target group: Students from grades 11-12

Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes

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APPENDIX 3: WHAT IS THE BEST CHOICE?

CASE

John is a student at 12 grade. He is the best in the class. He plans to combine drawing with

mathematics and continue his studies at university specializing Architecture. The university

is in another town so his family will have to provide his accommodation and food. At the

same time his brother has had health problems for a year and needs expensive medicines.

His mother is unemployed which decreases the chances of finding enough money to cover

all the expenses. What should John’s decision be?

STUDY

1. What is the problem?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. What causes the problem?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

ANALYSIS

3. What are the alternatives?

Alternative 1……………………………………………………………………………………..

Alternative 2……………………………………………………………………………………..

Alternative 3………………………………………………………………………………………

4.

I Others

Alternative 1 Alternative 1

Advantages Advantages

Disadvantages Disadvantages

Alternative2 Alternative 2

Advantages Advantages

Disadvantages Disadvantages

Alternative 3 Alternative 3

Advantages Advantages

Disadvantages Disadvantages

CHOICE

5. What is the best decision for John?...................................................

6. What is the best decision for his brother?...........................................

7. Which alternative should John choose?...............................................

8. What needs to be done to execute the decision?...............................

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SECTION 4: SELF-AWARENESS

The exercises in this section are united by the idea that for young people it is essential to

recognize the need of targeted training for the transition from one to another educational

degree or to the labor market.

EXERCISE 4

What should not be wrong in choosing a

profession?

Essence: Many factors that influence career choice, namely:

ability, academic excellence in certain subjects, opinions of

parents, teachers, school counselors, peers, friends and high social/economic status of

certain professions, are able to provoke imitation of a successful career choice by

repeating the choice of the successful people.

Objective: Analysis of typical mistakes when choosing a profession.

Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups

Description: The participants study carefully the list of the most common mistakes

when choosing a profession / Worksheet - Appendix 4 / then select 3 mistakes assessed

as most dangerous to them. Each participant reports to the group the mistakes that he has

chosen. A discussion of the most common mistakes follows. The facilitator asks the

participants to answer the following questions:

-What should I stop doing to avoid this mistake?

-What should I continue doing to avoid this mistake?

-What should I start doing to avoid this mistake?

Preparation: Worksheet - Appendix 4, flipchart

Target group: Students who are about to make a choice of education and/or

profession.

Duration: 1 hour

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APPENDIX 4: List of the most common mistakes when choosing a

profession

1 Ignorance of the changes in the profession

2 Choice because of the prestige of the profession

3 Choice under the direct or indirect influence of friends

4 Carry a positive attitude towards a person who exercises a profession to the

profession itself

5 Passion to the outside side of the profession

6 Identification of a school subject with a particular profession or not making a

distinction between these two concepts

7 Outdated perceptions about the nature of work in the sphere of material

production

8 Ignorance of the personal characteristics / abilities, skills, interests, attitudes,

motives…/

9 Underestimation of the physical characteristics and/or diseases that are

important in choosing a profession

10 Ignorance and/or lack of a sequence of steps for deciding the choice of

education and profession

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