Working method

Intended target audience of this framework

In the first instance, this framework is intended for secondary education and upper secondary vocational education. However, it may also be used in higher professional education, provided the terminology is adjusted in a few places. This document has been developed for the following three target groups:

• Supervisors of young people during the primary education process (teachers/tutors/coaches);
• Specialist guidance counsellors (career education and guidance counsellors/careers advisers/career teachers);
• Career education and guidance coordinators and policymakers (career teachers/career education and guidance counsellors/managers).

How to read this framework

Target groups

The framework is divided along the lines of three target groups:

1. Supervisors of young people during the primary education process (teachers/tutors/coaches);
2. Specialist guidance counsellors (career education and guidance counsellors/study careers advisers/career teachers);
3. Career education and guidance coordinators and policymakers (career teachers/career education and guidance counsellors/managers).

Throughout the framework, the term ‘career guidance’ refers to both career education and guidance.

Description of roles and expertise

The framework for career development and guidance professionals has been elaborated for each of these three target groups in terms of:

1. the description of expected roles;
2. the expected expertise.

In the description of roles and expertise, no distinction is made between different target groups of young people. Each young person deserves suitable career guidance, irrespective of their background, capabilities, personal characteristics or ambition.

This framework is limited to a description of the roles and expertise of guidance counsellors. The more general roles and expertise of teachers have not been included on purpose. Matters such as self-reflection among teachers, general teaching skills, ICT skills, etc. are considered self-evident.

Focus areas

The framework consists of a description of the roles and expertise for the three target groups described above, specified by the four focus areas from the career education and guidance scan:

1. Vision and policy;
2. Education and guidance;
3. Organisation;
4. Cooperation.

How to use this framework

This framework is intended to serve as a guide for internal discussions at educational institutions about career education and guidance. Many educational institutions already have a well-established careers policy in place, whereas at other institutions this is still in the early stages. This framework may be useful for all types of educational institutions. The description’s point of departure is the preferred situation. To stimulate the personal growth of professionals, the bar for quality has been set intentionally high.

A teacher whom takes LOB seriously also pays attention to his own professional development. “Teachers are role models for their pupils when it comes to learning and development”, as the professional image of MBO teacher also emphasises. This framework provides tools for sustainable teacher career development.

By listing the tasks and expertise of the various LOB roles, the framework offers concrete development points for the LOB or slb professional who wants to develop and for his/her possible discussion partner at school: a fellow mentor/slb professional, a dean or director. If you want to orientate on LOB courses for the 1st and 2nd line, you will find an overview on the website of the Expertise Point LOB.

Depending on an educational institution’s organisation, roles described in this document as intended for the second and third target groups may be reassigned to career education and guidance professionals involved in the primary process. The activities of the second target group (specialist guidance counsellors) are therefore complementary to those of the first target group (supervisors during the primary education process).

The description of roles and the distribution of expertise across the various roles described here is an example derived from professional practice. It is not intended as a blueprint. Educational institutions are free to shape roles in line with their own philosophy and may choose to add (regional) specialisations.

You will find boxes to the right of the role and expertise descriptions in the tables. You can tick these in order to obtain an insight into the career education and guidance you offer. Bear in mind, however, that this is not intended to be a box-ticking exercise for performance review or educational inspection purposes. The descriptions merely serve to guide the discussion about career education and guidance.