CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATION CAREER IN THE LITHUANIAN SCHOOLS OF GENERAL EDUCATION: EXPERIENCE OF CAREER SPECIALISTS

The article presents the challenges for the career specialist in provision of career education services in the school of general education. Based on the results of the qualitative research, employing the methods of the focus group discussion, the following conclusions should be made: The main problems faced by the career specialists providing career services in general education schools are the following: heavy workload, lack of cooperation among the career specialists; the schools lack informational and methodological means which would correspond to special needs of the students, of age groups; for improvement of efficiency of the activity of career specialists an information data base containing all available informational, counselling, methodological material designated for the career specialist is required; psychological tests on the subjects of self-awareness and career which could be applied by career specialists on their own, without having psychological education; lack of attractive, corresponding to the needs of the modern labour market and of the students, video material designated for career education; training based on sharing of experience is necessary for qualification improvement

CAREER EDUCATION IN GYMNASIUM: CAREER SPECIALIST POSITION

Career education services is an important occupation policy element, a constituent part of labour market. For the education system, young person’s independence, career management competence development must be urgent. An appropriate personal career management and ability to make decisions must become education priority. Already at school young people have to be taught to consciously and purposefully make a career choice. Career education specialists, providing qualitative professional information, consultation, and career education services, can help them. Having carried out an individual interview, career education specialist opinion was analysed about students’ career education organisation in gymnasiums. The research results showed that various career education services are provided in educational institutions and this has an impact on students’ professional self-determination. However, according to all inquired informant opinion, they are insufficient, because students’ expectations are not completely satisfied. Besides, career education services are provided not systematically, and specialists are not provided the possibility to qualitatively provide services, proper financing is not allocated. Career education specialists think that in order this work is performed systematically and become useful for students, first of all, an attitude to this career position has to change, full time positions established in education institutions, for the work is carried out consistently and systematically.

CAREER SPECIALIST ACTIVITY IMPORTANCE IN THE CONSTANTLY CHANGING ACTIVITY WORLD CONTEXT

In European Union rational and purposeful human recourse use and their high professional preparation is regarded as a priority target of education and labour market policy. Professional guidance, career education and career planning services are important for education system and labour market and their close interrelationship. Career management as a lifelong lasting process in our contemporary society becomes very urgent due to many reasons. First, labour market demand change is becoming more rapid. People more often have to change the type of activity and organisation. Second, at this moment labour market needs new quality workers, not only able to acquire a certain level professional education, but also to adequately react to organisational, regional, national, global, social and economic environment dynamics, able to establish and implement strategies how to choose, master, coordinate work and other social roles with personal life values and ambitions. New requirements appear for human activity, a new career conception. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically provide career services to people, seeking to help them plan career and be successful professionals. Professional consultation service importance reflects in various European Commission and Lithuanian documents. In many documents it is emphasised that professional consultation services is the most important teaching and occupation policy element. Professional consultation has to play a crucial role encouraging learning availability, mobility, to raise learners’ motivation, to increase occupation and to decrease unemployment.