In recent months, new approaches to teaching and learning have necessarily been adopted in schools at a rapid pace. Vocational orientation is also being increasingly digitised so that it can be flexibly integrated into a hybrid teaching design. In order to optimally accompany this development and to further intensify the cooperation between schools and the career guidance service of the Federal Employment Agency (BA), 50 digital teaching units will support those involved with immediate effect. They are another result of the BA’s cooperation with the Foundation of German Business (sdw).
The great importance of career orientation is becoming even more apparent, especially during this pandemic. It is necessary to create offers that also work without permanent face-to-face teaching. Digitally suitable and easy to implement – these were two premises of the project partners for the creation of the materials “Career Orientation from Home – Digital Teaching Units for the Upper Secondary School”. Young people can use these materials to take independent steps in the career and study selection process, which are combined with school-based offers to create effective blended learning formats.
All 50 teaching units contain a brief overview for teachers on contents and methods and a detailed work assignment as well as various working materials for the students. References to suitable support services offered by the BA are also an integral part in order to further strengthen the networking of schools and career guidance.
The digital teaching materials complement the project “Effective support for career orientation – teaching units for the upper secondary school”, which the BA and the sdw have implemented together with the Ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs of the various federal states over the last three years. Suitable teaching units for career orientation were developed in 14 federal states and tailored to the needs of the individual states.
Detlef Scheele, Chairman of the Board of the Federal Employment Agency, explains: “During the pandemic, our career counsellors can hardly or not at all go into the schools to hold career guidance sessions. That has consequences: The young people are not contacting us for counselling as they normally would. However, good career guidance is a crucial step in making a viable career choice and then successfully entering the application process. With the new digital teaching materials, we are supporting young people during this special time in their career orientation. We are also offering teachers a modern, content-based foundation for career guidance after the pandemic. In this way, the two important players, school and career guidance, can together accompany young people even more effectively in their career and study choices.”
Dr. Arndt Schnöring, Secretary General of the Foundation of German Business, adds: “Especially in uncertain times, young people think intensively about their future. With the digital teaching units, teachers and career guidance counsellors can provide the best possible support in this process, even in the absence of face-to-face teaching. At the same time, new learning methods are further established and digital skills are strengthened. These important skills for the future are of great importance for later professional life – no matter which career path young people choose in the end.