Promoting career guidance in high schools

Vietnam Japan University (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) provides admission consultation for high school students in the province.

Faced with the reality that many students do not understand their own strengths, weaknesses and abilities, or do not grasp the knowledge about their chosen career, leading to sitting in the wrong class, wrong place or choosing the wrong career, schools have focused on improving the quality of career guidance, especially the form of career guidance that is easy to understand and easy to access, helping students understand their abilities and interests correctly, thereby determining the right career orientation.

For many years, Nguyen Du High School (Nam Truc) has flexibly organized career guidance activities according to the new general education program such as: Organizing teaching by period, organizing activities by grade, organizing students to visit and experience reality according to their interests (at historical sites, universities, craft villages, factories, enterprises), to help them discover their own abilities, understand their strengths and knowledge about professions, thereby orienting their own careers. In addition to implementing the main curriculum, the school organizes clubs such as the Media Club, the Arts and Culture Club, and the Kindness Club for students with similar interests to work together. Through club activities, students identify their strengths, share knowledge, and orient their future careers. For grade 12, the school coordinates with universities and colleges to organize activities to introduce occupations, and coordinates with businesses with functions of studying abroad and exporting labor to introduce opportunities for studying and working abroad after graduation. Along with seriously implementing the directives of the Ministry of Education and Training, the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Education and Training on implementing the Project "Career education and orientation of student streaming in general education for the period 2018-2025", the school builds a career education plan, focusing on career guidance content associated with production and business activities in Nam Truc district; guides teachers to build programs, compile career education materials with integrated content close to reality, helping students understand future labor and career trends, especially with the strong development of science and technology, AI technology, ...

Nguyen Thi Nguyet Anh, a student of class 12A1, Nguyen Du High School, shared: “The career guidance activities organized by the school have helped most of us, grade 12 students, determine our orientation after graduating from high school, but there are still students who do not have an orientation and have not thoroughly researched the appropriate major. Therefore, we hope to continue to receive specific advice and guidance to choose the most suitable major.”

With the implementation of many synchronous and suitable solutions for career education, many students of Nguyen Du High School have understood and self-assessed their own abilities, talents, and strengths; and understood the current professions in society. With the characteristics that the majority of the school's students have average or above average academic performance, the school has very specific streams: About 10-20% of students will continue to study at university, the rest will study vocational training immediately, export labor or can both study and work. This school year, the school has 310 12th graders, it is expected that 80-100 students will continue to study at university or college, about 200-250 students will choose to study vocational training.

Tran Hung Dao High School (Nam Dinh city) is a typical unit in career guidance for students. Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Mui, Vice Principal of the school shared: Right from grade 10, the school has advised students to identify their own abilities, choose subject combinations that are suitable for their learning ability and future career. Career guidance activities are continuously implemented by the school periodically every month within the content of the Career Guidance Experience Activities program for all 3 grades, but pay more attention to career guidance for grade 12 students. This school year, the school has 11 grade 12 classes with a total of 531 students. The topics that have been implemented and are expected to educate grade 12 students towards career orientation are: "I am mature"; "Improving myself"; "Career and requirements for workers in modern society"; “Practicing qualities and abilities suitable for career orientation”; “Deciding on choosing a suitable career and preparing mentally to adapt to the new environment...”. The school also cooperates with life skills education centers to organize seminars and talks with psychological consultants on career selection and self-positioning. Most recently, psychologist Nguyen Duy Nhien, Head of the Philosophy Department, Hanoi National University of Education, had a counseling session for students of the whole school with the topic: “Self-positioning”; former student Nguyen Thi Minh Thu shared about the journey of building dreams and choosing a successful career. It is expected that in the second semester, the school will cooperate with universities to provide admission counseling for students. Many students have prepared their IELTS scores from 7.0 to 8.0 and have participated in university aptitude tests, thinking tests, excellent student exams of National Universities, etc. with high results, confidently winning "tickets" to their favorite universities. Currently, based on students' wishes, the school has an estimate of the number of students who will continue to university, study abroad or learn a trade.

To achieve the goals of the Government's Project "Career education and student orientation in general education for the period 2018-2025" and the province's Project "Career education and student orientation in general education for the period 2018-2025", the Department of Education and Training, schools are actively implementing career guidance solutions for students, developing vocational education, contributing to improving the quality of human resource training: Guiding the development of plans, directing teachers to develop programs, compiling vocational education materials with integrated content close to reality, linked to local production, business and service activities; coordinating with businesses, universities and colleges in the area to organize for students to experience reality at agencies, offices, production and business establishments; Career guidance and orientation for students through scientific research activities, STEM education... Organizing counseling on choosing suitable careers through lessons, class activities, topics at the beginning of the week, seminars to help students understand the importance of choosing a career; the reasons for choosing the wrong career and the factors needed to choose the right career, or information on majors that attract human resources in the future. In addition, students also have the opportunity to exchange with consultants about knowledge and skills to choose the right career. With these efforts, on average, each year, the rate of Nam Dinh high school graduates who do not continue to university or college and have a vocational training degree is from 14.6-17%. 100% of 11th grade high school students receive vocational training according to regulations.

However, from practice, to do better in career guidance, it is necessary to carry out well the experience and career guidance activities prescribed in the program. Form clubs that are suitable to the aspirations, interests, and strengths of students and effectively organize the activities of these clubs. Coordinate with forces outside the school (universities, businesses, study abroad companies, labor export companies, people with social influence...) for career guidance. Coordinate closely with students' families to provide information on career education, helping parents understand the role and importance of the family in career guidance for their children.

Carrying out career guidance well helps students recognize their own abilities, choose the right career, and direction that suits their abilities, strengths, and the labor needs of society, contributing to meeting the requirements of building high-quality human resources to serve the socio-economic development of the locality and the country.

Article and photos: Minh Thuan

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/xa-hoi/202504/day-manh-cong-tac-huong-nghiep-tai-cac-truong-thpt-a1a5d0d/