Training and qualification of guidance personnel
The quality of the services depends on the providers’ level of competency.
In Estonia, the professional qualifications system of career practitioners forms part of the national qualifications system. The professional standards establish the requirements on knowledge, skills, experience, values and personal characteristics necessary for the career counsellor, career information specialist and career co-ordinator at school.
The Society of Estonian Career Counsellors is the authorised organisation for accreditation of career counsellors.
The majority of the practitioners have a background in psychology, youth work, teacher training, information sciences or social work.
There are no regular accredited basic training programmes offered to the career specialists in the public universities. Estonian institutions of higher education provide career counselling education (both at the bachelor's and master's levels) primarily within the field of psychology and business management.
NRCG organises various short and long-term courses for the practitioners in the education and labour sector about innovative guidance and information retrieval methods, trends in economy and employment, mobility, mentoring etc.
In cooperation with three main public universities a joint study programme (9 ECTS) for the career specialists is offered. The study programme is based on the professional skills requirements set out in professional standards and it is registered with MoER. The study programme forms the basis for carrying out career specialists' continuing professional training.
In addition to the training programmes practitioners are supported by methodological and informational materials which are also available on national web-portal Pathfinder. The Pathfinder is targeted at career planners.
To exchange knowledge, related to provision and development of career services, NRCG organises international study visits in co-operation with colleagues from the Euroguidance network. This enables practitioners to get acquainted with career services in other European countries.
