In January 2019 the Bylaw on conditions, work, activities and composition of teams for career guidance and counselling in secondary schools that have educational profiles in dual education was adopted. This bylaw of the Law on Dual Education stipulates new responsibilities of career guidance and counselling teams in secondary schools that have educational profiles in dual education.

Novelties in work of teams of career guidance and counselling

The main difference in work of teams for career guidance and counselling in secondary schools in general and teams in schools in dual education is related to their composition. Namely, teams in secondary schools which have educational profiles in dual education apart from teachers, psychologists and pedagogists include representatives of professional associations, local governmental units and employers. Moreover, these teams include teachers of vocational subjects and coordinators of work-based learning.

The bylaw lists the activities needed to be carried out by the members of teams for career guidance and counselling in detail. One of the new responsibilities of teams is conducting activities related to placement of students in work-based learning programmes.

What do the research results suggest?

Representative of Belgrade open school has participated in the work of working group of the Ministry of education, science and technological development in charge of creation of the bylaw of the Law on Dual Education, and BOS research team has conducted the analysis of career guidance and counselling in work-based learning programmes in order to support the design of this document.

The research entailed desk analysis of existing ways of conducting activities of career guidance and counselling regarding participation of students in work-based learning in European countries. Furthermore, in May 2018 interviews with teachers, psychologists and pedagogists who are involved in teams for career guidance and counselling in schools in dual education were carried out.

Based on the gathered data, the publication Career guidance and counselling and work-based learning was prepared, which contains recommendations for implementation of the bylaw on career guidance and counselling in schools in dual education.

Belgrade open school advocates for improvement of legal and institutional framework for conducting career guidance and counselling policy in Serbia through initiative Career guidance and counselling for better employability of young people – "KVIS na BIS", supported by the SOLIDAR Suisse - Office in Serbia, fifth year in a row.