On 18 September 2025, the Central and Eastern European Guidance Forum hosted an online event dedicated to career guidance in general secondary education. The webinar brought together practitioners and experts from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania to share how their systems address the career development of young people, and to reflect on similarities, differences, and future cooperation.
Setting the stage
The meeting opened with a reminder that career guidance in schools is about building structures that help students navigate transitions, balance personal aspirations with societal needs, and find meaningful pathways in education and work. The event underlined the importance of regulation, collaboration, and exchange of good practices across countries.
National perspectives
- Czech Republic: Guidance provision is structured around school counseling centers, which must be established by each school director. These centers coordinate prevention, educational counseling, and career guidance, though career counselors are not yet fully recognized in legislation. An amendment coming into force in 2026 will strengthen their role. Career education is currently embedded in different subjects rather than taught as a standalone class.
- Hungary: The system is shaped by a public education act that assigns responsibility for career education to all teachers, while pedagogical centers and trained career guidance teachers provide more specialized support. Career education is not a subject in its own right but integrated into other learning areas. Hungary stands out for requiring all students to complete a career interest questionnaire at age 14 and for its compulsory 50 hours of community service, which schools increasingly link to career development.
- Slovakia: Since 2019, legislation has defined career counselors as part of school support teams alongside psychologists and other specialists. The role is usually combined with teaching and limited hours, but a system of regional counseling and prevention centers provides additional support. By 2025, career counselors must complete a 155-hour specialization training. In practice, schools such as the large Gymnázium in Prievidza have developed structured multi-year systems where students gradually build decision-making, self-awareness, and labor market orientation skills, supported by projects, excursions, and career days.
- Romania: Career guidance is mainly provided by school counselors employed by county centers for resources and educational assistance. These professionals often work across several schools, with a legal ratio of one counselor per 600 students. They combine career guidance with psychological and educational counseling. Activities range from testing and profiling to individual planning, parent consultations, and projects with NGOs or employers. While career guidance is not yet recognized as a distinct profession, its importance is increasingly acknowledged due to high dropout rates and challenges in labor market integration.
Shared challenges and opportunities
The discussions revealed both common ground and diversity. Across the region, career guidance in general secondary education often lacks dedicated time, staff, or subject status. Most countries embed it into existing subjects or counseling frameworks rather than establishing it as a fully recognized specialization. At the same time, innovative practices are emerging: alumni mentoring, career fairs, university excursions, project-based learning, and digital platforms such as Absolvent in the Czech Republic or specialized online questionnaires in Hungary.
Participants highlighted the value of sharing methods and tools—whether questionnaires, board games, or project formats—across borders. There was strong interest in coordinated research using common instruments in different countries, as well as in exchanging practices that can be adapted locally.
Looking ahead
As Štefan Grajcár summarized, the real benefit of such meetings lies in mutual inspiration: identifying the strengths of each national approach, recognizing weaknesses, and learning from one another. The webinar was part of an ongoing series, with the next event scheduled for 30 October 2025, focusing on vocational education and career guidance.
By connecting practitioners across Central and Eastern Europe, the Forum creates a space where guidance professionals can compare, adapt, and improve their work – ultimately supporting young people in making thoughtful and informed choices for their futures.
Slides from the event are available here.