Career guidance for students after high school graduation

Startup project of students of Ly Nhan Tong High School (Y Yen).

From the reality of "too many teachers, not enough workers"

According to statistics from functional sectors, each year the country has more than 200,000 bachelors unemployed or working in a field other than their training. Some professions such as accounting, business administration, finance - banking... which used to be popular, now have a high risk of unemployment or working in a field other than their training. Meanwhile, professions in engineering, services, beauty, tourism, electricity, mechanics... are in need of a lot of human resources. The reason for the "supply" and "demand" imbalance is that schools, parents and students have not grasped the needs of the market to advise and orient their careers. The imbalance in career orientation leads to students not having the best orientation for their future, not knowing which career to choose and leading the trend. According to statistics, in Nam Dinh, each year, the rate of high school graduates with vocational training degrees is only about 14.5-17%, much lower than the target of the Project "Career education and student orientation in general education (GDPT) for the period 2018-2025" set out: By 2025, at least 45% of high school graduates will continue to study at vocational training institutions at college level; for localities with particularly difficult socio -economic conditions, the rate will reach at least 35%. The reason is that parents still have the mentality of valuing academic degrees, schools have not invested properly in vocational education, and students do not clearly understand their own abilities and job needs as well as the needs of the labor market.

Recognizing the importance of career guidance, many high schools in the province have "taken part" in implementing many practical activities to guide students in choosing a major and career that suits their abilities and is linked to the actual needs of the labor market. At Nam Truc High School (Nam Truc), career guidance activities are organized synchronously throughout grades 10 to 12. In addition to 3 Experience - Career Guidance periods/week according to the 2018 General Education Program, the school also organizes for students to visit craft villages, businesses, universities; coordinates with study abroad and labor export companies to introduce job opportunities for students after graduation. Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhan, Vice Principal of Nam Truc High School, said: “With the characteristics and academic ability of students, the school has a specific stream: about 80-85% of students will continue to university, the rest will choose vocational training or go to work. We always emphasize that students understand their own abilities, understand the labor market, and thereby accurately orient their path after graduating from high school”. Similarly, Tran Hung Dao High School (Nam Dinh city) also focuses on career guidance for students. Right from grade 10, students are advised to choose a subject combination suitable for their career orientation. Discussions with experts and successful alumni help students “position themselves”, understand their passions and abilities to choose a suitable career. Recently, on April 21, the school cooperated with the Vocational Training and Career Counseling Center, Vietnam Youth Academy to successfully organize the “Career Guidance Counseling” program for students. The school invited prestigious experts such as: Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Manh Ha, a leading expert in psychology and career guidance from the Universityof Education (Vietnam National University, Hanoi); Mr. Vu Duc Viet, Director of the Center for Vocational Training and Career Counseling (Vietnam Youth Academy)... Participating in the program, students listened to experts analyze and emphasize the role of career orientation in modern education; profound suggestions about career trends in the era, digital transformation trends; especially, the sharing and inspiration of the guests awakened students' confidence and determination to start their journey.

Through efforts to innovate career guidance activities in schools, many students have learned more about their own abilities and careers, thereby having a clear direction for the future. Vu Ngoc Anh, a 12th grade student at Nam Truc High School, shared: “Through flag-raising ceremonies, career guidance classes, especially experiential activities at universities, colleges, agencies and businesses, we have more understanding of careers and better orientation for the future. I feel more confident with my choice”. Tran Duc Minh, Tran Nhat Duat High School ( Nam Dinh city) also expressed his change after receiving career guidance: “At first, I planned to take the university entrance exam, but after attending counseling classes, I chose to study Mechanical Engineering at Nam Dinh College of Economics and Technology. I found this decision suitable for my academic ability and family's economic conditions”.

Not only students, parents are also gradually changing their perception. Ms. Vu Quynh Trang, residential group 17, Nam Giang town (Nam Truc) said: "My child has average academic performance, so I do not plan for him to take the university entrance exam. In fact, many graduates cannot find jobs, so I want him to study industrial electricity or mechanics, although the profession is hard, it is easy to find a job and can start a career later."

Innovation from methods to career thinking

Currently, vocational training institutions in the province are training more than 120 occupations at all three levels: college, intermediate, and elementary. However, the rate of cooperation between enterprises in training is still low. The connection between training and practical needs of the market is still a weak link. From the above reality, it can be seen that career orientation at schools needs to be started earlier and more substantially. Schools need to invest thoroughly from teachers in charge of career guidance, vocational training equipment to relationships with businesses, universities, and vocational training institutions. In addition, it is necessary to change the mindset of parents so that parents see that the path to life is not only about university, and career orientation is not just a few talks or a few flyers introducing majors. Proper career orientation requires a synchronous combination between school - family - society.

In recent years, the Department of Education and Training has actively innovated career guidance work to suit reality, such as regularly directing and guiding schools to organize experiential activities, career orientation, coordinating with businesses - vocational schools - universities, and developing integrated practical documents. Activities such as STEM festivals and high school start-up seminars have also been organized throughout the province, contributing positively to changes in both methods and thinking of career guidance work in schools.

At educational institutions, career guidance activities are also becoming more substantial. For many years now, at My Loc High School (Nam Dinh city), career guidance programs have been organized throughout grades 10 to 12, through fanpages, websites, email boxes and direct consultations. Every year, the school organizes career seminars, STEM festivals, and science and technology competitions to help students learn about reality and inspire their passion. Through that, average students have gradually tended to choose vocational schools, showing that career thinking is gradually changing in a more substantial direction. At Nam Dinh College of Economics and Technology, in order to innovate career guidance methods and approaches and attract students to study, the school has organized livestreams to introduce leading-trend professions: electronics, mechanics, tourism services, fashion... with 90-95% of students having jobs immediately after graduation.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhan, Vice Principal of Nam Truc High School: "From the school's experience, I see that to do a good job of career guidance, it is necessary to organize club activities according to students' interests, increase practical experiences, invite experts and influential people to talk to students; closely coordinate with parents to help students make choices that suit their abilities and interests."

High school graduation is a major milestone in the journey of students' maturity. After that, they can continue to study at university, college or vocational school, and go to work. Each direction has good results if they clearly understand their own abilities, interests, strengths, and what society needs. To do so, students need to be guided more specifically to choose the right major; need to be provided with useful knowledge and necessary information about starting a business, thereby orienting their careers and choosing a path for their future. To do that, the education and training sector, schools, parents and society as a whole need to consider career guidance as a task and responsibility so that students can grasp their strengths, weaknesses, and abilities, grasp knowledge of their major and the development trends of their chosen major and career, thereby limiting the situation of sitting in the wrong class, wrong place, choosing the wrong major and career, causing waste to society and wasting time and effort of their families and themselves.

Article and photos: Minh Thuan

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/xa-hoi/202505/dong-hanh-huong-nghiepcho-hoc-sinh-sau-tot-nghiep-thpt-0366202/