Austrian Government will finance the modernization of vocational orientation and career counselling in Moldova

Austrian Government will finance the modernization of vocational orientation and career counselling in Moldova

Students and young people from Moldova will be already helped in school to make an informed decision on their future profession or trade. The project Re-Engineering Vocational Orientation and Career Counselling (REVOCC) for Moldovan labour force competitiveness, lasting three years, funded by the Government of Austria, will start on 1 December, 2014.

Thursday, 13 November, 2014, 10:00 am, at the Austrian Embassy Chisinau (23A Mateevici street) the Grant Agreement on the project was signed by Mr. Gerhard Schaumberger representing the project funder ADA, and by Mrs. Sofia Shuleanschi representing the implementing organization – the Centre for Entrepreneurial Education and Business Support (CEDA).

The project will begin with investigating the situation of vocational orientation and career counselling, to identify solutions for the existing problems, grounded on the reality of the country as well as international experience. Simultaneously, 12 institutions will be selected to participate in the piloting of a revised program of studies related to vocational orientation to approach it to the actual structure of the national economy and the current realities of the labour market.

Three Regional Centres for Vocational Orientation and Career Counselling in 3 territorial offices of the National Employment Agency Employment (Central, North and South) will be created in order to inform students, teachers and other persons about professional skills and professions demanded on the Moldova’s labour market. . In this way, information about the realities of the labour market will be provided to young people directly from the future employers and District Employment Offices – those who are best informed about the real needs of qualifications and skills necessary for employment. The infrastructure of these centres will be adjusted so that the persons with disabilities can have access to these centres.

The project is implemented by CEDA in cooperation with Ministry of Education and the National Employment Agency, with the financial support from the Austrian Development Agency.

Additional information about the project:

The project purpose consists in developing national capacities to provide inclusive, quality VOCC services to pupils from educational institutions at a secondary level in order to support their social and economic integration or transition to upper levels of education.

At the first stage the project will explore the current situation regarding vocational orientation and career counselling in Moldova in order to identify existing problems and provide practical solutions grounded on Moldovan reality and the experience of Austria and other countries.

In the expected results’ context, the Civic Education curriculum, specifically the module related to personal growth and career counselling will be reviewed and improved in order to give students a better chance to integrate in Moldovan social and economic life.

The project will carry out field training programs, both for teachers and master teacher from secondary schools and vocational schools as well as for counsellors from the District Employment Offices.

Over 1200 secondary school pupils from the 12 pilot institutions will study according to the modernized program. Another group of beneficiaries will consist of about 2,600 young people who will visit the Regional VOCC and receive counselling services. Specialized services will be developed for this centres.

The project will develop and publish didactical and informational materials.

The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) implements programs and projects supported by public institutions, NGOs and private companies. Priority sectors in Moldova are Water / Sanitation and Vocational Education Training (VET). VET projects financed by ADA in Moldova focus on modernizing the trades required on labour market, such as vineyard, computer technical support operator, plumber bathroom equipment, electrician to repair and maintenance of electrical equipment, jobs in the construction sector and others.

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