The systemic changes that have occurred in the Republic of Moldova, in recent years, in the field of career education are analyzed from a gender perspective, on April 28, 2022, during a workshop with the theme “Current situation regarding career guidance services offered by secondary and post-secondary technical vocational education institutions and labor market institutions, analyzed from a gender perspective”.
The workshop is attended by representatives of ADA, MEC, ANOFM and territorial subdivisions of employment (STO), CEDA, representatives of technical vocational education institutions, experts in career education, etc.
The results of a study that analyzes the provision of career guidance services from a gender perspective, in education and on the labor market, the interventions carried out within the REVOCC II project and those that are required at the moment, in the new conditions, will be discussed.
One of the conclusions is that discrimination against women is higher in all spheres: on the labor market by 22.8% and in entrepreneurial activity by 15.2%, in the sphere of education by 6.5%. The main source of discrimination based on gender in the sphere of education is colleagues (63.2%), and in the labor market – managers/bosses (in the view of 80% of women and 50% of men).
About 1/3 of the respondents believe that belonging to a certain gender limits the choice of profession, obtaining education and career development.
The stereotype regarding the existence of professions “for women” and “for men” is supported by about 50% of the respondents, but it is important that over 82% of students from VET claim that they like their chosen profession and ¾ of them want a job that corresponds the profession.
One of the important recommendations is to increase the level of information among young people about professions, labor market needs, average incomes for different groups of professions, opportunities to start a business and forecasts of the development of the economy at the national and local level.
The REVOCC II project contributed to the reconceptualization and promotion of career education. Within the project, a series of interventions related to education and career guidance were carried out, promoting gender equality and fair access to career guidance services, including through:
🔹 development/adaptation of the “Career planning and development of the entrepreneurial spirit” module in the “Personal Development” discipline for technical vocational education
🔹 the training of VET trainers and the training of teaching and administrative staff
🔹 the development of the career guidance system at the institutional level in VET
🔹 development of the “A successful career at home” Guide
🔹 the training of ANOFM employees and the provision of STOs in all districts of the Republic of Moldova with the CCP electronic platform that allows the identification of professional interests, helps young people in career decisions, selecting from the 1250 occupational profiles described which professions suit them, which can now also be accessed remotely
🔹 STO Chisinau, a first for the Republic of Moldova, was equipped with an electronic platform CASPER – System for evaluating the work potential of people with disabilities that allows a complex evaluation of the person with disabilities and a match with the profile of a job.
🔹 the reconceptualization and holding, for the first time, of the Forums of the professions at the local level, etc.
Within the project, together with MEC and ANOFM, efforts were made to make career guidance recognized as an important element of education for both girls and boys. The accumulated experiences demonstrate the fact that it is necessary to continue combining efforts to create opportunities for career development, regardless of gender, age, social environment, etc. here, at home, in the Republic of Moldova.
The event is carried out within the project “Re-Engineering Vocational Orientation and Career Counselling, phase II” (REVOCC II)., implemented by theCenter for Entrepreneurial Education and Business Support (CEDA) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research (MEC) and the National Employment Agency of Labor (ANOFM) between December 2017 and May 2022, financed by the “Austrian Development Agency” (ADA) from the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) funds.