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Self Assessmet Tool

Quick Scan “Career guidance and drop-out prevention activities.”

Quick scan


What is this tool about?

This tool is a questionnaire that allows you to self-assess your institution. Feedback from the quick scan will provide valuable information on attention areas for further development of a strong career guidance support and prevention of drop-out policy.

How does it work?

The questions below are split into 12 different themes. For each question, please indicate for the statement whether you agree and to what level you agree by clicking the appropriate button next to each argument. Once you are finished, click the show results button at the bottom.

You can use the Skip Theme button to skip a theme if it's not relevant to you. However, you must complete a minimum of 3 themes to get your results.

What results does the tool produce?

Once you have completed the questionnaire and clicked the show results button, you will be provided with a list of themes that we recommend you should focus on more, as well as a radar chart with detailed results. Please keep in mind that the results do not save automatically - to save the chart or the full results please use the download buttons.

Vision and policy

Theme 1: Vision on career guidance and career support

Career guidance and support can contribute to a significant extent to student talent development and proper choice of education and career, thus preventing drop-out. It is crucial to create a link between the organisation of education and the specific purposes of career guidance and support to achieve this effect.

Within our school, we have developed a vision of the role and position of career guidance and drop-out prevention:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. As a means for stimulating proper curricula choices and study progress
2. As means which contributes to career competencies of students and Life Long Learning
3. As means for making more conscious choices in students’ study paths
4. As a means to recognise talent and prevent drop-out
5. As a means to inform future students properly
6. We create an inclusive climate through a set of behavioural rules

Theme 2: Support and leadership

To create commitment of staff within the school, the school board actively supports the vision on career guidance and support together with other managers

In our institute:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. As a means for stimulating proper curricula choices and study progress
2. One of the managers is responsible for the active implementation of career guidance and prevention of drop-out in collaboration with other managers
3. Is every member of the teaching staff involved in activities related to career guidance and prevention of drop-out

Theme 3: School Policy regarding prevention

The vision regarding career guidance and drop-out prevention are set out in a long-term plan of the institute containing information on activities and dedicated means, as well as regarding the way the effects are monitored and evaluated.

In our institute:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. Our long-term plan on career guidance and drop-out prevention is linked to the other policy plans of the institute
2. Our long-term plan on career guidance and drop-out prevention is linked to our institutes mission
3. Our long-term plan is translated in required means for specific activities
4. We have a structural percentage of the total budget of our institute for career guidance and drop-out prevention
5. We have arranged for monitoring of the activities which are linked to our regular QA, which we do accordingly
6. We periodically evaluate the intended effects on our (future) students and whether we meet their needs
7. We adapt our activities according to recent information and research and inform or train the staff accordingly
8. We adapt our policy, long-term plan and related staff development according to our monitoring and evaluation findings

Theme 4: A prevention and career guidance work plan

The institute has a one-year activity plan due to the long-term policy regarding career guidance and prevention of drop-out.

In our institute:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. We have a work plan describing which activities are run and with which kind of impact on career guidance and prevention of drop-out
2. We have stated who is offering the career guidance and how the referral to this service agent is arranged to expose and use student talent and to reduce drop-out
3. Our career guidance and prevention plan covers activities for students in all stages of their study path (future as well as current students, absentees)
4. Our career guidance and prevention plan covers activities which make the transfer to other institutes easy in case this meets the students’ needs
5. We offer guidance, orientation and support activities to future students
6. We offer individualised services in this area

Student development (orientation and guidance)

Theme 5: Content of the guidance and prevention offer of the institute

The offered services regarding career guidance and the prevention of drop-out support students to increase their own awareness of competences and help develop career management competences (life-long learning).

In our institute:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. We organise a coherent set of activities to develop career awareness and career management competencies
2. We support students in reflecting on their talents and motives
3. We offer activities which help students to develop a realistic career awareness and related study path
4. We offer guidance opportunities for the development of a study path in another institute;
5. We offer development opportunities regarding career management skills and life-long learning
6. We support students with career issues and doubts to actively engage in orientation
7. We offer support in career guidance and orientation on a broader scale than only on the education we are offering
8. We have up-to-date knowledge regarding the world of professional education and the labour market

Theme 6: Integration of guidance support in the educational program

Career guidance support is part of the curriculum and is addressed in individual coaching and mentoring.

The career guidance (and drop-out prevention) policy is translated in our curricula and study paths and thus:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. It is an aspect of our individual as well as group activities with students
2. It is arranged for in specially programmed activities
3. It is an aspect which every teacher/trainer in professional vocational education addresses
4. Can be arranged for on student request
5. It is offered for dedicated moments of a curriculum
6. It is part of the entry program for future students
7. It is integrated into the preparations for work-based learning as well as implementation and directly after work-based learning

Theme 7: Development of career management competencies and LLL

Well-implemented attention for career guidance and activities to prevent drop-out offer students the support to develop career competencies. The essences of such implementation are: vocation-related and functional, offering options and space for dialogue.

In our institute:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. It offers career guidance support during the curricula in line with individual coaching and support for students in need or on request.
2. Is career orientation organised in practical settings
3. Is career orientation functional and reflects real life
4. Are career management (LLL) competencies trained in an activating way
5. Are life-long learning competencies integrated into the education or training students receive
6. Is the responsibility of the student himself for his career path always a significant factor when designing, running and evaluating a career development activity
7. Is guidance offered in the format of a dialogue with the student

Organisation

Theme 8: Organisation of Career and study Advice services

When supporting students, the student’s competencies, preferences and needs are our focus. Before giving final advice, the responsible supporting staff consult with involved teachers / trainers and parents for effective referral to another curriculum or institute.

Our career support routine in our school:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. The preferences of the individual students as well as their competencies are at the centre of the process
2. Consults the supporting staff with the teachers of the student regarding direction and advise
3. Contacts supporting staff and the parents, and in an open dialogue with the parents on the direction and advise
4. Informs supporting staff the relevant staff of the new curriculum within the institute on advice and the choice made
5. Informs supporting staff of the institute referred to on advice given and the information leading to this decision

Theme 9: Division of roles and tasks regarding career advice and support

The institute’s management involves all staff in the career guidance and the prevention of drop-out policy. The dedicated team is appointed for specific roles, but their specific task and responsibility is indicated for all staff.

In our school:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. Takes the management of the institute the responsibility for this whole policy
2. Involves the management of all staff and indicates each one’s role and responsibility for applying this policy successfully
3. Appoints the management exceptionally dedicated staff for specific tasks and responsibilities and delegate accordingly
4. Is middle-management actively supporting the enrolment of this policy
5. Do students know where to go when they have a career or study dilemma
6. Are teachers aware of the signals for students at risk
7. Are teachers capable of running a dialogue on a career dilemma
8. The teachers know who to refer to when support is required

Theme 10: Staff development regarding career advice and support and the prevention of drop-out

For giving career advice and support, the specific development of staff is arranged in line with the institute’s vision.

In our school:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. A specific development program is made for the staff development based on the vision and mission of the school in mind
2. Are the wishes and ambitions of the staff taken into account, so they can also develop their career
3. Is indicated what specific staff is required to do to keep their knowledge and expertise in this area up-to-date
4. Adequate resources are available to run this development program

Collaboration and information

Theme 11: Collaboration with parents

Students and youngsters of the same age are also the parents who are the prominent trusted persons when having a career choice dilemma. Therefore they need to be actively involved in discussing the difficulty, advising and following up.

In our school:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. We inform all the parents of our support structure regarding career guidance and prevention of drop-out before part of the entrance process of their child
2. We inform parents when there are early warning signals of drop-out or of a career dilemma
3. We inform parents how to talk about career dilemmas
4. We inform parents on study requirements as well as ways how they can support their child in this without making a shift in own responsibility of the student himself
5. We involve parents in the final advice regarding a career dilemma

Theme 12: Collaboration with other schools and external organisations

The institute establishes a strong network with other educational institutes and with NGO’s and labour market to create elaborate support and warm transfer and career orientation options.

The institute has active relationships with:

Completely Largely Somewhat Not
1. Labour market and colleague institutes to offer career orientation and alternative curricula when needed by the student
2. NGOs to offer additional support and guidance when needed by the student, as is laid down as a requirement in the career guidance and prevention of drop-out policy;
3. Collaboration agreements, which arrange for support required as well as the processes of transfer
4. Follow-up education for the elaboration of career and study paths

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