Professional orientation clubs function in 10 general schools in the regions of Armenia and Yerevan to guide and assist students in choosing their future profession.
About 829 8-11-th grades pupils from the second semester of the previous academic year once a week participated in professional orientation clubs and got knowledge about the existing professions in the world and the labor market requirements.
The program has been implemented in collaboration with the Ministries of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports; and Labor and Social Affairs, by “Save the Children” International Armenian Representative Office within the EU funded regional program (2018-2020) “EU4 Youth – Better Skills for Better Future”
The results of the piloting program were summarized during the discussion at the RA MoESCS,
Ashot Arshakyan, Head of the Department for General Education of the RA MoESCS, stated that the support for professional orientation is an important component of education and upbringing. In the terms of rapid change in the professions, further effective planning and career-building is impossible without the education of professional orientation. We attach a great significance to establishing professional orientation centers in schools and plan to expand the program at all schools after summarizing and analyzing the results. Sometimes people choose a profession, but after a while, they realize that they are mistaken. The student at school should know the variety of existing professions and what profession he or she can choose.
Education and Youth expert at “Save the Children Armenia” Iren Sargsyan highlighted the importance of piloting professional orientation clubs in 10 target communities of Yerevan and RA marzes, particularly stating: “Based on the assessment and analysis of the test results, it is important to draw a roadmap to implement professional orientation clubs in all the general education institutions”.
The research of “Save the Children” International Organization on “Evaluation of Professional Orientation Clubs in Target Schools” was presented at the discussion. Renovation of classrooms, provision of furniture and equipment, training of teachers were realized in the above mentioned 10 schools. According to the study, the teachers rated the teaching of the professional orientation course 4.5 points out of 5 and principals rated it 5 points, assuring that the course is important for students' future career planning. The content of the course was also evaluated as effective. The students highlight the knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses, self-awareness, abilities, competences, desires, and interests.
Approaches vary as to when to start continuing education planning and professional pre-orientation.
Emphasis is placed on the funding component, the teaching effectiveness to fully implement professional orientation course in the general education system.
