Goals for career guidance and career conversations in particular
All teachers agreed that understanding and realisation are the key factors in career guidance; realising and understanding what kind of person you are and what professional practice looks like. Juridical Service teachers focused strongly on personal development at first. Development in terms of professional skills, or choosing the right job or apprenticeship is important, but more so during later stages of the programme (e.g. second year and so on). Developing self-knowledge is seen as crucial during the first year. Jessica stated:
“The most important goal of career guidance is that students become aware of who they are: for example, by reflecting on their role in the group. Who are you in relation to the other students.”
Also mentioned were gaining a better image of the educational programme the student follows and of the professional practice. Teachers want to discuss the image that the student has of the programme and whether this is realistic. They also want to address the specific characteristics of the professional practice for which this programme educates. Gracie said:
“I explain to students what they can expect from certain specialisations they can choose from or what the professional practice consists of.”
The teachers all agreed that connections made with professional practice is central to career guidance during the second phase of the first year, as well as the years after when students are preparing for or are undertaking their apprenticeship.
Perceptions of good career guidance characteristics
The teachers seemed to have a common opinion on what constitutes good career guidance, or which characteristics of career guidance are particularly important. They all mentioned the need for intimate and specific knowledge about the student. Having the same students in the daily educational programme and during career guidance is considered beneficial. Rose explained that it is important to observe the student to gain a good perspective on how she or he behaves. Rose said:
“Foremost it is important that you observe the student: Thus, several hours guided by the same teacher who gives the career guidance, so that you can really follow his or her process and progress, and you can assess whether the student keeps to his or her agreements, and whether the student feels comfortable at school and in the group.”
Margret stated that regular contact is therefore important:
“If you never see a student, you don’t know who the student is, or what his or her interests are. And that is so important. As a teacher I see a lot, and that’s a huge benefit.”
Another aspect mentioned by all teachers is giving individual attention and showing interest. Margret said she deliberately asks many questions to get to know the students better and to give them personal attention. She stated:
“Yes, I want to know a lot about them. And sometimes I give feedback, like with one student this week. I said, ‘I’ve known you now for several weeks, and what I’ve noticed is that you’re very trustworthy and you’re on time every day. I think your future employer will be very happy with that.’ From these things, students can grow. And it is important for us, for teachers, to give the students compliments.”
All teachers also mentioned that instruments such as the portfolio and the personal development plan only work when used in face-to-face contact with students. Jessica explained:
“For a good developmental process in terms of their career, you have to supervise students, coach them, and talk to them.”
In addition, teachers found it important that students could trust them. Gracie explained: “Of course, the guidance of students is important, but it is foremost about trust. There has to be trust between teacher and student, so that the student can talk about everything and turn to the teacher every time.”
Jessica said that trust is important in combination with an open atmosphere, which can be realised through openness, showing interest, and self-disclosure. She stated:
“What I find very important as well is to have a good atmosphere, in the class, between students, and between me and the students. I tell them things about myself as well, and try to show vulnerability. A good atmosphere has to do with openness and showing interest in each other.”
Gracie agreed and added:
“Students should have the feeling that they can speak about everything. When they have doubts about something, I want them to come to me. That they feel they can come to me and speak about these kinds of things.”
Several teachers also mentioned that it is important to let the students reflect upon their positive attitudes and skills. Rose explained:
“During career guidance, it is important that you stimulate the students to use their positive qualities to take things a step further. It is important that you stay positive towards these students, and focus learning goals on things that can be improved, for example, and not on things that are negative.”
Finally, some of the teachers stated that it is important to make a connection with the professional practice for which the students are trained. Several students have unrealistic notions of either the profession or the educational programme they are following. According to Gracie, this needs to be discussed at the beginning of the educational programme. Gracie said:
“You have to discuss these things with students, ask them if they are surprised and what they expect from their future work or apprenticeships.”
Margret stated that many students start with Juridical Service because they believe they can become a lawyer, but that is not the purpose of Juridical Service. She said:
“Then we tell them that you can always become a lawyer, but that it will be a very long road to follow. You have to stay positive with these students, or they will lose their confidence or self-efficacy really quickly.”
Teachers’ self-perceived expertise and experience
Three of the four teachers (Rose, Gracie, and Jessica) had a background in social and cultural work, coaching, or student counselling. Gracie and Rose have been career guidance teachers for the Juridical Service programme for several years since its inception, and Gracie has also been a student counsellor for many years. The youngest teacher, Margret (27), has not yet had experience in this area. She has been a career teacher since one year. All teachers felt competent in having career conversations with students and in giving career guidance. Some even felt particularly confident that they had the skills and competencies to perform this task, mostly because of their experience and background in, for example, counselling. Jessica, for instance, stated:
“Yes, I do feel competent, as I have experience in coaching. In my previous job I coached adults in their work situation … That is also about what is going well and what is not.” Rose added:
“Yes, I feel very competent. It is just something I’m especially good at.”
Margret had certain doubts about her skills, but said it did not bother her that much: “I actually have no idea how to have such a conversation, but it is not like I’m done after 5 minutes… (…) I do it based on a feeling. I’ve never learned anything about it, I just do it.”