Guidance in Denmark
Introduction
Educational and vocational guidance is given high priority in
Denmark. The structure and seven national targets in the field of
guidance are defined in an act on educational and vocational
guidance, which was adopted by the Danish parliament in April 2003.
The act and an overview of subsequent amendments are available at:
http://eng.uvm.dk/guidance.
The Ministry of Education (www.uvm.dk)
is responsible for continuous supervision and development of
guidance services in the educational sector.
Two different types of guidance centres exist:
-
Youth Guidance Centres with responsibility for guidance in relation to the transition from compulsory school to youth education and for outreach services for young people outside education and employment.
-
Regional Guidance Centres with responsibility for guidance in relation to the transition from youth education to higher education.
In order to ensure that all citizens have access to quality information about education and professions, the Ministry of Education provides a national Internet-based guidance portal: www.UddannelsesGuiden.dk or simply www.ug.dk. UddannelsesGuiden means the "Education Guide" and it provides information on:
-
education and training possibilities at all levels
-
occupations/professions
-
labour market conditions and statistics
-
Study programmes taught in English at Danish colleges and universities.
Other features of the portal include an e-mail based enquiry
service, the possibility of developing an interactive personal
education plan, an electronic guidance tool facilitating the choice
of education and career, and links to educational institutions and
guidance centres.
The Minister of Education has established a National Dialogue Forum
on Guidance in order to secure a close dialogue between the Ministry
and relevant stakeholders, such as social partners, organisations,
institutions, guidance practitioner associations, end users and
individuals holding a leading position in the field of guidance.
Quality in guidance is a topic that is continuously debated in
Denmark. One way of enhancing the quality of guidance provision is
to improve the qualifications of the guidance practitioners. Six
centres of Higher Education Denmark offer a one-year modular common
training programme at diploma level for guidance practitioners
across sectors. Furthermore, the Danish University of Education
offers a one-year Master of Education programme in guidance
counselling. With an amendment in 2007 of the 2003 Act on guidance,
it is now a requirement that guidance practitioners working in the
education system complete the diploma programme or, alternatively,
that they – through assessment and recognition of prior learning –
can document that they hold the required qualifications.
The Division for Guidance in the Danish Ministry of Education is
actively involved in international cooperation in the field of
guidance, and the main aims and elements of the Danish guidance
reform are very much in line with the EU Resolution on Lifelong
Guidance and with EU and OECD recommendations on guidance policies
and practices.
Adult guidance
In connection with a comprehensive structural reform, which came
into effect 1 January 2007, the Public Employment Services and the
municipalities’ employment efforts were merged, and
vocational/careers guidance for adults (especially aimed at
unemployed people) is now provided by 91 Job Centres, which cover
all 98 municipalities. One of the main reasons for creating the new
structure has been the wish to establish a one-stop access system,
making it easier for citizens to get the employment and guidance
services they need and are entitled to.
In June 2007, another comprehensive plan for adult guidance services
was agreed upon by the Danish Parliament. This plan focuses
primarily on improving information and guidance services related to
adult and further education and training. Four new initiatives will
be implemented over a three-year period:
-
20 adult guidance networks which will cover the whole country. The main tasks of these networks will be 1) to provide outreach services to especially low-skilled workers at their workplace; 2) to train so-called “training ambassadors” among staff at the workplaces; 3) to establish networks among enterprises; and 4) to give advice to employers.
-
A National Centre for Competence Development, the aim of which will be to document and assess the effects of initiatives and services within the field of adult and further education and training.
-
An Internet-based guidance portal aimed specifically at adults and guidance practitioners working with adults. The portal will provide information about adult and further training courses and programmes and will include different tests and career planning tools as well as tools that can be used in connection with assessment of prior learning.
-
A National Adult Guidance Forum, which will discuss and give advice to the Minister of Education on adult guidance issues. The social partners will be represented in this council.
Page last updated: 04 June 2008