CAREER GUIDANCE AS A COMPLEMENTARY STRATEGY TOWARDS LIFELONG LEARNING

Abstract

The contribution deals with the overwhelming position of Career Guidance being the counterpart of the strategy of lifelong learning in Europe. This strategically new position of Career Guidance leads to a new underlying theory of how the individual is being conceptualized. Therefore the individual has to adapt to the needs of the performance-oriented society. The history of Career Guidance in educational science, actual theories and newer research outcomes of different counselling settings are discussed which show institutional and individual effects of defense and denial of the reforms. The main thesis is that a theory of Career Guidance – in reference to the concept of lifelong learning – must be rooted in humanism and stress the existential needs of the individual in unsafe economic times.