Every child imagines a future.

Some dream of becoming doctors, engineers, artists, teachers, entrepreneurs or scientists. Others are simply curious about what they might become one day. Yet, long before these dreams begin to take shape, young people are often required to make educational decisions that may influence the course of their lives.

How can a 13-year-old make informed choices about the future without first understanding who they are? This simple yet fundamental question lies at the heart of modern career guidance.

Across Europe, career guidance is increasingly recognised as an essential component of quality education. The European Union, CEDEFOP and UNESCO all emphasise the importance of supporting young people in developing the knowledge, confidence and skills they need to navigate lifelong learning, educational transitions and an increasingly unpredictable labour market. Rather than being a one-time activity offered shortly before graduation, career guidance is now viewed as a continuous developmental process that begins early and evolves alongside each individual.

Career guidance is about much more than choosing a profession

For many years, career guidance was largely associated with a single question:

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Today, that question is no longer enough.

Modern career guidance encourages young people to reflect on deeper and more meaningful questions that shape not only their educational choices but also their personal development:

• Who am I?
• What are my strengths?
• What motivates and inspires me?
• What values are important to me?
• How can I build a meaningful future?

Career guidance is therefore not simply about selecting an occupation. It is about understanding oneself.

This perspective has transformed career guidance from a process of matching individuals with professions into a lifelong journey of self-awareness, personal growth and informed decision-making.

As career construction theorist Mark Savickas explains, people do not merely choose occupations. They construct careers by giving meaning to their experiences. Career development is therefore closely connected to identity, life experiences and personal aspirations rather than simply responding to labour market demands.

Understanding yourself before planning your future

Every student enters the classroom with unique talents, interests, aspirations and experiences. Some discover their strengths early, while others need opportunities to explore different possibilities before recognising what truly motivates them. Career guidance creates exactly these opportunities by helping students reflect on their interests, abilities and ambitions before making important educational choices.

This idea is strongly reflected in Donald Super’s Life-Span, Life-Space Theory, which revolutionised career development by introducing the concept that career development is fundamentally linked to self-concept. According to Super, our careers are not separate from who we are. Instead, they represent the continuous expression of our evolving identity. Helping students understand themselves from an early age allows them to make educational and career decisions that reflect not only employment opportunities but also their interests, values and personal goals.

This approach also strengthens students’ confidence and decision-making abilities, reducing uncertainty during important educational transitions while encouraging them to take ownership of their own future.

Preparing young people for a rapidly changing world

The world of work is changing faster than ever before. Artificial intelligence, automation, digital transformation, sustainability and globalisation continue to reshape industries and create entirely new professions. Many of today’s students are expected to work in careers that do not yet exist.

In such an environment, preparing young people simply by presenting a list of professions is no longer sufficient. Career guidance must instead equip students with transferable competences that allow them to adapt throughout their lives. Among the most important of these competences is career adaptability, a concept developed by Savickas and Porfeli (2012).

According to their research, career adaptability consists of four essential dimensions:

• Concern, developing a positive orientation towards the future.
• Control, taking responsibility for educational and career decisions.
• Curiosity, exploring different opportunities and possible pathways.
• Confidence, believing in one’s ability to overcome challenges and achieve goals.

These dimensions extend far beyond career planning. They help young people become resilient, adaptable and proactive individuals who are capable of navigating uncertainty and responding effectively to future changes.

Schools have a fundamental role to play

Schools are much more than places where academic knowledge is transmitted. They are communities where young people begin to discover their identities, develop confidence, build relationships and imagine the future they want to create. Teachers often become the first trusted adults with whom students discuss their aspirations, concerns and ambitions. Through everyday interactions, educators influence not only academic achievement but also students’ confidence, motivation and future expectations.

Despite this important role, many teachers have limited access to specialised training and practical resources that support career guidance activities. Providing educators with learner-centred methodologies, innovative digital tools and practical educational resources can transform career guidance into an engaging and meaningful part of everyday learning rather than an isolated activity.

When integrated across the educational experience, career guidance supports students in becoming active participants in shaping their own educational and professional journeys.

Promoting equal opportunities through career guidance

Career guidance is also closely linked to inclusion and social equity. Every young person should have the opportunity to discover their potential, regardless of gender, socioeconomic background, disability, ethnicity or academic performance.

Starting career guidance early helps broaden students’ horizons, challenge stereotypes and encourage aspirations that might otherwise remain unexplored. Many young people limit their ambitions because they are unaware of the opportunities available to them or because they believe certain careers are “not for people like them.” Effective career guidance helps remove these barriers by exposing students to diverse educational pathways, role models and career possibilities.

When students better understand both themselves and the opportunities available, they become empowered to make informed decisions based on their own aspirations rather than external expectations or social stereotypes.

The CAGEA vision

These principles are at the heart of CAGEA (Career Guidance from an Early Age), a European project that aims to strengthen career guidance by providing innovative digital tools and educational resources for schools.

Rather than offering ready-made answers, CAGEA encourages students to explore their interests, recognise their strengths, reflect on their values and better understand the rapidly evolving world of education and work. By supporting self-discovery and informed decision-making, the project promotes career guidance as a continuous learning journey rather than a single educational milestone.

The project also equips educators with practical resources that help integrate career guidance into everyday teaching, creating more engaging, learner-centred educational experiences.

As the Technical Partner of the project, the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (iED) is responsible for the development of the CAGEA platform and contributes to almost all project work packages, supporting the implementation of innovative digital solutions that make career guidance more accessible for schools and learners across Europe.

Looking ahead

Career guidance is not about predicting the future. It is about helping young people feel prepared to create it. As Mark Savickas reminds us, “Career is the story people tell about the lives they lead.” Every student deserves the opportunity to write that story with confidence, curiosity and purpose. Investing in career guidance from an early age means investing in young people’s ability to understand themselves, recognise their potential and make informed decisions throughout their lives.

In a world where change has become the only constant, helping young people develop self-awareness, adaptability and confidence may be one of the most valuable educational investments we can make. Because when students understand who they are, they are not simply preparing for employment. They are preparing to build meaningful lives.