On this page

1. Career guidance and counselling services

2. Funding

3. Quality assurance

Career guidance and counselling services

The National Portal for Career Guidance was created under the Project BG051RO001-4.3.02-0001 "Career Guidance System in School Education" of the Ministry of Education and Science with the aim of: creating an integrated system for realization and employment on the acquired qualification of secondary school graduates in line with labor market requirements. The project was created under the Operational Program "Science and Education for Smart Growth" by the Ministry of Education and Science. (MoES)

As a result of the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in Bulgaria, more than 200 000 young people under 30 years of age have started work during the 2014-2021. Bulgaria has legislatively regulated and has gained experience in implementing various measures and actions to increase the chances of employment and future labor market integration, applying these with better quality and wider scope in order to achieve the desired effect of the Youth Guarantee. In order to implement the Youth Guarantee from the beginning of 2014, programs and measures targeting young people who have proven their effectiveness and for which the interest of the employers and young people is high are implemented.

As a result of the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in Bulgaria, more than 200 000 young people under 30 years of age have started work during the 2014-2021. Bulgaria has legislatively regulated and has gained experience in implementing various measures and actions to increase the chances of employment and future labor market integration, applying these with better quality and wider scope in order to achieve the desired effect of the Youth Guarantee. In order to implement the Youth Guarantee from the beginning of 2014, programs and measures targeting young people who have proven their effectiveness and for which the interest of the employers and young people is high are implemented.

Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, through the Employment Agency (Агенцията по заетостта), offers service for professional information, consultations and guidance, which aim to assist in: choosing the right profession/specialty according to the psychophysical features and personal interests of the clients; choice of career path; choice of appropriate training, including training institutions.

The possible services one can take, depending on their individual profile can be:

• Professional guidance;

• Motivational training that will be provided both in employment offices and by external licensed organizations;
• Training for acquiring professional qualification and/or key competencies demanded on the labour market;
• Measures for job creation through financial subsidies for employers;
• Internship programs and measures aimed at young people with secondary or higher education and vocational qualifications;

• Subsiding of temporary employment;

• Promoting territorial mobility in the country when looking for and starting work;
• Providing services from the European Employment Services network (EURES);
• Support for starting your own business by young people with high education and qualifications who have motivation and business ideas.

Career centres in the higher education system

The intensification of the dialogue between educational and business institutions in Bulgaria is also supported by career guidance and development centers, which operate in 49 out of 52 higher education institutions. They play a significant role in modern education and training and are an essential means of overcoming barriers in communication between business, academia and students. Their main function, together with student guidance and preparation, is support in student selection processes for internships and jobs and providing feedback between stakeholders. Every year the Ministry of Education and Science collects aggregated information for reporting the activities of career centers according to indicators approved by the Minister of Education and Science.

The first Center for Career Development was established in 1994 at the American University in Bulgaria – Blagoevgrad. In 1999 at the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” was established a career center under a project with the financial assistance of the Employment Agency and the British Embassy. The other career development centers were established in the period 2002 – 2010. Today, career centres are among the most important universities structures and are included in accreditation and quality assessment procedures.

The main activities carried out by the career development centers are mainly directed to students and to employers. The activity aimed at students is mainly related to providing information about jobs, consulting and assistance in the preparation of CVs and motivational letters, consultations for preparing for an interview, interviewing students on various issues, collecting information about the professional realization of graduate students, maintaining information boards and websites with up-to-date materials for students,  as job advertisements, advertisements for events related to professional realization, scholarships for training abroad, training seminars in the country and abroad.

An important strand in the activities of career development centers is cooperation with employers. It includes, first of all, holding company presentations, conducting internships, maintaining relationships with employers wishing to use the services of career centers, etc.

The main activities of the career development centers are:

• Registration of students and graduates in career development centers in order to find suitable positions for learning practices and work and to track the professional realization of the graduates;
• Meetings with users of staff organized by career development centers – state institutions, companies, non-governmental organizations;
• Presentations of companies to students for presentation of educational and working positions;
• Organization and conduct of student internships and practices;
• Participation in national and international fora;
• Seminars with students for preparation of CV and cover letters