3.4 Career guidance and counselling
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Career guidance and counselling services
Guidance and counselling services for young people in Denmark
In Denmark, a range of guidance and counselling services are provided by a number of actors within the education and employment sector. The services are primarily aimed at young people up to the age of 30 years, but also include services for adults wanting to enter a higher education programme or for unemployed adults.
The Ministry of Children and Education, the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and the Ministry of Employment are the responsible ministries. The municipal councils are responsible for the implementation of the local guidance and counselling of youth. Furthermore, the private unemployment insurance funds also provide guidance for their members.
Selected national career guidance and counselling objectives linked to the education system
The Consolidation Act on Municipal Provision for Young People Under 25 Years of Age (Lov om kommunal indsats for unge under 25 år, LBK nr 953 af 12/08/2024) obliges municipalities to establish municipal youth guidance units targeting young people under 25 years of age. The guidance provided to young people under 25 years must, in short, prepare the individual for the demands in the education system and on the labour market.
The guidance must also take the individual’s skills and qualifications into account to ensure that the choice of education benefits both the individual as well as society. The goal of the guidance is furthermore to limit the number of dropouts and students changing education and training program and better the individual’s ability to seek out information.
Furthermore, the Consolidation Act on Municipal Provision for Young People under 25 (Lov om kommunal indsats for unge under 25 år, LBK nr 953 af 12/08/2024) covers guidance in the education system for young people under 25 years and in the employment system for young people under 30 years. According to the act, the municipal council is responsible for guidance in relation to the choice of education and occupation. The guidance covers:
- Pupils in the 7th–9th grade and pupils in the optional 10th grade.
- Young people under 25 years who are not attending or have not completed a youth education programme and are out of employment.
- All young people under 25 years who seek guidance and contact the municipal council.
When the municipal job centre makes a request, the municipal council can provide guidance for young people under 30 years with an instruction to start an education. Guidance must be organised as a coherent measure that introduces the young persons to all upper secondary educations.
Young persons in the 15–17-years age group (grades 7 to 9 (optional 10) have different steps they must go through as part of their education. By the end of the 9th grade, pupils must have an education plan. 15–17-year-olds are required by law to be in some sort of educational activity or activity with an educational perspective in accordance with their individual education plan. In the 8th and 10th grade, pupils participate in introduction courses and bridge-building activities in order to prepare them for choosing an upper secondary education.
Young people outside the school system also receives guidance. Municipal councils have outreach and follow-up measures that provide guidance on education and employment to young people.
Furthermore, according to the Act on Primary and Lower Secondary Education (Folkeskoleloven, LBK nr 989 af 27/08/2024)), Educational, Vocational and Labour Market Orientations a mandatory subject from preschool class to 9th grade. The pupils must acquire skills to make choices regarding education and careers. Educational, Vocational and Labour Market Orientation includes three competence areas: personal choices, from education to employment, and work life. The teaching in Educational, Vocational and Labour Market Orientation must be organised in cooperation with the municipal youth guidance units.
Guidance and counselling services at education institutions
Educational institutions in Denmark provide various guidance and counselling services to support students in completing their education and transitioning into further studies or employment. These services differ across educational levels but aim to ensure coherence in student support.
In general and vocational upper secondary schools, institutions are required to assist students in completing their education. Schools have the autonomy to determine their methods and the staff responsible for this support. They also collaborate with municipal youth guidance units (KUI) and regional guidance centres (Studievalg) to ensure a coordinated approach to student guidance.
At the academy profession and professional bachelor levels, university colleges and academies of professional higher education must provide support to students throughout their education. This assistance is delivered by teachers, guidance counsellors, or other professional staff, with institutions being free to design their support mechanisms.
Danish universities offer guidance at both bachelor and master levels, focusing on academic progression, access requirements for master’s and PhD programmes, and career opportunities. Each university determines how and by whom these services are provided. Typically, completion guidance and career guidance are handled separately to offer targeted support to students at different stages of their educational journey.
Selected national career guidance and counselling objectives outside the education system
The Municipal Youth Guidance Units (den kommunale ungeindsats) must establish a coherent cross-sectoral measure for all young people under 25 years. The measure coordinates education, employment, and social initiatives. The measure includes guidance.
According to the Act on an Active Labour Market (Lov om en aktiv beskæftigelsindsats, LBK nr 280 af 01/03/2024), the municipal job centres are obliged to support job seekers with finding employment. For young people under the age of 30 years without an education leading to a vocational/professional qualification, the municipal support has a focus on education (uddannelsespålæg). Guidance is a central element of this municipal obligation. The rules vary with regard to when a young person is required to participate in an active labour market measure depending on whether the young person:
- Has unemployment insurance
- Is under 30, uninsured, and with no upper secondary education
- Is under 30, uninsured, and with an upper secondary education
Generally, the municipal job centres organize and conduct a flexible contact course in the form of individual interviews.
During the interviews, an individual plan is established. The plan contains the education or career objectives of the unemployed person and a strategy with a view to achieving them.
The municipality conducts at least four individual interviews during the first six months of unemployment.
Guidance and counselling providers in the education system
In Denmark, young people under 25 receive guidance on transitioning from compulsory education to upper secondary education or entering the labour market through 98 municipal youth guidance units, known as Kommunal Ungeindsats. To support both young people and adults in making informed career choices, the national guidance portal provides extensive career-related information.
For those seeking personalized guidance, eGuidance (evejledning) offers individual counseling through various virtual communication channels, including chat, telephone, text messages, e-mail, webinars, and even Facebook. Additionally, Studievalg Danmark, consisting of seven regional guidance centers, is responsible for assisting students in their transition from youth education to higher education.
To further aid prospective students in choosing the right educational path, EducationZoom (Uddannelseszoom) serves as a virtual tool that allows users to compare higher education programs based on key factors such as job prospects, expected future income, completion rates, dropout rates, and overall quality of education.
Guidance and counselling providers in the employment system
In Denmark, unemployment insurance funds (a-kasser) play a crucial role in supporting their members by providing career guidance and competency assessments. These private funds offer counseling services to help individuals navigate their career paths and enhance their employability.
Additionally, Denmark’s municipal job centers serve as key hubs for vocational guidance and employment support. Across 94 job centers, vocational guidance counselors and job consultants assist both job seekers and employers. Their services include advice on job-seeking strategies, education opportunities, and recruitment processes. Through these centers and an online portal, individuals can access job listings, upload their CVs, and connect with potential employers, facilitating both job placement and workforce recruitment.
Denmark has established a strong partnership-based approach in the guidance and counselling services. Cooperation across sectors is a key issue. The objective of the municipal youth guidance units is to provide a coherent and cross-sectoral measure based on a cooperation between education, employment, and social efforts in the municipality. Furthermore, the municipal youth guidance units are thus obliged to cooperate closely with primary and lower secondary schools and youth education institutions in the area, as well as with local businesses and public employment services. The regional guidance centres are obliged to cooperate with relevant partners in their region. Relevant partners include youth education and higher education institutions, social partners, and industry and commerce.
Implementation of the youth guarantee in Denmark
Denmark has a well-established system for implementing the The Youth Guarantee, ensuring that all young people under 30 receive an offer of employment, education, apprenticeship, or traineeship within four months of unemployment or leaving education. The system is decentralised, allowing municipalities to tailor measures to local needs through education plans, job centres, and youth guidance units.
A core principle of Danish youth policy is to ensure that young people complete an education, as those without qualifications are overrepresented among the unemployed. This focus is reflected in personalised education plans, municipal youth initiatives, and targeted employment support. In recent years, the government has introduced reforms to strengthen early intervention, facilitate transitions into the labour market, and ensure that benefit schemes incentivise education and job-seeking.
To expand opportunities, municipalities are piloting an initiative allowing young people to choose a job-first approach instead of the traditional education-first strategy, with the aim of increasing employment among youth. These ongoing efforts reinforce Denmark’s commitment to reducing youth unemployment and ensuring smooth labour market integration.
Specific target groups in the career guidance and councelling services
The Act on Municipal Provision for Young People under 25 years of age (Lov om kommunal indsats for unge under 25 år, LBK nr 953 af 12/08/2024) establishes that guidance must be aimed particularly at young people who, without specific guidance, will have difficulties in relation to the choice and completion of education, training, and career.
Unemployed young people under 30 years of age are covered by the Act on Active Labour Market (Lov om en aktiv beskæftigelsindsats, LBK nr 280 af 01/03/2024). Employed people are covered in different ways by the act, though they are not the primary focus.
Aside from these specific target groups, the various Danish guidance services each target different groups, for instance young persons in upper secondary education programmes or young people and adults outside the education system who want to enter a higher education programme.
Funding
Most guidance and counselling services are publicly funded. The funding is shared between the state and the municipalities. The funding of each guidance service depends on the responsible authority.
The guidance and counselling services provided by the unemployment insurance funds (a-kasser) are based on membership. Members of the unemployment insurance funds pay a membership fee.
Quality assurance in guidance and counselling
Denmark has a robust system for ensuring the quality of guidance and counselling services across different sectors. Professional guidance is a key priority, with legal requirements mandating that practitioners complete a diploma or master's programme in educational and vocational guidance, as outlined in the Consolidation Act on Municipal Provision for Young People Under 25 (Lov om kommunal indsats for unge under 25 år, LBK nr 953 af 12/08/2024).
To support best practices in guidance, the Ministry of Children and Education oversees the National Centre of Expertise for Guidance, which collects and disseminates knowledge, develops quality standards, and coordinates efforts across different guidance services. The centre also conducts analyses, surveys, and cross-sectoral developmental initiatives to improve the effectiveness of counselling services.
At the municipal level, local authorities are required to establish targets and a framework for guidance services, ensuring transparency through published objectives and performance results. The ministerial order on guidance further emphasizes the importance of visibility, requiring that youth guidance centres publish details about their activities and impact on municipal websites.
Regional guidance centres (Studievalg Danmark), are also subject to quality assurance measures. These centres are required to document and publicly report on their guidance activities, including the number of sessions conducted, user feedback, and impact assessments. They are also expected to continuously enhance service quality based on collected data and user experiences.
Beyond the education system, guidance services in the employment sector are aligned with national policies to ensure young people transition successfully into the labour market. The Danish Agency for Labour Market and Recruitment (STAR) plays a key role in monitoring employment measures in job centres and unemployment insurance funds (a-kasser). It gathers evidence-based knowledge on active labour market initiatives and maintains Employment Effects (jobeffekter.dk), a tool designed to assess the impact of various employment policies.