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1. Career guidance and counselling services

2. Funding

3. Quality assurance

Career guidance and counselling services

In Hungary guidance activities and development are overseen by both the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) and the Ministry for National Economy (Nemzetgazdasági Minisztérium). In the current ministerial structure, the Ministry of Culture and Innovation is responsible for public education, vocational education and adult learning as well as higher education. The Ministry for National Economy is responsible for employment policy. (For more information on the governance, see 3.2 Administration and governance.)

Most of the activities related to career guidance of young people are carried out within the framework of the National Youth Strategy 2009-2024 and/or the Youth Guarantee, but the role of the general public infrastructure needs to be mentioned as well. The last action plan of the National Youth Strategy for 2016-2017 [1535/2016. (X. 13.) Korm. határozat] required the provision of support in young people's career planning. The related activities and the different services provided at important points of individual career-decisions – choosing a school, further education, choosing a profession, entering the labour market – create a bridge and facilitates, the transition from learning to learning and from education to the world of work. The strategy has expired and there is no information on new youth strategy.

The following actors also plays an important role in career guidance and counselling:

• National Employment Service (Nemzeti Foglalkoztatási Szolgálat) and the employment and labour market departments of County Government Offices,
• National Career Guidance Portal (Pályaorientációs Portál),

Specifically, in the field of vocational education:

• Centre for Innovative Education Support (Innovatív Képzéstámogató Központ),
• the Vocational Training Centrums (Szakképzési Centrumok),
• National Office of Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning  (Nemzeti Szakképzési és Felnőttképzési Hivatal, NSZFH),
• Hungarian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Magyar Kereskedelmi és Iparkamara).

(For more information on these, see 3.3 Skills forecasting.)

Legal background

'For primary and secondary school students career guidance is a separate field of development according to the National Core Curriculum (Nemzeti Alaptanterv). Without being a separate subject, career guidance is offered mainly under life management and practical skills.' (Euroguidance.eu, 2021)

Pedagogical professional services

'Pedagogical professional services, as defined by the 15/2013 (II.26) Decree of the Ministry of Human Capacities [15/2013. (II. 26.) EMMI rendelet], are also become important actors in the guidance activities of primary school students. Guidance activities of the pedagogical professional services include testing the skills, learning abilities and the orientation of students and helping choose the appropriate educational institution.' (Euroguidance.eu, 2021)

The Act CCIV of 2011 on National Higher Education

'The Act CCIV of 2011 on National Higher Education (2011. évi CCIV. törvény a nemzeti felsőoktatásról) states that with their information and counselling services the higher education institutions should assist the students in career planning during and after their studies and maintain a career tracking system. The majority of higher education institutions offer such services in the form of career centres and bigger institutions run career management courses or trainings.

The core tasks of the labour departments of county government offices include not only employment and job-search counselling but also guidance, career and psychological counselling, as well as information provision on training opportunities. The services are available for both employees and job seekers.' (Euroguidance.eu, 2021)

In addition, career guidance appears in Youth Guarantee (Ifjúsági Garancia) as well, and the programme is represented in the most significant career guidance exhibitions. (For more information about the implementation of Youth Guarantee in Hungary see 3.2 Administration and governance.)

National Employment Service and the Job Seeking Club

The most significant service that can be used by every job seeker is the job-seeking counsel of the National Employment Service (Nemzeti Foglalkoztatási Szolgálat) and the Job Seeking Club (Álláskereső Klub). The job-seeking counsel is for those who would like to work, whose working aims are clear and reasonable but who have no knowledge and practice in job-seeking. There is training available, which presents job-seeking techniques, and a three-week-long Job Seeking Club, as well.

Besides that, the employment and labour market departments of County Government Offices organise career guidance events each year in each county for students who are about to start secondary education. In these events, the secondary schools present themselves and inform the students about their training programmes. Occasionally, these events are supplemented with job and training fairs for students who have finished secondary school.

The National Career Guidance Portal

The National Career Guidance Portal (Pályaorientációs Portál), managed by the National Office of Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning, offers targeted information for different job-seeking target groups, including primary school and secondary school students. On the website, students can find:

• questionnaires for orientation,
• information about the secondary school system,
• scholarship opportunities,
• information for preparing a CV,
• news about the events organised for students in this topic,
• link collection to websites related to career guidance and education.

Centre for Innovative Education Support

The Centre for Innovative Education Support (Innovatív Képzéstámogató Központ) plays an important role in disseminating information on the VET programmes. It is a nonprofit organisation and it operates under the founding rights and professional guidance of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation. They provide information about all of the VET professions with

• detailed descriptions,
• competencies' requirements,
• description of the skills and knowledge that could be acquired,
• the locations, the institutions and the contact information for where the training is available.

They also created a 'Digital Profession Advisor' (Digitális SzakmaAjánló) which is a questionnaire that can help the students find the profession that best fits their skills and interests. The students also find information on the website about the possibilities of dual professional training.

The Centre also operates an application, called SkillsCom. It is an online community space to support career guidance, and the Vocational Training Centrums, vocational schools and dual training providers can present themselves here and can share up-to-date information on their trainings.

Vocational Training Centre

The Vocational Training Centres (Szakképzési Centrumok), maintained by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium), also have activities on career guidance. In general, the Centrum designates a career guidance professional or a trained referent or group for that task with even a mental health professional.

The Centrums cooperate closely with the primary schools and organise career guidance events for 7^th or 8^th-grade students. These events include:

• career guidance day,
• career guidance 'roadshow',
• career guidance open day where the students can attend vocational school lessons,
• career guidance camps.

The professionals can keep lessons in schools on the different career opportunities; they consult with parents and operate as a counselling service. The Centres also operate counselling services in their offices, and some of them have 'career planning' guidance on their websites. This guidance contains information on the central exam procedure for secondary schools and the secondary school system and provides information on the different school types such as the expectations, the further education or career opportunities.

Activities of the NSZFH

The National Office of Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning organises career guidance training for students, adults and professionals in the field of counselling and supports the tools that help career guidance. The Office participates in implementing EU projects and organises career guidance workshops and conferences for professionals to enhance best practices and information sharing.

The Hungarian Chambers of Commerce and Industry 

The Hungarian Chambers of Commerce and Industry participates in career guidance activities through locally operating counselling networks that consist of young people, local companies, local training institutions and other partner organisations. They also keep lessons in local primary schools, contact with parents, organise factory visits and summer camps and organise career guidance days.

They also operate a website called 'Profession Word' ('Szakmavilág') for students who are interested in vocational training. The website provides information on the different vocational school types, articles on different professions and events and orientation questionnaires (on industries, competencies and motivation).

Euroguidance Hungary

The Hungarian branch of Euroguidance (co-financed by the Hungarian government and Erasmus+), among its other objectives, takes part in dissemination activities related to career guidance and also creates and maintains databases of education and training.

Career guidance required from the teachers

The Act CXC of 2011 on National Public Education (2011. évi CXC. törvény a nemzeti köznevelésről) also requires career guidance from teachers:

'The fundamental task of a teacher is […] to provide continuous guidance for his/her students' career orientation and preparation for their active professional life.'

Funding

As part of the Széchenyi Plan Plus, the Youth Guarantee Plus call for proposals (GINOP Plusz-4.1.1.-23) was published on 13 September 2023. Within the framework of this scheme, the Youth Guarantee Plus program, launched on 15 April 2024, provides assistance to individuals under the age of 30. In addition to services that support employment, young people can receive support to facilitate their job placement and training, as well as to alleviate their housing and travel costs. The project will run until 31 August 2027, with a planned budget of nearly HUF 197 billion (about EUR 490 million), of which HUF 102 billion (about EUR 255 million) was announced in the first phase.

Quality assurance

There is no public quality assurance information available.