1. Counseling programme
Career Guidance Center
Sliven, Bulgaria
The theoretical framework of the programme is based on the adapted version of the
developed by S. Low and T. Watts model of career education in secondary school. It
includes specific exercises that foster the active participation of the students in making
decisions about education, vocational training and opportunities for professional
development and career. The guidelines for training in career counseling are structured in
four global fields:
· Decision
· Opportunity
· Transition
· Self-awareness
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2. SECTION 1: DECISION
This section includes exercises related to inform on different professions. The exercises
help to create a more realistic idea of the dream job. Students' attention is focused on the
educational system and the relationship: professional field→ profession →specialty.
EXERCISE 1
WHEN, WHERE AND WHAT DO I
WANT TO WORK?
Essence: Depending on the position and the professional sector, there are large
differences in when, where and how people work. Occupations are associated with certain
conditions. Not everyone is able to cope successfully with different conditions. This
method helps students to determine the conditions in which they wish to pursue the
desired profession. They will determine both: the conditions in which they prefer working,
in order to cope and work well, and the professions associated with these conditions.
Objective: Specifying the desired working conditions and the related occupations
Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups
Description: In groups, the participants discuss the conditions under which they want to
work. With the help of the career advisor, they discuss the professions which meet these
conditions.
Preparation: Worksheet- Appendix 1, flipchart
Target group: Students who are about to make a choice of education and/or
profession.
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
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3. APPENDIX 1: WHEN, WHERE AND WHAT DO I WANT
TO WORK?
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4. WHEN WHERE WHAT WITH
During the day Office People
At night Factory Sport facilities
Part time Workshop Plants
Shifts Lecture hall Fine tools
On rotation basis Hotel Data
At your own choice Outdoors Texts
Flexible working hours Restaurant Chemicals
Parks Wood
On the street Computer
Airport Paper
Railway station Vehicles
Hospital Ceramics
Shop/mall Glass
Construction site Instruments
SECTION 2: OPPORTUNITY
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Leather
Clay
Farming
Stone
Machines
Plastics
Electronics

5. The exercises in this section are subject to the idea that for the
adolescents it is essential to be self-reflective and learn more about themselves. They
reflect on their own abilities, skills and interests and how they might evolve towards future
successful career and life fulfillment.
EXERCISE 2
MY STRONG AND WEAK POINTS
Essence: As the symbols of Yin and Yang in Chinese
philosophy depict the interaction of opposites; both strengths and
weaknesses co-exist in every person. The knowledge of the person's strengths and
weaknesses is an important tool for self-control and a condition for the targeted use of
strengths to achieve professional and personal success. The exercise enables the
participants to recognize their strengths, and through feedback mechanisms to correct the
perception of themselves.
Objective: The students will describe their own strengths and weaknesses and identify
steps to overcome the weaknesses
Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups
Description: The facilitator writes on a flipchart the following strong points: energy,
organization and diligence, then the participants continue the list. The facilitator writes the
weak points: quick temper, unsociability and laziness, then the participants continue the
list. The facilitator asks the participants to indicate to each strong point its antonym, for
example, energy - apathy, organization - disorganization, diligence - laziness. The
participants complete the worksheet – Appendix 2. Each participant completes the self-assessment
of his own strengths and weaknesses, and then the participants switch the
worksheet to complete the second part of the assessment of the others. Finally, they
discuss strategies for overcoming the weaknesses.
Preparation: Worksheet- Appendix 2, flipchart
Target group: Students who are about to make a choice of education and/or
profession.
Duration: 1 hour
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6. APPENDIX 2: MY STRONG AND WEAK POINTS
I about myself
I think my STRONG POINTS are I think my WEAK POINTS are
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
The others about me
Your STRONG POINTS are Your WEAK POINTS are
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
SECTION 3: TRANSITION
This section includes exercises that allow the students to come to the conclusion that the
choice of education and profession is an independent act and personal responsibility.
Decision-making is a process that requires preparation. Some exercises are related to
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7. case studies and the ability to accept
and/or reject the different alternatives for a decision on a
case.
EXERCISE 3
WHAT IS THE BEST CHOICE?
Essence: The model of making a decision presented here is prompted by the fact that
the more complicated a problem is, the more substages we have to include in the three
major stages of solving the problem. Making decisions often involves moral dilemmas.
They come up when we try to decide what to do in situations concerning the interest of the
others or when our moral values of justice, honesty, etc. are in conflict. When we make
such decisions it is necessary to consider criteria which take account of the other part
alternatives.
Objective: Applying the model of making decisions in a situation with a moral dilemma.
Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups
Description: The facilitator gives the participants a work sheet- Appendix 3 and divides
them in subgroups. Each subgroup becomes acquainted with the problem case and
discusses the substages of the major stages. A spokesperson of each group presents the
arguments and their final decision. A discussion follows where the participants try to
achieve a consensus.
Preparation: Worksheet- Appendix 3, flipchart
Target group: Students from grades 11-12
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
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8. APPENDIX 3: WHAT IS THE BEST CHOICE?
SECTION 4: SELF-AWARENESS
The exercises in this section are united by the idea that for young people it is essential to
recognize the need of targeted training for the transition from one to another educational
degree or to the labor market.
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CASE
John is a student at 12 grade. He is the best in the class. He plans to combine drawing with
mathematics and continue his studies at university specializing Architecture. The university
is in another town so his family will have to provide his accommodation and food. At the
same time his brother has had health problems for a year and needs expensive medicines.
His mother is unemployed which decreases the chances of finding enough money to cover
all the expenses. What should John’s decision be?
STUDY
1. What is the problem?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. What causes the problem?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
ANALYSIS
3. What are the alternatives?
Alternative 1……………………………………………………………………………………..
Alternative 2……………………………………………………………………………………..
Alternative 3………………………………………………………………………………………
4.
I Others
Alternative 1 Alternative 1
Advantages Advantages
Disadvantages Disadvantages
Alternative2 Alternative 2
Advantages Advantages
Disadvantages Disadvantages
Alternative 3 Alternative 3
Advantages Advantages
Disadvantages Disadvantages
CHOICE
5. What is the best decision for John?...................................................
6. What is the best decision for his brother?...........................................
7. Which alternative should John choose?...............................................
8. What needs to be done to execute the decision?...............................

9. EXERCISE 4
What should not be wrong in choosing a
profession?
Essence: Many factors that influence career choice, namely:
ability, academic excellence in certain subjects, opinions of
parents, teachers, school counselors, peers, friends and high social/economic status of
certain professions, are able to provoke imitation of a successful career choice by
repeating the choice of the successful people.
Objective: Analysis of typical mistakes when choosing a profession.
Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups
Description: The participants study carefully the list of the most common mistakes
when choosing a profession / Worksheet - Appendix 4 / then select 3 mistakes assessed
as most dangerous to them. Each participant reports to the group the mistakes that he has
chosen. A discussion of the most common mistakes follows. The facilitator asks the
participants to answer the following questions:
-What should I stop doing to avoid this mistake?
-What should I continue doing to avoid this mistake?
-What should I start doing to avoid this mistake?
Preparation: Worksheet - Appendix 4, flipchart
Target group: Students who are about to make a choice of education and/or
profession.
Duration: 1 hour
APPENDIX 4: List of the most common mistakes when choosing a
profession
1 Ignorance of the changes in the profession
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10. 2 Choice because of the prestige of the profession
3 Choice under the direct or indirect influence of friends
4 Carry a positive attitude towards a person who exercises a profession to the
profession itself
5 Passion to the outside side of the profession
6 Identification of a school subject with a particular profession or not making a
distinction between these two concepts
7 Outdated perceptions about the nature of work in the sphere of material
production
8 Ignorance of the personal characteristics / abilities, skills, interests, attitudes,
motives…/
9 Underestimation of the physical characteristics and/or diseases that are
important in choosing a profession
10 Ignorance and/or lack of a sequence of steps for deciding the choice of
education and profession
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