‼️ 🙌 A study conducted in four countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Iceland and Spain) on the career choice process and guidance reveals that the ‘large-class’ approach prevalent in schools is not suitable for young people. They want a safe, personalised conversation in small groups or one-to-one; there is a lack of high-quality feedback, and they do not trust tests. A total of 840 young people were surveyed, and the accounts of 200 focus group participants were analysed to gain a deeper understanding.
✨️ The Latvian part of the research was coordinated by the association “Laiks Jauniešiem”, with the most extensive survey focusing specifically on young people in the Bauska district. This provides particularly rich material for local youth policy and practical work – on how best to support young people in Bauska in choosing and pursuing their career paths.
✅️ Key findings:
🔵 Consultation format. Young people rate face-to-face (one-to-one) discussions most highly; small groups (up to ~8 participants) come second; whole-class sessions are rated as less useful. Average ratings in Spain: 4.1 for one-to-one sessions, 3.4 for small groups, and 2.4 for whole-class sessions (out of 5); ratings in other countries are very similar.
🔵 The critical moment – Year 10. Up to around 16 years of age, self-awareness and career guidance are the most important; after subject selection, the focus shifts to exams, choices of further study and the implementation of specific plans.
🔵 There is a lack of feedback. Young people and specialists emphasise that personalised, high-quality feedback is needed, which is almost impossible to provide in large groups.
🔵 Scepticism towards tests. Tests often seem easier to ‘cheat’ on or too general; conversations with industry professionals and work shadowing are viewed with greater trust.
🔵 Digital tools – cautiously positive. Short mini-tests and micro-tasks for self-assessment are rated highest in digital format (averaging 3.7/5 and 3.4/5), particularly among those aged 16 and over.
✅️ What this means for Bauska District and Latvia:
🔵 From ‘lectures to the whole class’ to dialogue. The standard is 1:1 and small-group consultations; large-group sessions serve as an informative backdrop.
🔵 Collaboration with industry. Work shadowing, company visits and regular meetings with practising professionals should be organised systematically, rather than as one-off ‘annual events’.
🔵 Targeted support in Year 10. It is precisely at this stage that enhanced support is needed for subject and exam choices, whilst retaining the opportunity to return to self-directed learning.
✅️ Next step:
🫵 The lead partner of the ERASMUS+ cooperation partnership project – the Society and Enterprise Development Institute (Lithuania) – together with its partners: the association “Laiks Jauniešiem” (Latvia), Haaleitisskoli Secondary School, Reykjanesbær (Iceland) and the regional youth association AMIGOS DE EUROPA (Spain) are launching the development of a mobile app for young people.
✅️ The plan envisages:
🔵 Bauska District as the pilot project location – young people and career specialists from Bauska District will participate in co-creating the content and functionalities;
🔵 Training opportunities for professionals in Bauska Municipality – teachers, youth workers and career advisers – on providing career planning support to young people;
🔵 Features that reinforce what young people find useful: short mini-tests, micro-tasks for self-discovery, personalised step-by-step plans, the option to book one-to-one consultations, as well as direct contact with industry professionals;
🔵 Free access for young people and links to in-person services in schools and youth centres;
🔵 A clear framework for data security and privacy.
📢 “Young people aren’t looking for ready-made solutions – they want a conversation where they are listened to, helped to make sense of information, and given a roadmap that can be adjusted. Grand lectures on ‘general’ topics simply don’t work here,” says Gints Jankovskis, head of the youth organisation “Laiks Jauniešiem”. “That’s why we’re starting to develop an app and will be piloting it in Bauska – so that the digital tool isn’t just for test purposes, but for real dialogue and practical steps that young people can take right here, in their own municipality.”
📍 The research was carried out by researchers from the Public Administration Innovation Laboratory at Mykolas Romeris University (Lecturer Justinas Staliūnas, Prof. Dr Andrius Stasiukynas) as part of the ‘Open Yourself for Career Skills’ project, in collaboration with partners in Lithuania, Latvia, Iceland and Spain. Empirical part: a survey of 840 young people and qualitative focus groups with young people and specialists.
✅️ Presentation: https://drive.google.com/…/1s265XINMMdFB…/view…
✅️ Research report: https://vvpi.lt/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Study_Report.pdf
✅️ Video presentation of the research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0Rfj_msANw
✅️ Promotional images: https://failiem.lv/u/yvnhfrrye9
The “Open Yourself for Career Skills” project is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership programme in Lithuania.