Interview with a career counselor

*The interviewee wishes to remain anonymous

Organisation responsible for the interview: CCIS

Country: Slovenia

Occupation: Career counselor at the employment office

Date of the interview: 11.05.2023

Short summary of the interview

When young people come for counseling, they usually don’t have a specific career path in mind but are exploring options. Counselors assist them in choosing a profession or furthering their education. Among young people, there are trends and popular career choices, particularly in the IT field. The percentage of young people who already know their career path is low. Environment, parents, peers, and academic success have the greatest influence on career decisions for young individuals. They use various criteria such as academic performance, personal interest, information from the local environment, and media influence in their decision-making process. Parents play a significant role in the career choices of young people. The presence of gender biases in career choices is slowly decreasing but still exists. Stereotypes can impact the career decisions of young individuals, causing them to overlook certain professions despite their interests.

Statements of utmost importance – top statements/ information

“We observe that young people primarily have three stereotypes:

-Manufacturing industry – poorly paid, inferior conditions

-Managers – little work for high pay

-Youth – no one gives them opportunities because of lack experience”