Blended CareerBot training

Objectives of the CareerBot training

for Career Guidance Practitioners

Main objective of the modular blended learning solution is to provide the competences needed for Career Guidance officers, to use digital guidance tools efficiently. As our initial research demonstrated, there is a huge demand on practical knowledge for career guidance practitioners in digital readiness and digital guidance tools and processes. The CareerBot project offers an experience based approach, where the Bot itself is in the centre and framed by background knowledge on digitalisation tools and processes. The training could be seen as a highly needed addition to existing initial and further educational training programmes for career guidance staff.

Structure

The partnership developed the Curriculum and the Training materials for a 18 hours blended learning training, with the following structure:

  • 5 Learning Units (LU) designed for self-directed learning
  • 7 Learning Units (LU à 45 min.) to be taught face to face or online
  • 5 Learning Units (LU) for the transfer into practice
  • 1 Learning Units (LU) for the preparation of the final assessment

This curriculum has been tested during the pilot training in October 2023 in Greece: The target group for the first piloting were the Career Guidance practitioners of the implementing partner organisations, who will then train their own colleagues and those of the transfer organisations in each country.

Later, this training program can be implemented in regular further education programs.

The application of the knowledge gathered in the first outcome, Content & Methodology, and the CareerBot tool itself, as well as applied expertise in providing digital and blended guiding sessions, will be a main focus of the blended learning solution.

Content

The CareerBot blended training course

  • presents the CareerBot as a supporting element for the practitioners in the advising services
  • describes functionalities of the Bot including data protection measures
  • identifies motivating strategies to promote the use of the Bot among clients
  • trains practitioners in the use of the bot as a supporting element for the quality improvement of their advising services
  • presents complementary free digital solutions for the support of guidance services
  • presents knowledge on digital transformation of the labor market and green jobs


The role of ECVET in the CareerBot Training

The CareerBot Training Methodology follows the guidelines proposed under the European Credit System for Vocational Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) which identifies its key objectives as

  1. Facilitate the transfer, recognition and accumulation of assessed learning outcomes.
  2. Support flexible and individualised pathways in education and training.
  3. Promote lifelong learning.

(The European Credit System for Vocation Education and Training 2021)

While ECVET was reconsidered by the VET Council in 2020 and the initiative has ceased, ECVET objectives and principles remain intertwined in European Vocational Educational Training implementation, and they are very relevant to the implementation of our training methodology.

As a result, the blended CareerBot training curriculum follows the framework of Learning Units – structured in specific Modules – to be completed by trainees (guidance practitioners) through self-directed learning, face to face or online as indicated in the training process chart. This framework enabled partners to build complementing components of the curriculum, which are given in a semi-formal style with active interaction and tangible deliverables at the end via self-assessment and feedback.

In conclusion, the CareerBot training represents a continuing professional development opportunity under lifelong learning principles for career guidance practitioners, including VET educators, teachers, mentors, counsellors and staff, that can implement the new knowledge and competencies acquired with their target groups based on a tailored approach to their beneficiaries needs.

The Training Process at a glance

Basic structure of the Training Process

As a prerequisite for applying for our training process, the participant should be an experienced practitioner in Job and Career Counselling (e.g. consultant, trainer, teacher, youth workers, etc.). The CareerBot training is not a career guidance training, but a further training for experienced practitioners who want to learn more about the Bot Tool and the issues of digitalisation and new work opportunities in the field of career guidance.

In practise, this means that all applicants for the training programme must understand the CareerBot approach as described in this document.

1 – Learning agreement

The training process begins with the Learning Agreement, which clarifies prior qualifications and the learner’s individual motivation. This Learning Agreement is signed between the learner and the issuing organisation.

2 – SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING

As soon as the Learning Agreement is signed, the participant receives the documents designed for self-study: Module 1 – Digital Transformation & Green Jobs and Module 2 – Digital Competences needed in Career Guidance. The material provided should be studied before attending the face to face training sessions.

3 – FACE TO FACE TRAINING / WEBINAR

The following modules are preferably to be taught face to face, but there is also the possibility to organise webinars if needed: Module 3 – Working with the CareerBot in Career Counselling and Module 4 – Complementary Free Digital solutions for Career Guidance.

Depending on the training providers’ different offers, these can either take place in one full training day or be split into 2 days (or webinars). In total the three modules correspond to 8 Learning Units (LU à 45 min.).

4 – TRANSFER INTO PRACTICE

The face to face sessions are followed by a practise transfer. Practitioners should incorporate the method into their own work environment and assist further implementing organisations in their country (see Module 5). Each Learning Unit (LU1-LU5) offers space for Practitioners to reflect on the content and experience of the training methodology and curriculum.

5 – DOCUMENTATION & REFLECTION

This learning unit does not provide additional information or content to the training course but focuses on documenting and providing evidence of the experience of completing the course piloting the CareerBot and tasks from previous learning units with clients. The Documentation listed under the Resource section of each Learning Unit in Module 5 should be delivered as a result.

6 – FINAL ASSESSMENT & FEEDBACK

Finally, practitioners must document their individual learning process. The final expert talk evaluates compliance with the CareerBot criteria and is required for internal certification.

Description of the Training Modules

Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5

M1: Digital Transformation & Green Jobs

2 learning units

Module 1 is designed for self-learning to provide Career Guidance Practitioners with a collection of information on the topics of digital transformation and green jobs from an European perspective and is supplemented by an extensive collection of links and a bibliography, which serves as a kind of “reference book” that accompanies the practitioners through the entire CareerBot training. Our aim is to offer the practitioners as much background information as possible in order to prepare them optimally for the training with the CareerBot tool in the next modules.

Module 1 offers also exercises to help practitioners to apply what they have learned. Finally, practitioners will discover a checklist on learning outcomes, which they may use to evaluate what they have learnt for themselves.

Although the issues of digitalisation and green jobs frequently overlap, we shall discuss them separately here to provide a clearer picture.

There are two Learning Units in Module 1:

  • LU1: Digitalisation in Europe: Opportunities, Challenges, and Impacts
  • LU2: Green Jobs in Europe: New Demands and Opportunities
Go to module 1

M2: Digital competences needed in Career Guidance

3 learning units

Module 2 explores the impact of digitalisation on career guidance. It looks at the history and present digital trends (like artificial intelligence or chatbots ) in career guidance and shows an European framework of digital competences and stresses their relevance for career advisers and clients. The module further elaborates about the importance reliable labour market intelligence for career advising and gives two examples of relevant datasets before adding country specific information.

There are three Learning Units in Module 2:

  • LU 1: Digital Career Guidance and digital trends for practitioners
  • LU 2: Digital literacy and digital skills assessment
  • LU 3: Labour Market Intelligence and two examples
Go to Module 2

M3: Working with the CareerBot in Career Counselling

5 learning units

Module 3 ‘Working with CareerBot in Career Counselling’ aims to encourage Career Practitioners to engage in a deeper exploration of the key features of the CareerBot Chatbot and how it can be practically and effectively employed in Career Counselling. Using this methodology, practitioners should be able to identify how the tool can be used efficiently by jobseekers to gather relevant, customisable information on the Labour Market and general tips on how to best apply for jobs.

There are five Learning Units in Module 3:

  • LU1 – The practical application of User Personas as learning tools in a CareerBot Methodology
  • LU 2 – Chatbots in Career Guidance and Introduction to the CareerBot Tool
  • LU3 – Introducing the CareerBot Tool to Beneficiaries and using a CareerBot Methodology Before Counselling.
  • LU4 – Using a CareerBot Methodology During and After Counselling
  • LU5 – Role-Play Exercises as Learning Tools in a CareerBot Methodology

Review and Feedback of the Bot and imagining effective ways to use the Bot in practise.

Go to module 3

M4: Complementary free digital solutions for Career Guidance

2 learning units

Module 4 aims to provide a comprehensive view of complementary free digital solutions for career guidance, intended to be used in tandem with a CareerBot methodology. The module aims to highlight how digital tools can be effectively used in career guidance practices, complementing, but not substituting, the work of the practitioner.

Module 4 will then consider both European and localised tools in the partner countries and additional resources for practitioners (Referencing digital tools mentioned in Module 2). Practitioners are invited to explore a range of digital tools suggested during training from both EU and Local perspectives.

There are two Learning Units in Module 4:

  • LU1 – What is a digital solution? Explored using a case study and how digital solutions can be integrated into a Career Guidance Process.
  • LU2- European and Local digital solutions in context; Exploring new tools.
Go to module 4

M5: Transfer into practice, Documentation & Reflection

6 learning units

Module 5 provides the framework for the transfer of a CareerBot Methodology and learning into practice. Each Learning Unit (LU1-LU5) offers space for Practitioners to reflect on the content and experience of the training methodology and curriculum. Module 5 provides a blueprint for how practitioners should test a CareerBot methodology with real clients (Req. at least one) in their own organisations. Vital to the transfer of CareerBot methodology into practice is how practitioners should be able to identify how the tool can be used efficiently by jobseekers to gather relevant, customisable information on the Labour Market, how to apply for jobs, and its limitations.

This final Learning Unit will consist of a documentation and reflection of one’s journey throughout the CareerBot training.

There are six Learning Units in Module 5:

  • LU1 – The learning agreement & why it is important.
  • LU2 – Transfer into practice: Evolving Career Guidance Approaches.
  • LU3- Transfer into Practice: Before a Counselling Session: Test Experience with Client
  • LU4- Transfer into Practice: using a CareerBot Methodology during and after a Guidance Session
  • LU5 – Transfer into Practice: Digital Solutions and a CareerBot Methodology
  • LU6- Documentation and Reflection.
Go to module 5