Career education and guidance services in Portugal : deeds and needs

Abstract

This chapter starts off by providing an account of the historical development of career guidance in Portugal, acknowledging the contributions of early pioneers in the field. It highlights some of the more important initiatives implemented after the installation of democratic government in 1974, noting developments in schools, at universities, and in employment services for adults. Many of these initiatives, including the recognition and certification of competences, specifically set out to address key challenges in Portugal’s education and training system, which include high levels of early school leavers without any formal qualifications. The chapter also provides an overview of more recent developments in the provision of career guidance services, giving due attention to the way in which economic and political contexts impact on policies, especially during a period marked by high unemployment and draconian austerity measures. The different entities providing elements of career guidance are described, with the lack of a comprehensive career guidance policy being a significant obstacle in ensuring equitable provision across the different regions of the country. Finally, a project that brings together universitybased career guidance researchers and school- and community-based practitioners is presented as a possible way forward to address the problem of unevenness of provision across the different regions.