Career Lead

Project lead 
Prof. Dr. Michael Scharpf
Prof. Dr. Bernd-Joachim Ertelt

Project staff
Anke Reuter (M.Sc.)

Third-party funding provider
European Union Erasmus+ Programme

Project duration
September 2023 – August 2025

Coordinating institution
Institute for Economic Education Oldenburg, Germany

Project partners

• University of Applied Labour Studies, Germany
• University of Münster, Germany
• University of Education Lower Austria, Austria
• Jagiellonen University Cracow, Poland
• Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan, Poland
• University of Seville, Spain
• University of Basel, Switzerland
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts, North-West Switzerland, Switzerland

In Europe and the European Union, there are different concepts as to how children are supported when they leave school. This applies to the work of teaching staff in schools, how advisory services are organised, how qualified the teachers are, how companies are involved and other external people as well as any available connections for them to move on to after school. At the same time, when attempting to find a connection upon leaving school, it is not only about how something fits. School children have to be taught how to be independent in terms of transfering to other opportunities after school and later in their working life, and be trained how to actively write their CV successfully. On top of that, (European) countries are asked to find answers to the fast-paced changes happening in the working world and the associated new requirements for career guidance. These requirements concern, amongst others, inclusion/diversity, digitalisation and sustainability. 
The Erasmus+ project CAREER LEAD "Europäisches Netzwerk für Berufliche Orientierung – European Scientific Network for Career Learning and Education" (023-1-DE01-KA220-HED-000161202) establishes an academic network for career guidance as an answer to these challenges. The network bridges a gap in the European research environment which is of particular importance for the economic and social development of the member states regarding a common labour market as well as the differences in the education systems and how they handle the transfer. 

The aim of the project is to establish a European research network for career guidance in schools of general education. This network is designed to pool research work and expertise so as to form the basis for trans-boundary research activities - and at the same time supporting mutual learning in educational practice worldwide and within European countries.

Schools, education administration authorities and companies which work in career guidance in particular should receive support in working more intensively on the dimension of the field of European labour and education.

Based on the general preliminary considerations, CAREER LEAD pursues the following objectives:

• the setting up of a sustainable network for career counselling, focusing on the EU; gaining more members
• review of the differences and similarities in career guidance practice in the countries involved
• development of research and transfer concepts for the further expansion of career guidance in European and international practice
• Support for young academics and educators, including doctorate degrees
• transfer in the field of education and practice