Comparative Analysis of the Career Guidance Needs in the Baltic Countries

In the article are analysed results from the survey on the career guidance and counselling conducted in the framework of Erasmus+ Strategic partnership project "Information and Communication Technology for Romanian Career Counselling (ICT 4 RoCc)". The problem has been approached by analysing and evaluating career guidance services in project partners' countries and establishing the pupils' needs in the area of career counselling as well as available instrument to satisfy those needs. The questionnaire was designed to summarize 7-12 grade pupils' opinion about counselling and vocational guidance. It consisted of four diagnostic blocks: availability of the career counselling services, students' needs for the successful counselling and vocational guidance, information suitable for vocational career guidance and information about the respondents. In the study is used self-assessment method, so the results are based on respondents' views. The analysis of youth unemployment in the Baltic countries is also given in order to underline the need and usefulness of career guidance and counselling. According to the findings in Latvia special attention should be paid to the outcome of the residence: pupils from rural areas more often have access to career counselling services by means of the school counsellor and they more often need counselling from a person specialized in this field; pupils from urban areas more often have plans for personal development or a career plan and they prefer online access to scientific information about vocational guidance. The results show that career guidance and counselling between the Baltic States are more developed in Estonia.