Lifelong vocational guidance for young people and adults

As of 1 January 2019, the service offering vocational guidance before entering working life will be introduced nationwide (Area 1).

Since January 2020, the lifelong career guidance of the BA has been extended to adults (Area 2: unemployed or in employment), in addition to young people.

In 2021, the online self-exploration tools Check-U and New plan, aim to inspire choices of new professional paths and shows the possibilities for development or further training on the job (Area 3). Additional components, such as a test for further training and expansion of the search functions, will be made available by October 2022.

In 2022, the Federal Employment Agency (BA) intensified its lifelong career guidance services (LBB) by expanding the digital self-exploration tools (Check-U for new entrants into professional life and NewPlan for those in work). A brochure describing all LLB services was published by the BA in November 2021.

As an association in which guidance associations and stakeholders, experts from science and research, business organisations and trade unions have joined forces, the German National Guidance Forum in Education, Career and Employment (Nationales Forum Beratung in Bildung, Beruf und Beschäftigung e.V.) is committed to the professional development of guidance services in Germany and in Europe. The nfb brochure Career Guidance in the Life Course - Structures and Services in Germany (in English) was updated in 2022, in cooperation with the national Euroguidance centre in the BA. This brochure informs guidance practitioners about the basic features of the German guidance system in the field of education, career and employment and provides a compact overview of guidance structures and guidance services in Germany.

In 2023, the BA's lifelong career guidance (LBB), which is already anchored in the Social Code III (SGB III), was further strengthened. The LBB service offers career guidance to people before entering employment (BBvE) and to people in employment (BBiE), for example when re-entry or career reorientation is involved. With BBiE, the BA is expanding its career guidance services. Since the end of 2022, 600 counsellors have been available nationwide at 39 network locations to provide career guidance to employees and those returning to work. The overall aim of lifelong career guidance is to support young people and adults throughout their working lives, particularly with regard to changing conditions on the training and labour market.

In December 2023, the IAB (Institute for Employment Research of the Federal Employment Agency) published the research report 21/2023: Who makes use of career guidance in working life (BBiE)? A process data analysis. As the BA services addressed different target groups during the period investigated, the IAB research report examines 45 000 employed persons, just under 9 000 unemployed persons and around 17 500 other persons who attended at least one initial guidance appointment in 2021 and who fulfilled some additional conditions.

Since 25 June 2024, the New Plan - an online tool for professional development - has been integrated into the national education platform 'my NOW'. All New Plan functions will remain available in the new design.

The IAB research report 01/2024 presents the results of an online survey among employees and recipients of unemployment benefits. Among other things, the survey asked whether workers were aware of and used the New Plan tool, were interested in professional development and felt well informed about their wage and employment opportunities. The report also examines whether people answered these questions differently if they had previously received an information letter about the New Plan tool. The sample analysed in this report comprised approximately 4 400 people.

The main results of the report are:

1. on average, people receiving unemployment benefit knew about and used New Plan more often than those in full-time employment. People who had received the information letter sent in advance knew and used New Plan significantly more often;
2. two thirds of the full-time employees surveyed and three quarters of the unemployment benefit recipients surveyed were interested in professional development;
3. more than half of the full-time employees and unemployment benefit recipients surveyed unemployment benefit recipients felt (rather) well informed about their earnings and employment opportunities. The information letter sent out in advance had no influence on their responses.