Poland: career guidance in schools strengthened

On 20 January 2026, the Minister for Education signed an amendment to the 2019 regulation on career counselling. This amendment responds to structural shifts in the education system and evolving labour market demands. It also includes proposals submitted by social partners.

Sectoral skills centres integrated into guidance

The amended regulation recognises sectoral skills centres (branżowe centra umiejętności, BCU) as a key part of school-based career guidance. They can serve as venues for vocational study visits (wizyty zawodoznawcze), offering schools practical support, professional resources, workshops, and training, while teachers may use them to improve their knowledge, skills and competences.

Mandatory labour market analytics

Guidance practitioners are now required to analyse and use three types of labour-market information when working with students and parents:

• the annual forecast of the demand for employees in VET occupations at national and regional levels, published by the Minister of Education each year by 1 February;
• labour market projections commissioned by the Minister of Labour, including the Barometr zawodów (Occupational Barometer) – a one-year, county-level forecast of occupational supply and demand;
• the national VET graduate career tracking system (Monitoring Karier Absolwentów),which monitors the trajectories of all graduates at different levels.

Schools must include these tools in their annual career guidance programme to provide students with data-based information on real employment prospects in specific occupations.

Greater engagement of parents and employers

The amendment gives parents and employers a stronger, formal role in career guidance. Schools may now organise events involving parents, acknowledging their influence on students’ choices. Employers can host vocational study visits and are required to be involved in drafting annual guidance programmes. These measures align school activities with labour-market needs and ensure that students benefit from the insights of families and industry representatives.

Labour‑market preparation and digital tools

The regulation updates the career guidance curriculum for primary, secondary, and VET pathways, emphasising digital competences and the impact of technologies such as artificial intelligence on jobs. It also expands practical labour‑market preparation, including CV and cover letter writing, job interview simulations, interpreting labour‑market forecasts, navigating the Integrated Qualifications System, and using the Integrated Qualifications Register. Learners are encouraged to assess their strengths against labour‑market demands, including opportunities in remote, flexible, and self‑employment.

It also strengthens the digital aspect of career guidance by requiring practitioners to use national platforms such as the Integrated Educational Platformand the dedicated career information portal. Schools must also familiarise students and parents with these resources by publishing links and information on school websites or in official public information bulletins.

Entry into force

Most of the regulation's provisions take effect on 1 September 2026, except for vocational study visits to employers and sectoral skills centres, which are possible from the day after publication. This ensures students can benefit from these activities without delay.

Read more

• Regulation of 20 January 2026, amending the regulation on career guidance (in Polish).
• Regulation of 19 February 2019 on career guidance (Polish).
• Timeline of VET policies: Poland.
• Ministry of National Education. Career guidance.
• Integrated Educational Platform.
• Web portal on Career guidance.