Career orientation, career counselling

The VET Act LXXX of 2019 established a new agency under the responsibility of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology: the IKK Innovative Training Support Centre Plc. (IKK Plc.). Since January 2020, IKK has been coordinating the work of careers counselling and guidance experts and is in charge of the development and running of a careers counselling and guidance system, in conformity with EU directives.

In 2019, within the framework of the project, an online career guidance platform was created and is continuously updated and new features elaborated (e.g. online career guidance club, online career counselling).

A booklet with all the necessary information on the new types of qualifications (occupations and sectors concerned), as well as the VET institutions, types and duration of programmes that deliver these qualifications, was prepared and released in 2020. Its aim is to facilitate career choice and familiarise both learners and their families with the new VET offer.

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, careers guidance was implemented largely online. Within the framework of the Improving the quality and content of 21st century vocational training and adult education project (GINOP – 6.2.4-VEKOP – 16-2017 – 00001), a Facebook group (Pályaori Klub – careers guidance club) was created to promote online communication in careers guidance.

The Hungarian Chamber for Commerce and Industry, on its online platform dedicated to careers guidance, created an application (Szakmavilág app) in 2020. The app targets mainly lower secondary education learners to explore areas of interest (completing and saving online questionnaires, keeping records of their practical training experiences) and to learn more about available VET programmes, qualifications and sectors in demand in the national economy.

Digital content was uploaded in 2020 onto the careers guidance online platform operated by the National Office for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning (NOVETAL) to compensate for the negative impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the school year 2020/21, 18 VET centres started an orientation year programme, available to learners having finished lower secondary education and uncertain about the education pathway to follow.

Starting from the 2020/21 school year, every student in the final grade of lower secondary studies is required to complete a career guidance questionnaire accessible on the Education Authority's website. This national survey consists of 86 questions specifically designed for 14-year-olds, taking into account their age-related characteristics. The questionnaire assesses the students' personal competences (such as responsibility and self-awareness), skills, interests, and practical knowledge. The purpose of this assessment is to assist students in choosing an upper secondary educational pathway, as mandated by the national public education Act, which came into effect in 2020.

The weekly updating of the career guidance portal content was continuous and smooth. The online career guidance events (webinars) were continuous, designed to promote career choices in VET schools to parents. Individual and group counselling helped young people. The preparation of films presenting occupations, the operation of an online career guidance club and careers advisors’ Facebook groups were continuous.

In 2021, IKK, the VET state administration body responsible for career guidance in VET institutions surveyed the career orientation activities of each career guidance and counselling organisation. Based on this, their tasks/activities were streamlined.

Beside this, the IKK Plc runs a unique and innovative social media platform named SkillsCom which is the place for networking in VET. In August 2021 the platform had a total of 203 users.

The facebook group Pályaori Klub (Career guidance club) continued its activity during 2021: online career guidance events (webinars) took place frequently, introductions of vocational institutions were offered in parental meetings, and individual and group counselling were organised to help young people in their career choice. Large volumes of digital content are uploaded onto the career guidance online platform, operated by the National Office for VET and Adult Learning (NSZFH). It contains fact sheets of vocational occupations, and vocational schools, career guidance related advices for students and parents and support for them, advices for students with disadvantaged backgrounds and learning disabilities, activities organised by different stakeholders involved in career guidance.

The county/capital pedagogical counselling services, the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Hungarian Chamber for Agriculture also implemented career guidance activities in 2021 despite the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the school year 2021/22, 25 vocational institutions maintained by the State and 2 vocational institutions maintained by ecclesiastical stakeholders provided a career orientation development year programme.

The Educational Authority (Oktatási Hivatal) created a Career Guidance Measurement and Support Tool (Pályaorientációs Mérő és Támogatóeszköz, abbreviated POM), which provides a complex online application to help primary and secondary school students in their career choices from June 2021. Its aim is to increase students' self-awareness and to introduce them to occupations. The tool assesses the interests and skills of students in grades 7-8 and 10-12 through a series of questions and tasks to recommend careers and activities that best match their needs.

The Innovative Training support Centre Plc (IKK) runs the project Unified digital information system (Egységes Digitális Információs Rendszer, EDIR) for the VET centres. Its aim is to transform the individual websites of vocational institutions of the VET centres into an innovative, high-quality and user-friendly approach with a unified profile. Vocational training institutions joining EDIR, can easily and quickly create their own new websites based on a single and transparent structure by using the tool system provided by EDIR. At the moment the renewed websites of vocational institutions in 9 VET centres are already created and accessible.

Online events offered in the framework of GINOP 6.2.4. project in the various career guidance online tools and webpages, have been increasingly attended not only by professionals, but also by parents and students. For instance, in December 2021 in the frame of the webinar on Disseminating the best practices, the winners of the Vocational Training Award were introduced, as well as the best practices and advices related to the Central written admission procedure. The number of the participants ranged between 70-80 persons, including parents. Online and personal parent-teacher meetings have also been held. Individual and group counselling also takes place to help young people on their way in their chosen career.

The Capital Pedagogical Counselling Service (Fővárosi Pedagógiai Szakszolgálat) has published a guide to help students in grade 8 of primary school in their further education decision, entitled 'Further Education Guide 2022/23' (Továbbtanulási kisokos 2022/23), which is available both in hard copy publication and online. The booklet provides comprehensive information about the options for education after primary school for pupils and their parents to help them make an informed decision. Their activities are mainly focused on the career orientation of students with social-economical disadvantages and learning disabilities.

In 2022, the National Chamber of Agriculture organised career guidance programme weeks called 'Trade Taster' (Szakmakóstoló Hét), where primary school students were introduced to a specific agricultural vocational occupation for a week during the summer holiday and the Autumn Career Guidance Open Day (Őszi pályaorientációs napok) where students who are about to choose a career were introduced to agricultural VET institutions. The events organised in the framework of these two programmes were registered as part of the European Skills Week. In addition, in 2022, the chamber took IVET students to agricultural fairs and exhibitions: 'Stars of Trades' festival (Szakma Sztár fesztivál), Ploughland Days (Szántóföldi Napok), Agricultural Exhibiton and Picnic Pápa (Pápai Expó és Agrárpiknik) and produced career guidance leaflets, publications (Compass of Agricultural Vocational Occupations) and short films on agricultural occupations, which were promoted at various career guidance events.

In 2022, the Vocational Occupations Booklet was also updated, and the opinion of the SSCs was incorporated. The 'Information booklet on the basic vocational qualifications - recommended by the Sector Skills Councils, 2022/23' provides comprehensive information on the basic vocational qualifications listed in the Register of Vocational Qualifications (Szakmajegyzék) to be introduced in the VET system for young people about to choose a career, for career changers, for educational institutions and for teachers and trainers working in VET. It was published on the basis of the recommendation from the SSCs. 100 000 copies were produced, and its primary target group is primary school students in the 8th grade in the public education system. It has also been distributed to primary schools, regional chambers, ministries and the Innovative Training Support Centre (IKK).

The IKK Zrt. developed a ’Digital Pathfinder’ to support career guidance.

In 2022, the structure of the VET Career Tracking System (Szakképzési Pályakövetési Rendszer) was developed. The first data linking was launched in January 2022. The first results of the data linking made possible to examine the indicator set by the EU Council (at least 82% of young people leaving VET should be in employment) for students who graduated in the school year 2020/21.

The questionnaire module of the career tracking survey reached more than 11 000 learners from 442 VET institutions during April-May 2022. The questionnaire had three target groups: students in grade 9, those aged 16 or over in the school year 2021/22 and graduates, who gave their reasons for choosing VET, their satisfaction with the training and their future plans after finishing their studies. The results show that students mainly choose VET training programmes which cover their fields of interest, and offer good labour market opportunities. Two thirds of graduates want to continue their studies or work in their own field of studies.

Ongoing activities in the framework of GINOP 6.2.4. project include: palyaorientacio.nive.hu, the related Career Orientation Portal, Facebook page, 'Pályaori Tanácsadó' - for those who are about to make a carrier choice (number of members: 1 341 persons), and 'Pályaori Klub' - a professional online community space for career counsellors (number of members: 1 659 persons) Facebook groups.

The collection of international good practices and the project communications are ongoing.

On 30 November 2022, the online event 'Secondary school admission procedure - practical advice for the central written exam' was held with 80 participants.

Short films are made to support the career orientation for those about to choose a career and to promote the vocational occupations. A short film related to the field of technical interest has been uploaded to the Career Orientation Portal video library.

The project provides individual counselling to young people facing a career choice and adults facing a career change.

In 2023, the career guidance events, such as the 'Trade Taster' weeks, the Autumn Career Guidance Open Day, and participation in agricultural fairs and exhibitions, continued. Career guidance platforms, including SkillsCom, the Pályaori Facebook group, and the online platform operated by NSZFH, also remained active.

Government Decree No 12/2020 (II. 7.) on the implementation of the VET Act, as amended by Government Decree No 292/2023, states that the professional programme of VET institutions must include a description of the available career guidance services.

VET centres and their schools are required to include a customer service (Infopoint) as a mandatory element of their quality management system. Some VET centres (Debrecen, Győr, Karcag, Miskolc, Nyíregyháza, Székesfehérvár, Szolnok, and Vác) have already established Info Points, offering personalised advice to adults on training courses aligned with their career objectives, personal circumstances, and validated prior knowledge and skills. Adults can also access information about adult VET opportunities, including eligibility for free training and options to shorten training durations. Additionally, young people preparing to choose a career, along with their parents, can receive tailored advice to enhance self-awareness, expand career knowledge, and make realistic career decisions through individual or group counselling sessions. Info Points are expected to be established in all VET Centres by 2030, with the aim of integrating skills forecasting information into counselling services by that time.

In 2023, the first intensive communication campaign for VET was launched, promoting VET through short films, billboards, and social media platforms. The campaign was coordinated with the support of IKK Plc. and aimed to enhance the attractiveness of VET, help primary school students make career choices, and encourage adult upskilling, in line with the VET 4.0 strategy.

The public space campaign included billboards promoting IVET and CVET in 125 locations across Budapest and other regions, placed in key urban areas and along busy motorways. The online campaign featured video content targeted at young people on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, while static ads appeared on origo.hu. Influencers and contributors also promoted VET on their social media channels. The campaign achieved millions of views, with TikTok generating the highest impressions and YouTube ads receiving the most clicks. The total number of views of influencer videos alone approached one million.

Funding for the ‘VET Programme in Hungary’ was approved under the Swiss-Hungarian Cooperation Programme Phase II, with IKK Plc. designated as the programme operator.

GINOP 6.2.4. project – activities carried out in the framework of the project:

1. two Career Guidance Situation Analysis studies were conducted to implement and further develop systemic career planning activities and career research for VET students and adults.
2. a Methodological and Knowledge Centre for Career Planning and Guidance and a renewed Career Guidance Portal were established to enhance career guidance in VET Centres, strengthen networking, and facilitate communication with VET stakeholders.
3. social media and online community tools (e.g. YouTube, Facebook) were utilised to engage students, parents, and professionals.
4. ongoing online platforms include:
   1. Career Orientation Portal managed by National Office for VET and Adult Learning
   2. Pályaori Tanácsadó– a career guidance facebook group for individuals choosing a profession (1 362 members).
   3. Pályaori Klub – a professional facebook community for career counsellors (1 688 members).

In 2024, the career guidance events, such as the 'Trade Taster' weeks, the Autumn Career Guidance Open Day, and participation in agricultural fairs and exhibitions, continued. Career guidance platforms, including SkillsCom, the Pályaori Facebook group, and the online platform operated by NSZFH, also remained active.

In October–November 2024, IKK carried out another intensive nationwide communication campaign to promote VET.

The campaign included the placement of billboards and citylight posters across the country, the publication of short promotional videos on online and social media platforms, and the involvement of influencers well known among Generation Z and Generation Alpha.

The tendering process for the two programme components – ’Renewal of the methodology of vocational education and examination’ and ’Strengthening career orientation’ - under the second phase of the Swiss-Hungarian Cooperation Programme ‘VET in Hungary’ (overall budget: HUF 3.7 billion, approximately EUR 9.6 million) was completed. As a result, three VET centres responsible for implementing these components were selected. The implementation period of the programme components are 2023-2028. Among the first results of the programme, a methodological handbook on career orientation and career counceling was developed and published in 2025.

Within the framework of the VET Innovation Council (SZIT), a dedicated Career Orientation Working Group was established with the aim of ensuring coordinated implementation of career orientation activities among the stakeholders involved — including general education and VET institutions, maintainers, government offices, chambers, universities, and companies. (See also related policy development: ’The VET Innovation Council’.)

Within the framework of the second phase of the Swiss–Hungarian Cooperation Programme, the development programme ’Vocational Education and Training Programme in Hungary' was launched under the professional supervision of IKK Nonprofit Plc. One of its objectives is to enhance the effectiveness of cooperation-based career orientation activities in the institutions of the three participating VET centres: Baranya County VET Centre, Miskolc VET Centre, and Nyíregyháza VET Centre. The overall budget of the programme is HUF 3.7 billion (approximately EUR 9.6 million). The implementation period is 2023-2028.

The career orientation interventions aim to support more conscious career choices and, where necessary, career corrections by familiarising learners more effectively with learning pathways and labour market expectations.

Main activities undertaken under the programme component until 2027:

1. development and publication of a methodological handbook and supporting materials;
2. establishment of an annual career orientation protocol;
3. launch of teacher training programmes (training for at least 300 teachers, trainers and school leaders, and organising workshops for at least 2 250 participants);
4. compilation and publication of collections of best practices (in 15 sectors);
5. methodological support for companies participating in dual training (involving at least 120 enterprises in career orientation programmes);
6. organisation of career guidance and mentoring programmes (involving at least 9 000 disadvantaged students);
7. modernisation of tools used in the implementation of career guidance programmes.

The programme places particular emphasis on methodological support for professionals from companies in dual training to ensure the successful implementation of new types of career orientation, career counselling, and competence development programmes, and to promote the practical and experiential involvement of companies in career orientation activities.

In 12 VET centres, so-called InfoPoints — as defined in the VET 4.0 Strategy and Action Plan — are already in operation (according to the Action Plan of Strategy 4.0, InfoPoints must be established in all VET centers by 2030).

These centres function as career guidance and counselling hubs, providing services for both students and adults.

At the information points, adults receive personalised career counselling about training opportunities that align with their career goals, personal circumstances, and validated prior learning and qualifications. They also receive detailed information about VET and adult training programmes, including eligibility for free training and options for shortening training duration.

Young people preparing for career choices, as well as their parents, receive individual or group-based guidance to enhance self-awareness, career knowledge, and support in making realistic career decisions.

In August 2025, the call for proposals for the flagship project ‘Career and Vocational Counselling in VET’ (GINOP Plusz 5.2.4-25) was published. The project, with a total budget of HUF 6.6 billion, is implemented by a consortium of the National Office of VET and Adult Learning (NOVETAL) and the Institute for Transport Sciences (KTI) by the end of 2028.

The project aims to develop coordinated career guidance, vocational and career counselling services for students preparing for career choices, their parents, and adults. The main activities include:

1. situation analysis, partnership building and methodological support;
2. career guidance and career counselling activities;
3. communication and marketing initiatives;
4. infrastructure, equipment, and IT development.

Based on the data provided by the VET centres maintained by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (KIM) as of 18 September 2025, the following table presents the number of career orientation events implemented and the number of participants reached over the four academic years indicated.

County

number of career orientation events

number of students and adults reached

School-year

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25