Over the past months, the CGC DigiTrans team has taken an important step: translating an innovative curriculum concept into real learning experiences. Our newly developed curriculum – designed to build strategic competences for Career Guidance and Counselling (CGC) in a digitalised world – was piloted with students from guidance-related study programmes across several institutions. The results are not only promising, but also rich in insight for the future development of guidance training.
Putting Theory into Practice
The CGC DigiTrans Curriculum aims to prepare both current and future guidance professionals to meet the evolving demands of a labour market shaped by digital transformation. A particular focus lies on strengthening advisors’ strategic competences – including their ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders (e.g. training providers, employers), to assess digital competences, and to support learners in identifying suitable upskilling pathways.
To test how this curriculum translates into real-world settings, our project partners conducted pilot implementations in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Austria between March and June 2025. In total, over 80 learners participated in training sessions across five locations, ranging from universities of applied sciences to training institutions for counsellors.
Hands-On and Reflective: The Learner Experience
Learners in the pilot groups experienced the full range of the curriculum’s key features – from input phases on digital competence frameworks to group-based analysis of real case studies using the Roundabout Method. The curriculum’s modular structure and session-based design allowed flexibility, while a mix of methods (group work, guided reflection, role plays) kept engagement high.
Feedback from participants was highly encouraging. Many appreciated the practical orientation, especially the use of real-world case studies from the project’s pilot phase. These case studies helped learners not only to understand the challenges of multi-stakeholder guidance processes, but also to reflect on their own roles and development needs as future advisors. Learners also praised the quality of the training materials, including clear structure, good visualisation, and accessible language.
At the same time, participants highlighted areas for further improvement. Some wished for even more time to discuss the real-life cases in depth, while others suggested additional opportunities to exchange experiences with peers from different contexts. These ideas are currently being integrated into the final materials.
Evaluation as a Learning Tool
All pilot sessions were accompanied by a structured evaluation process, including pre- and post-surveys, trainer reflections, and short learner feedback forms after each unit. These instruments provided valuable insights into the learning outcomes achieved, the relevance of the content, and the feasibility of implementation in different settings.
The evaluation confirmed a positive impact on learners’ awareness and knowledge regarding digitalisation, stakeholder engagement, and competence-based guidance. Many reported increased confidence in applying the Roundabout Method and found the concept of stakeholder cooperation highly relevant for their future practice.
The evaluation also validated the curriculum’s modular and hybrid-ready design. Trainers reported that the curriculum can be easily adjusted for online, blended, or face-to-face formats – a feature that proved particularly valuable across the diverse implementation settings.
Looking Ahead: Scaling Use and Transfer
Following the pilot phase, the CGC DigiTrans team is now finalising the materials based on the evaluation results. The complete curriculum – including session plans, training slides, and practical handouts – will soon be available for free download via our project website.
The pilot confirmed that the curriculum is fit for both initial training and professional development. While designed with higher education programmes in mind, it can be applied by any organisation offering training for guidance professionals. It supports flexible use, encourages critical reflection, and is grounded in authentic professional challenges.
In short: the CGC DigiTrans Curriculum bridges the gap between current guidance realities and the competences needed for future-proof CGC practice.
Stay tuned – the finalised curriculum will be published soon!
