As part of CGC-DigiTrans, a new counselling method is being developed and piloted in order to further develop counselling in the digital transformation. This method can be familiarised with and adopted as part of a preparatory course and through a handbook.
In the course, CGC professionals learn and deepen the “Roundabout for Digital Transformation Method”, a multi-actor career guidance method that particularly supports the further development of digital competences. The course is free of charge and freely accessible online (Online Preparatory Course – Digi Transformation).
In spring 2024, the online course was piloted and tested in the real world in face-to-face, online and hybrid formats. In a total of five events in Italy, Austria, the Netherlands and Germany, interested counsellors had the opportunity to find out about the method, case studies and transfer possibilities into their own counselling practice and to contribute to the further development of the course through their valuable feedback. Below you will find the most important findings and results of these events.
Italy: A motivated start
The course kicked off in Italy on 1 March 2024 with 18 highly motivated participants. The event laid the foundation for understanding and applying the new CGC Roundabout method for digital transformation.
At the end of the course, the participants proudly held their certificates in their hands and some of them declared their willingness to pilot the method in practice.
Germany: Positive response and valuable insights
Two days earlier, on 30 January 2024, the first preparatory course of the CGC-DigiTrans project took place in Mannheim, Germany. Ten counsellors took part in this course and used the opportunity for a lively and inspirig exchange. The discussions focussed on the basic ideas of the method and its transfer to the local context.
The participants positively emphasised the involvement of various interest groups in the counselling process and the innovative evaluation phase at the end of the counselling process. At the same time, however, the available resources were also viewed critically.
On 1 February 2024, another hybrid preparatory course was held in Germany, attended by 15 people. The participants took away a lot of food for thought on how they can increasingly integrate multi-actor counselling into their own practice, but also gave many suggestions on how to continue developing methods from practical experience. The competence framework for digital competences in the world of work also met with great interest.
Austria: Success of the webinar
The preparatory course also took place as a live webinar in Austria in March. Participants from Vienna and Lower Austria discussed the application of the roundabout method in practice and highlighted success factors and challenges.
One notable discovery was that some projects dedicated to helping unemployed people return to the labour market are already applying the principles of multi-actor career counselling. This finding promises to further enrich the ongoing CGC-DigiTrans project.
Netherlands: Pilot course and valuable feedback
On 15 March 2024, the Lectoraat Employability Transition of Hogeschool Saxion (Netherlands) gathered twelve motivated and experienced guidance practitioners to pilot the preparatory course of the CGC-DigiTrans Roundabouts method for digital transformation. The aim of the session was to inform Dutch counsellors about the methods and materials developed as part of this Erasmus+ project.
The participants recognised the relevance and urgency of a multi-stakeholder network. The importance of the engagement phase of the method was particularly emphasised. Suggestions such as the removal of barriers and the application of a proactive approach were made.
Conclusion
The CGC-DigiTrans Preparatory Course shows how important it is to prepare career counsellors for the challenges of digital transformation. The positive feedback and valuable feedback from the various events in Italy, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands emphasise the importance of the CGC-DigiTrans project. The continuous development of the methodology and the exchange between the participants contribute to the sustainable improvement of professional counselling in the digital age. In the next phase of the project, feedback from the pilot courses will be used to develop a university module for CGC professionals.
