IQR in the Service of Career Counselling

 Photo of Agnieszka Marszałek (leader of the IQR3 project)During the "Public Employment Services Worker’s Day", the IQR presented tools that can significantly help the labour market.

The celebrations of the “Public Employment Services Worker’s Day” are behind us. During the ceremony, the invited guests listened to lectures on the changes taking place in the labour market. The program of the meeting also included a presentation on the practical aspects of supporting lifelong learning through modern applications that utilise data from the Integrated Qualifications Register (IQR). Agnieszka Marszałek, the leader of the “Operating and developing the Integrated Qualifications Register” project, and Irmina Sokulska, an expert in the “Supporting the further development of the Integrated Qualifications System” project, presented tools to support the work of career counsellors.

New Opportunities to Support Lifelong Learning

During this year’s celebration of their holiday, held on 31 of January, the invited guests listened to various lectures on the changes occurring in the labour market. The Educational Research Institute (IBE) presented new opportunities to support lifelong learning through digital tools that utilise data collected in the Integrated Qualifications Register (IQR).

The possibilities of using the IQR as a modern tool to facilitate the planning of educational and career development for people of all ages were presented, including the following applications supporting the work of career counsellors:

ZeteRKa” – a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to automatically support career counselling;
"Sectoral Vocational Education Compass" – a tool that helps plan one's own educational and career development path based on qualifications awarded in vocational education;
"Compass" - a tool that makes use of a broader set of data, including free-market qualifications as well as those awarded in higher education;
"Little IQR" (Integrated Qualifications Register) and "I Know What I Can Do" - websites that help young people understand the value of identifying and confirming their skills.
In addition, other tools that can be used by career counsellors in their work with clients were presented:

"The Skills Audit Method" - a method for career counsellors to identify what a person knows and can do, and describe it in such a way that these competencies can be demonstrated to others (known as a skills audit); it allows for the preparation of development plans. It was created for individuals interested in validation, career counsellors, and HR departments;
"My Portfolio" – an online tool for collecting evidence of acquired knowledge, skills, and social competencies, as well as creating development plans; it was created for students, career counsellors, HR departments, and individuals interested in validation.
The tools presented by the IBE allow for much easier use of the data stored in the IQR by individuals who want to acquire qualifications and support modern career counselling, including representatives of Public Employment Services.

Public employment services have a rich history and tradition

On January 27, 1919, Chief of State Józef Piłsudski issued the innovative "Decree on the Organization of State Labour Offices and Care for Emigrants," which provided for, among other things, the introduction of universal access to employment services and unemployment benefits. Based on the 1919 decree, 91 years later, Public Employment Services Worker Day was established, which falls on January 27.

Innovative tools support commendable ideas

"It is an honour for us to participate in such a solemn and important day for Public Employment Services workers," says Agnieszka Marszałek, Leader of the "Operating and developing the Integrated Qualifications Register" project. "County and Voivodeship Employment Offices are important partners in implementing solutions proposed within the Integrated Qualifications System, supporting the development of human capital. One of them is the Integrated Qualifications Register, along with a package of tools facilitating the practical use of its resources by career counsellors in their daily work with clients. We are pleased that thanks to such solutions, commendable ideas gain practical application and usefulness," she concluded.