Why Governments Should Invest in Career Guidance

The Inter Agency Group (CEDEFOP, ETF, OECD, ILO, UNESCO, WORLD BANK, EC) has just released Investing in Career Guidance, a 40 page joint statement on why governments should invest in career guidance.

The statement covers the following:

-What is career guidance?

-Organising career guidance

-Effective career guidance is needed more than ever

-Effective career guidance empowers people, by…

-Connecting with the world of work

-Did you know?

-Resources

-Key sources.

This is a key international document providing a rationale for publicly funded career guidance provision, jointly signed by seven international agencies who are government supported. Several of these agencies are very actively engaged in supporting policy and systems development for career guidance within their spheres of influence. Opinions may differ on the statement’s length, attractiveness (especially graphics!), content and organisation, relevance of examples etc. but having seven such different international agencies agree on anything in writing is in itself a major accomplishment!

The launch of Investing in Career Guidance (a revision of their 2021 document) occurs in Global Careers Month which is also an output of the Inter Agency Group (IAG). First introduced in 2022, the aim of the activity in this month of November 2025 is to highlight the policy importance of career guidance through a series of global and regional level events in partnership with organisations operating in the field of career guidance. A section of ILO website lists the events for which readers can sign up. Check to see if your country or world region is included!