Vocational assessment of high school students should be approached by educational institutions in ways that allow early identification of individual interests and skills. Unfortunately, although there are several professional counseling and guidance tools at the national level, very few high schools dedicate themselves to the professional development of their students, through a series of well-structured activities and programs, which allow them to choose the right career.
Students from IOANID high school, career oriented through special programs. Photo source: archive
As a parent, it is essential to support your child in discovering their passions and abilities, thus facilitating the choice of a suitable career. Career guidance plays a crucial role in this process, providing a clear understanding of each student’s strengths and interests, and educational institutions must implement strategies and programs that provide appropriate guidance from the high school years.
For IOANID International High School, say the representatives of the educational institution, this subject represents one of the pillars of the educational program, opened in 2018, with the authorization of the high school level, by organizing the “Meet Your Future” conference series. These conferences organized monthly, either at the high school headquarters or at the headquarters of partner companies, supported by specialists from various fields, expose students to the realities and challenges of careers, from medicine and arts to hospitality. Through the presence of notable personalities such as the CEO’s Back to School team, the president of HORA Romania, representatives of the Epoque Hotel – Relais & Châteaux, Doina Antohi, but also specialists from the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, alongside doctors and lawyers, the students benefit from realistic perspectives and essential practices for planning their professional future.
In the first stage, the counselor specialists organize vocational testing sessions, followed by personalized, individual reports, through the national platforms (AMN). This comprehensive vocational assessment process helps students better understand their own interests and aptitudes, giving them valuable information for career planning. The final report highlights the measured values of the student’s individual skills, highlights certain behavioral traits of the student, groups factors that influence the student’s learning ability and highlights the level of personal relationships between the student and others in the school. A vocational assessment of this type requires online completion of test batteries in collaboration with amn.ro/amn.nl. This is done synchronously in the school under the guidance of the school counselor and is aimed at students of the 7th – 8th grade who want to discover the career that suits their needs and desires.
Students, career counseling at the “Meet Your Future” conferences
Rounding out the process is the monthly “Meet Your Future” conference series, which is a key contributor to students’ professional future development and helps them make informed and conscious decisions about the careers they want to pursue, having a strong impact on both students’ individual decisions, as well as on the extended community. By promoting education and high professional aspirations, the conferences aim to inspire and motivate young people in choosing an appropriate career path. That’s why, over the years, we enjoyed the visit of Andrei Lăcătuș (known as Shurubel), producer of radio shows. He spoke to the students about his professional path and his career behind the radio microphone. Laurențiu Ungureanu, investigative journalist at Recorder, came to IOANID to tell high school students about the challenges in the field of media. Important guests were also the president and founder CEO of Clubs Romania, Sotiris Chatzidakis, together with Daniel Farmache, founder of DMF Capital, Otilia Pețu, founder and managing partner of NOA Group and Manolescu Florin Andrei, founder and CEO of Academia Testării. They shared with the high school students their personal experiences of failures and lessons learned, which are the pillars of human development and what a day looks like in their sphere of activity.
We were also happy to meet Dr. Dumitru Totir, plastic surgery and constructive microsurgery primary physician, with over 25 years of experience, who discussed at length the challenges in the medical-aesthetic field. Also, Mr. Marius Gheorghe, recruiter for Eastern Europe at Ecole Hotelier de Lausanne, ranked as the best hospitality management school in the world, spoke to the students about the steps to follow to have a successful career in the hotel business.
The artistic field was present with the help of Alexandru Iureș, accomplished filmmaker and ACT theater manager. He discussed with the students art and commercial films and cinematographic techniques to remember, complemented by the actor Silvian Vâlcu, a man of the theater and an inspiration for authenticity and vulnerability. A name present on the stage of the Odeon Theatre, Silvian Vâlcu spoke openly about the life of an actor and what are the motivations for choosing an artistic career. Astronomer Adrian Șonka was happy to take part in a series of discussions with IOANID high school students, revealing to them some of the secrets of the Universe. The mentioned names are just some of those present in “Meet Your Future”, with each year developing together with specialists from various fields.
To these visits are added those of important universities from Bucharest and abroad, in 2024 Glion and Les Roches will be present at the IOANID International High School to talk to the students about the dynamics in the field of hospitality. With a reputation as the World’s Leading Hospitality Schools, Glion and Les Roches have been leaders in hotel management for over 60 years. Along with them, those from Young Professionals UK came to us to talk to high school students about guiding young people in their careers. And those from the Entrepreneurship Academy made us happy with their visit to help the students achieve their academic, professional and personal goals. Also, the Romanian-American University spoke openly about the international educational environment and the opportunities after completing the studies within their faculties.
IOANID organizes internship programs for high school students
Another important aspect of the vocational guidance project is the internship program for high school students. With the help of parents from the IOANID community, students participate in internships in renowned companies such as KPMG, McCann, Credit Reform, Court of Appeal, DentEstet, BCR, Cumulus and Embryos. These practical experiences give students a valuable insight into the working environment and real professional requirements, strengthening their skills and preparing them for the future. This year, 15 of the IOANID high school students took part in the opportunities offered by the partner companies, participating in 2-3 internships, each lasting one or two weeks. During the program, the students talked with specialists in business consulting, advertising, the legal field, dentistry, medicine, finance-banking, IT, architecture.
The school is a reliable partner in the professional development of young people, which is why we encourage an open partnership, in which each party exposes its resource through which they can develop the students’ potential, regardless of its nature. From this point of view, IOANID is an educational institution dedicated to providing elite education, based on the individual potential of each student and shaping a successful future.
