Ostrava Helps Find New Paths for Primary School Graduates

This year, schools will be offered new training on the topic of Collaboration (not only) for Career Education in Schools for staff rooms, which will take place for the first time this February. Additionally, based on the needs of schools, career information on the changes and future of the labor market will be expanded for both teachers and students, with a new seminar being prepared. In connection with the revision of the national curriculum, the Moravian-Silesian Employment Pact (MSP), a non-profit organization, will prepare a methodological guide for schools to effectively implement career education.

In 2025, there has also been a change in the financial support for schools in the area of career counseling provided by the city.

“Schools can now use the provided funding not only to support the position of a career counselor but also to finance their training through an accredited course at the University of Ostrava. This position has long helped us increase school success and motivate students to continue their studies,” said Deputy Mayor Andrea Hoffmannová. “A total of 31 primary schools, out of the 34 schools involved in the project and managed by the city districts of Ostrava, applied for the 2025 Career Counseling Support Call. The total amount of requested funding is 1.4 million CZK,” she added.

The city of Ostrava has been running the Career Counseling Support Project in primary schools since 2019. The goal of the project is to establish and support the position of a career counselor (CC) in primary schools, including providing methodological support. This support is provided by the non-profit organization, of which the statutory city of Ostrava is a member. The career counseling support system in Ostrava is unique in the Czech Republic. It has been noted that schools with active collaboration between career counselors and students have, on average, seen a decrease in the number of students who leave school early without completing their primary education or who do not continue with further education.

Ostrava is committed to the direction of career counseling. In cooperation with the University of Ostrava, the non-profit organization trains new career counselors through a Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (MŠMT)-accredited program. The organization continuously provides both group and individual methodological support to participating schools in the implementation of their activity plans and develops and applies new tools for direct work with students. Currently, further excursions with employers and related activities in education are being prepared. The project also resulted in the creation of a web portal supporting career counseling for the city of Ostrava, www.infoprokarieru.cz, which is regularly updated, ensuring career counselors have all the information they need in one place.

In 2021, the city of Ostrava received the National Career Counseling Award for its career counseling project for primary schools. The project aligns with the City of Ostrava’s Education Strategy 2030, Strategic Goal C1 – Support for Career Counseling in Schools.