The Career Guidance research group deals with questions of fostering career development. The focus is on research that (1) addresses the individual career development of adolescents as a complex and contextual phenomenon, (2) sheds light on interventions and generates empirical findings on the effectiveness of career guidance services, and (3) takes up questions of the professionalization of actors involved in the institutional context. Along these basic focal points, specific aspects are dealt with in research projects taking several perspectives. In the discussion on (school-based) support for successful transitions to post-school educational pathways, a focus is put on individual career development as a result of the interplay of endogenous and exogenous influencing factors. Through its research and development work, the research group aims to contribute to the networking of researchers in the disciplines relevant to career guidance as well as to a continued dialogue between academia and (educational) practice
DIGIBO Best! and pilot project presented at the DACH Seminar 2026 in Berlin
This year's DACH Seminar took place from 23 to 25 February 2026 at the Schleswig-Holstein State Representation in Berlin. Under the theme of ‘Transitions, Access, Educational Equity,’ experts and delegations from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, East Belgium and South Tyrol came together to discuss current challenges and effective concepts.
The Career Orientation Working Group was present with two projects. During the workshop phase, Jerusha Klein showcased how the digitally supported concept developed in the DIGIBO Best! project helps schools to establish career guidance as a task of school development. At the same time, Prof. Dr. Katja Driesel-Lange presented a pilot project on educational and career guidance in primary schools, which was initiated in collaboration with the University of Education Styria.
In addition to discussions on topics such as educational equity, language support and inclusion, the seminar offered numerous opportunities for international exchange and networking. The joint work on visions for fairer educational transitions in German-speaking countries was particularly inspiring.
We would like to thank the KMK for the invitation and the valuable exchange, including on issues of ensuring educational equity in the context of career guidance.
Strong sides of Career guidance – practical content that gives pupils guidance and helps them discover their potential
Prof. Dr. Driesel-Lange and Jerusha Klein, together with Prof. Dr. Birgit Ziegler, have published the workbook ‘Berufliche Orientierung’ (Career Orientation) with Klett Verlag. The materials are designed for interdisciplinary use from Year 7 onwards. The workbook is based on a sound professional concept that systematically promotes students' career choice skills. Guided reflection on the individual skills, interests, wishes and previous experiences of students is a central focus. This enables students to make an informed decision about their future education and career path. The workbook supports teachers in preparing lessons systematically using materials, aids, and practical inspiration that can easily be adapted to their own teaching.
Booklet 2, due to be published in August 2026, delves deeper into the career choice process and is intended for pupils from Year 10 onwards.
Stephan Häming (project staff member of the Career Orientation Working Group), Guido Wiggerink (study and career choice coordinator) and Dr Svenja Ohlemann were also involved in developing the content of the individual pages.
Two new research contracts for the evaluation of the Career Orientation Programme (BOP)
In cooperation with InterVal GmbH, the Career Orientation Working Group has successfully acquired two research projects for the evaluation of the nationwide Career Orientation Programme (BOP). Since 2008, the BOP has been helping school pupils to recognise their strengths, explore career prospects and develop their career choice skills. The BOP is part of the Education Chains initiative and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education, Family, Seniors, Women and Youth (BMBFSFJ). The BOP is supervised by the Service Agency for Career Guidance/Education Chains at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) in Bonn.
The research contracts are being implemented in cooperation between InterVal GmbH (main contractor) and the University of Münster (subcontractor), represented by Prof. Dr. Katja Driesel-Lange. The Career Guidance Working Group contributes its expertise in instrument development and data analysis. The evaluation, which will run from September 2025 to December 2026, comprises two projects:
The first research task (funding guideline, point 2.1) examines the implementation and impact of potential analyses and career orientation days in accordance with the new quality standards of 2024.
The second research task (funding guideline, point 2.2) deals with the country-specific variants of the BOP design and its structural framework conditions.
In order to answer the research questions, a comprehensive mixed-methods design is being applied that involves relevant stakeholders such as pupils, teachers, educational institutions and administrators. The aim of the study is to formulate recommendations for action for the further development of the programme. Further information on the project can be found at: https://interval-berlin.de/projekte/evaluation-des-berufsorientierungsprogramms-bop-des-bmbfsfj/
2025 Year in Review: Key milestones and activities in the DIGIBO Best! project
Alongside the ongoing cross-school workshops on career orientation (https://www.berufswahlkompetenz.de/schulen), the DIGIBO Best! project year in 2025 was characterised by several other significant activities and developments.
Another focus was on qualifying and networking multipliers from the various administrative districts of North Rhine-Westphalia. These multipliers received targeted training in various formats and participated in in-depth professional exchanges. The materials developed within the project also received attention, with their potential applications being discussed and critically reflected upon in depth.
In September, a workshop was held for the head teachers of the participating schools. As well as a presentation of the project and its initial results, the workshop covered career guidance as a school development task. Another focus was the role and importance of school management in establishing and implementing sustainable career guidance structures. The Ministry of Schools and Education (MSB) provided an additional perspective on this topic. Participants highlighted the exchange of best practice examples, current challenges, and future prospects for career guidance across and within schools as particularly beneficial.
The project was also represented at scientific conferences, where it actively participated in scientific discourse. Project results were presented at the WiN·BO conference in Baden and the BWP section conference in Darmstadt, among other events.
Thus, the project team can look back on a successful year in 2025.
Focus on career orientation: our research on the road
In September and October, we had the opportunity to present our latest research findings from various projects at several scientific conferences and discuss them with colleagues.
The following topics were covered:
Teachers' skills in career guidance
The influence of the social situation at school on career choice skills
The potential of prepared internships to promote career development
Promoting career development in primary education
Digital career guidance services
These contributions were presented at the PAEPS conference (conference of the Educational Psychology Section) in Jena, the WiN·BO conference (annual conference of the Scientific Network for Career Guidance (WiN·BO)) in Baden (near Vienna), at the Graz Vocational Training Congress and the ECER (European Conference of Educational Research) in Belgrade, and at the BWP conference (annual conference of the Vocational and Business Education Section of the German Society for Educational Science) in Darmstadt.
The stimulating discussions following our presentations provided valuable impulses for the further development of our research and enabled an intensive professional exchange with experts from academia and practice.
We are delighted about the great interest in our work and look forward to the next steps in our projects.
The working group held its own workshop at the University of Münster's ‘Training Day’.
Entitled 'Finding a career that I enjoy – a workshop for young people who are still unsure', the workshop offered interested school students the opportunity to engage with their professional future.
During the workshop, the students first took an online career test to gain an understanding of what kind of training might be suitable for them. They then came up with questions to ask the trainees at the event, in order to find out more about different jobs from people who actually do them.
Overall, the workshop provided a valuable opportunity to discuss career goals, work experiences and future plans.
The workshop was led by Cathrin Nauhauser, a student for Berufskolleg.
Lower Saxony Police Academy visits the lecture ‘Introduction to Career Guidance’
On 2 July 2025, the Lower Saxony Police Academy gave a guest lecture at the Fürstenberghaus. The event was part of the ‘Streaming for Talents’ cooperation project organised by the Career Guidance Working Group and was organised as part of the ‘Introduction to Career Guidance’ lecture led by Dr. Jochen Kinast.
The guests were social media creator Alea Jane Kregel and police chief inspector Johannes Wetzorke. In their lecture ‘Career Paths and Employer Strategies in the Police Force: A Practical Insight from Lower Saxony,’ they provided information about career paths in the police service and presented current employer branding strategies – with a special focus on the use of TikTok to address young target groups.
The speakers provided personal insights into their everyday working lives and showed how social media is used specifically for recruiting young talent and image building.
The audience was made up of students from various disciplines, including educational sciences and international students. The presentation offered them practical ideas for career orientation and stimulated discussion about modern forms of career and employer communication.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to Alea Jane Kregel, Johannes Wetzorke and the Lower Saxony Police Academy for their inspiring presentation.
The JUBEKO project, launched in 2022 at the University of Münster, supports young people in preparing for work placements individually and cooperatively in order to improve their chances of securing a training position. It includes workshops, counselling, the presentation of work placements and the development of new concepts for company support in the pre-boarding, onboarding, implementation and offboarding phases. Scientific support and the involvement of students in service learning programmes ensure the long-term effectiveness of the project.
In cooperation with Wolbeck Secondary School, the project has been helping students prepare for their work placements for three years. This year, for the first time, 26 students will start apprenticeships after graduating from secondary school, including two at the university as precision mechanics. The project thus demonstrates clear added value for the young people's professional future.
On 23 and 24 April, the closing conference of the CAREER LEAD project (https://career-lead.eu/) took place in Baden, Austria. This gave us an opportunity to review all the milestones and successes of our project.
The aim of the project was to establish a European network of researchers in the field of school-based career guidance. This goal was successfully achieved through the collaboration of eight institutes from five countries. The intention is to strengthen cross-border cooperation in research in order to promote mutual benefits for the participating countries. Two online conferences were also successfully held as part of the project. These conferences provided a forum for young researchers, practitioners and experts to exchange ideas and expertise.
Research seminar "Media, careers and professional identities"
The research seminar "Media, careers and professional identities", which took place in Copenhagen on 10 June 2025, was organised as part of the collaborative research project "Streaming for Talents", which is led by Jochen Kinast, Johannes Riis and Katja Driesel-Lange. The project is a collaboration between the University of Münster and the University of Copenhagen and investigates how media use, professional development and identity formation are linked - particularly in law enforcement and social work professions. The participants also included university lecturers from the University of Aarhus, who contributed to an interdisciplinary and international dialogue. Dr Jochen Kinast presented ‘A Comparative Analysis of Danish and German Police Officers' Media Usage’ on this occasion. Prof Katja Driesel-Lange followed with findings on ‘Internships as a central activity of career guidance’ and presented a cooperative teaching and research project that aims to support the professional development of young people through structured, practical learning experiences.
The Vocational Orientation Working Group introduces itself within the Network Grüne Arbeitswelt https://gruene-arbeitswelt.de/ . The Network is an association of actors and institutions that are committed, among other things, to vocational orientation in the sustainable and environmentally friendly world of work. It promotes training and further education in 16 green occupational fields in order to attract qualified specialists for climate protection. Founded in 2017, the network works regionally and nationally to actively shape the transition to a sustainable economy in Germany.
Berufliche Orientierung beim Tübinger Podcast zur Wirtschaftsdidaktik
Der Tübinger Podcast „Wirtschaft unterrichten“ unterstützt (angehende) Lehrpersonen im Fach Wirtschaft. Unterschiedliche Expert:innen der ökonomischen Bildung und der Wirtschaftsdidaktik gewähren Einblicke in ein je spezifisches Themenfeld. Die Gespräche nehmen zentrale Begriffe und Methoden des jeweiligen Themenfeldes auf. Praktische Zugänge wie Instrumente und Tipps für die Unterrichtspraxis werden ebenfalls vorgestellt. Die gesamte Reihe finden Sie unter: https://wirtschaft-unterrichten.de/services/podcast
Im Rahmen einer Kooperation mit der Pädagogischen Hochschule Steiermark (Österreich) konnte im Frühjahr 2025 das Thema Berufliche Orientierung in der Primarstufe aufgenommen werden. In einem Pilotprojekt mit vier Volksschulen in der Südsteiermark wurde ein adaptiertes Workshopkonzept erprobt, das Bildungs- und Berufsorientierung als Aufgabe der Schulentwicklung bearbeitet. Das Bewusstsein für die Förderung der beruflichen Entwicklung in der Kindheit war Ausgangspunkt für weitere konzeptionelle Überlegungen der Verankerung des übergreifenden Themas Bildungs-, Berufs- und Lebensorientierung. Gemeinsam mit dem gesamten Kollegium wurden die schulindividuellen Zugänge reflektiert, Ressourcen bestimmt und Ziele für die Weiterentwicklung erarbeitet. Im Sommer und Herbst 2025 wird die gemeinsame Arbeit mit den Schulen fortgesetzt. Die Ergebnisse der begleitenden Forschung werden auf dem Grazer Berufsbildungskongress und der Jahrestagung des Wissenschaftlichen Netzwerks Berufsorientierung präsentiert.
Im Rahmen des Projekts DIGIBO Best! hat die dritte Workshoprunde begonnen. Von Februar bis Juli 2025 werden weitere Workshops mit den teilnehmenden Schulen zum Thema Berufliche Orientierung durchgeführt. Ein besonderes Highlight dieser Workshoprunde ist die Zusammenführung der Schulen, die an DIGIBO Best! teilnehmen. Das bedeutet, dass wir zwei Schulen zu einem bestimmten Thema zusammenbringen, sodass sich diese zu spezifischen Themen austauschen und voneinander profitieren können. Weitere Informationen: https://www.berufswahlkompetenz.de/aktuelles/schuluebergreifende-workshops
Zum zweiten Mal richtet das europäische Netzwerk Career Lead eine Online-Konferenz aus. Diese findet unter dem Thema „Career Guidance in Science and Practis: How the Transfer can be designed?“ vom 03.- 04. April 2025 statt.
Jerusha Klein und Katja Diesel-Lange sowie Fabian Staudinger und Sabine Zenz von der Pädagogischen Hochschule Niederösterreich sind mit dem Beitrag „Career Guidance as a Task of School Development - Presenting a comparative design of a study conducted in Austria and Germany“ vertreten.
Kinast, J., Gehrau, V., Driesel-Lange, K. (2023). Police Careers in Series and Reality: The Influence of Police Series on Career Expectations of Law Enforcement Students. Polizei und Wissenschaft 2023, No. 2, 2–16.
Kinast, J., Gehrau, V., Driesel-Lange, K. (2023). Netflix as Career Guide? The Influence of Legal Series on German Law Students’ Careers. In B. Knickrehm, T. Fletemeyer & B.-J. Ertelt (Hrsg.), Berufliche Orientierung und Beratung (S. 305–323). Springer VS. doi: 10.1007/978-3-658-40601-1_18.
Talks
(selection)
Klein, J., & Driesel-Lange, K. (2025, October 1). The social situation of a school – An influencing factor on the level of career choice competence? Paper presented at the 2025 Conference of the Division of Educational Psychology, Jena, Germany.
Klein, J., & Driesel-Lange, K. (2025, September 26). Individually fostering career development – Empirical insights into an intervention preparing students for work placements. Paper presented at the 2025 Annual Conference of the Section for Vocational and Business Education of the German Educational Research Association, Darmstadt, Germany.
Richter, I., Nienkötter, M., Driesel-Lange, K., Häming, S., & Klein, J. (2025, September 25). Career orientation as a cross-sectional task – Teachers between wanting and not being able. Paper presented at the 2025 Annual Conference of the Section for Vocational and Business Education of the German Educational Research Association, Darmstadt, Germany.
Driesel-Lange, K., & Fritz, S. (2025, September 22). Primary schools as engines of the future: Testing a concept to foster career development in primary education. Paper presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Scientific Network Career Orientation (WiN·BO), Baden, Germany.
Driesel-Lange, K., & Klein, J. (2025, September 22). Individual support for career development: Empirical findings on the potential of structured work placements. Paper presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Scientific Network Career Orientation (WiN·BO), Baden, Germany.
Richter, I., Driesel-Lange, K., Klein, J., Nienkötter, M., & Häming, S. (2025, September 22). Career orientation in schools: Empirical study on teachers’ knowledge and competencies and their integration into school practice. Paper presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Scientific Network Career Orientation (WiN·BO), Baden, Germany.
Driesel-Lange, K., Fritz, S., & Kopp-Sixt, S. (2025, September 17). Promoting career development in primary education: Well-informed, supported, and advised from the beginning. Paper presented at the Graz Vocational Education Congress, Graz, Austria.
Kinast, J., & Riis, J. (2025, June 7). A comparative analysis of media influences on the self-image of police recruits in Europe. Paper presented at SCSMI 2025, University of Alberta and University of Lethbridge, Canada.
Driesel-Lange, K. (2025, June 4). Internships as a central activity of career guidance: Insights into a cooperative research and teaching project to foster adolescents’ career development. Lecture presented at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Driesel-Lange, Katja; Richter, Ina; Klein, Jerusha 2024: “Improving and Managing Career Guidance: Providing Individual Support for Secondary Schools”. IAEVG International Conference 2024 – Riding the Wave of Change, Jyväskylä, 12.11.2024.
Driesel-Lange, Katja; Klein, Jerusha 2024: „Die betriebliche Perspektive auf das Schülerbetriebspraktikum als lernwirksame Umgebung der Beruflichen Orientierung.“ Jahrestagung 2024 Wissenschaftliches Netzwerk Berufsorientierung., Karlsruhe, 24.09.2024.
Driesel-Lange, Katja; Klein, Jerusha 2024: „Die betriebliche Sicht auf das Betriebspraktikum als lernwirksame Umgebung der Beruflichen Orientierung“. Jahrestagung 2024 der Sektion Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft, Dresden, 17.09.2024.
Klein, Jerusha; Richter, Ina 2024: „Weiterführende Schulen in der systematischen (Weiter-)Entwicklung Beruflicher Orientierung individuell begleiten“. Jahrestagung 2024 der Sektion Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft, Desden, 17.09.2024.
Driesel-Lange, Katja; Klein, Jerusha; Richter, Ina 2024: „Berufliche Orientierung in Zeiten des Mangels: Qualitätsgeleitete Weiterentwicklung der individuellen pädagogischen Begleitung im Kontext begrenzter Ressourcen von Schule“. BBFK 2024. Berufsbildung in Zeiten des Mangels., Innsbruck, 04.07.2024.
Driesel-Lange, Katja; Klein, Jerusha 2024: “Career Guidance as a School Development Task - Introducing a Digital Tool to Support School-wide Career Guidance in Germany.” Career Guidance in Schools under European and International Perspectives: Online-Conference on 27th/28th June 2024., Oldenburg, 27.06.2024.
Klein, Jerusha; Driesel-Lange, Katja 2024: „Das Schülerbetriebspraktikum als lernwirksame Umgebung der Beruflichen Orientierung.“ AG-BFN-Fachtagung. Wohin soll es gehen? Berufs- und Studienorientierung junger Menschen und die Bedeutung von Beratungs- und Unterstützungsangeboten., Bonn, 25.04.2024.
Klein, Jerusha; Driesel-Lange, Katja 2023: „Jugendliche an Schulen in schwieriger Lage: Verlierer oder Gewinner beruflicher Orientierung?“ Jahrestagung 2023 der Sektion Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft , Flensburg, 08.09.2023.
Kaufhold, Marisa; Weyland, Ulrike; Klein, Jerusha; Kruse, Annika 2023: „Schulisches Bildungspersonal im Gesundheitsbereich - Differente Ausbildungswege in Hinblick auf Professionalisierungsbestrebungen“. Jahrestagung 2023 der Sektion Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft, Flensburg, 07.09.2023.
Driesel-Lange, Katja; Klein, Jerusha; Gehrau, Volker 2023: “The Effects of Conversations in Adolescents’ Career Development Processes.” IAEVG International Conference 2023 Lifelong development as a standard, Den Haag, 28.06.2023.
Klein, Jerusha; Driesel-Lange, Katja 2023: „Jugendliche an Schulen in schwieriger Lage: Verlierer oder Gewinner beruflicher Orientierung?“ Frühjahrstagung der Sektion Bildung und Erziehung., Halle (Saale), 20.04.2023.
Driesel-Lange, Katja; Klein, Jerusha; Funk, Lore; Wentzel, Wenka; Morgenstern, Iris 2023: „Perspektive Pflege? Die Sicht der Eltern auf die Berufswahl. Beitrag im Rahmen der Fachtagung Gesundheit“. Fachtagung Gesundheit. Hochschultage Berufliche Bildung, Bamberg, 21.03.2023.
Klein, Jerusha; Funk, Lore; Driesel-Lange, Katja; Wentzel, Wenka; Morgenstern, Iris 2023: „Die Sicht der Eltern auf die Berufswünsche ihrer Kinder: Welche Rolle spielt die Zufriedenheit der Eltern mit der Berufswahl ihrer Kinder für Eltern-Kind-Gespräche?“ Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für empirische Bildungsforschung (GEBF), Essen, 02.03.2023.
