The four-week course takes on two main strands: “Learn about Yourself” and “Market Yourself.”

The first half involves a lot of self-analysis via online personality and vocational tests, DISC assessment, and Ikigai. These help students to better understand themselves and the careers that might be best for them.

Based on these insights into their core characteristics, the students make vision boards with ideas for their future careers. Alongside positive feedback from their peers, this helps to connect them to more career opportunities.

The second half of the course introduces students to the importance of marketing yourself. We teach them several essential skills that they will need in the job application process. These include:

• writing an effective application letter
• creating a good CV
• making an account on LinkedIn
• knowing how and where to look for jobs
• carrying out an effective interview

Although new, we are delighted by how well the course has been received. The students are extremely thankful because they realise how useful it will be for them. As one student wrote in anonymous feedback:

“The course is very good, it taught us many things we will take with us for the rest of our life. . . We can now enter the labour market with a very good base. The course gives us confidence and we get to know ourselves better. The course is given at the right time and the teachers are excellent.”

We are eager to continue exploring how to further support students during this crucial phase of their young lives. For the future, we are looking into:

• a speaker series with professionals from different areas
• a job fair where students can approach people from different professions and ask them questions
• one-on-one career coaching
• extending the course into the wider community.