About vocational guidance

Ten years ago, I was a young boy graduating from high school. Dream of becoming a tour guide attracted me a lot though I was quite an introvert. At least I somehow saw what a tour guide was and what kind of job it was. But my mom wanted me to become a mining engineer since my hometown is rich in coal and some of our relatives work in this field. Little did I know about this career but I finally obeyed my mom. Now, after ten years, I cannot say if I had made a right decision. I think more about vocational guidance.

For most of high school students, parents and teachers at school are the only ones they can count on for advice when they have to make one of their greatest decision in lives after graduating from high school. Sadly, we cannot expect too much for good vocational guidance from them. The whole world is changing really fast now and even faster in the future. It is really challenging for parents and teachers, especially the one in rural areas or from disadvantaged backgrounds, to give good advice on things they little know.

Many students try hard for seats at universities that they had seriously aimed to, some randomly select universities that fit their scores, some base on information they learn in the Internet, etc. – a diversity of choices and then a diversity of tragedies. What happens at universities may be far different from what they had thought, imagined or foreseen. Some become frustrated and lose inspiration, some get poor result and end up with expulsion, some reluctantly continue their study but after graduation it will be dark life times of job application or even joblessness. Some have no choice but accept to work in different field from their specialties. Poor vocational guidance plays a part in these tragedies. Society resources and time are wasted, many lives are ruined.

So what to consider in vocational guidance? In my opinion, it should be in this order: Individual abilities, aptitude, interest and future job opportunity. My generation, at least, have better educational background and full of poignant experience and I have reason to believe a better vocational guidance for my children.

Quangngai, February, 2022