"BO-LAB" focusses on vocational orientation in teacher training

To this end, the participating researchers want to develop a qualification programme for career guidance that can be used in all phases of teacher training: during studies, in the preparatory service (traineeship) and in further education. The central component is a newly developed teaching module that provides secondary schools teaching profession students in particular with basic knowledge and skills in the area of careers guidance in schools. The module will be tested, scientifically monitored and evaluated during regular study programmes. At the same time, it is to be adapted for the new dual study programme in the teacher training programme for secondary schools. This will allow students to try out what they have learnt at school at an early stage and then reflect on it. In addition, the topic of career guidance is to be more closely integrated into the teacher training programme in future. Together with the Studienseminar Erfurt, the researchers are developing suitable content and forms of learning so that prospective teachers can also acquire the relevant skills during this phase. Last but not least, the teaching module will also be used for further education and training for teachers.

Project manager PD Dr habil. Benjamin Dreer-Göthe explains: "Our aim is to develop a teaching concept for the further education sector that supports teachers in planning, implementing and reflecting on career guidance measures." The plan is to use the programme as part of the existing "Vocational Orientation" training series run by the Thuringian Institute for Teacher Training, Curriculum Development and Media (ThILLM). "The programme is primarily aimed at teachers who have little experience with careers guidance but are expected to take on this task at their school. We want to equip them with the necessary fundamental knowledge and important basic skills."

Dr Silvio Kaak, research employee on the project, adds: "It is important to us to make the findings of careers guidance research usable for school practice. With the new course on careers guidance in teacher training, we are expanding the existing qualification programme into a comprehensive teaching programme for all three phases of teacher training."

As part of the scientific monitoring, the researchers in "BO-LAB" are also investigating whether the participants' attitudes towards career guidance are changing and whether they are actually acquiring new skills as a result of the training.

The project started in January 2026 and will run for two years.