Green guidance : enhancing the role of career guidance in Maltese state secondary schools

Abstract

This research explored the crucial link between climate change and sustainable careers, emphasising how professional decisions can shape a more environmentally responsible future. The study delved into the intersections of climate change, sustainability, and career guidance in state secondary schools in Malta. It investigated how career guidance practitioners perceived and implemented sustainability and aimed to uncover factors supporting or hindering the integration of eco-friendly principles into career guidance work. This dissertation adopted an interpretive approach to investigate an under-researched area of green career guidance in Maltese government secondary schools. The research questions guided the exploration, and in response to the identified needs, a digital manual, Uncovering green guidance – A practical manual for career guidance practitioners, was developed to empower career guidance practitioners and serve as a comprehensive resource for integrating green guidance into their practices. Exploring career guidance practices in Maltese state secondary schools revealed a critical need for enhancing green guidance integration. Pressing issues included a lack of awareness and knowledge about sustainability, student resistance towards career-related matters, insufficient human and time resources, and concerns about impartiality. The study highlighted the importance of empowerment and proposed strategies to equip career guidance practitioners for effective green guidance integration. The need for a paradigm shift towards embedded sustainability mindsets was highlighted, emphasising the transformative role of well-informed practitioners and continuous professional development. This study contributed unique insights to the Maltese context, serving as a starting point for a more environmentally conscious approach to secondary school career guidance.