Editorial introduction

Abstract

This collection of readings started off as a response to an invitation by Joseph Sammut, then in charge of Malta's Guidance and Counselling Services, to put together papers presented at a national workshop on Vocational Guidance and Human Resource Development, which took place between the 28th and 30th of January 1996. Five of the papers prepared for that workshop were considered suitable for this edited volume. In addition to these, eight new articles were solicited and written specifically for the purpose of this book, while another seven chapters are edited versions of material which was first published elsewhere. Together, the present collection of papers constitutes a thorough introduction to the field of careers education and guidance in Malta, bringing together theoretical and practical perspectives, as well as presenting the results of a number of empirical research projects that shed new light on the relationship between the worlds of education and of work. As such, the volume should constitute a useful handbook for guidance teachers, counsellors, and human resource developers more generally. It also provides important insights about Malta's education system to educators and scholars interested in comparative perspectives.