Launched in 2022, the Building Jobs project addresses the career guidance needs of vocational education students, with the aim of enabling them to acquire a set of specific skills and competencies designed to help them better adapt to an ever-changing labour market.

Implemented in Romania by Junior Achievement with the support of Carmeuse, the project's activities, led and carried out in schools by teachers and program volunteers, help students understand the need for applied learning, pursue their career preferences and encourage them to take an active attitude towards education and learning in general.

The target group of the project are students in grades 9-13 from schools in Arges, Brasov, Dambovita or Hunedoara counties, the local communities where Carmeuse has its operations in Romania.

PROJECT OBJECTIVE

The key objective of the project is to stimulate young people's interest in their professional future and to ensure their practical and theoretical training, in line with labour market requirements. By taking part in this career guidance project, students have access to the following educational resources: (1) learning by doing Junior Achievement (JA) career guidance activities, (2) an educational module on jobs related to the lime, high calcium limestone and aggregates industry and (3) direct interactions with Carmeuse professionals.

EDUCATIONAL CONTENT

The project includes four types of activities:

• JA in-class career guidance programs – implemented by teachers selected and trained by JA Romania. Students and teachers can access for free the educational kit provided by JA for the career guidance program (CV writing, preparing and presenting for an interview, skills recognition, assessment and development, etc.) and the educational module covering specific occupations in the partner company's field of activity;
• In-class volunteering – volunteers become teachers for a day and share their educational and professional experience with students, to guide them in their career choices;
• Webinars/online sessions – delivered by volunteers on personal development and career guidance topics, with the aim of improving participants' skills and to inspire them in making decisions for their educational and professional future;
• Job Shadow – students spend a few hours in the “shadow“ of a Carmeuse professional, to better understand their position, their tasks, and the skills and competencies required for their job roles.

Involving young people from vocational schools in JA career guidance projects contributes to fostering smart career choices, preventing early school leaving, providing career education and guidance at an early stage, and promoting the development of career management skills.