From April 13 to 16, 2026, an international internship took place in Prague, Czech Republic, as part of the Academia 2026 project within the Euroguidance network, on the topic:
"Regional Practices in Developing Career Guidance and Counselling Systems: The Czech Experience." The internship was held within the framework of the NC4UA project.
Ukraine was represented by Zlata Tiahunova — a career and HR consultant, Ambassador of the National Europass and Euroguidance Centres, and co-founder of the NGO "Ukrainian Institute of Career Development and Vocational Guidance."
The purpose of the participation was not merely an exchange of experience, but a comprehensive study of European approaches to career counselling — from regional guidance models and consultant training to contemporary tools and methodologies. Building international professional networks and identifying solutions that could be adapted to advance the career guidance system in Ukraine were equally important objectives.
The internship programme was intensive and practice-oriented, covering:
- an overview of the career counselling system in the Czech Republic
- regional practices and models of institutional cooperation
- introduction to key institutions and organisations
- approaches to career counsellor training
- career portfolio tools
- innovations in education
- the activities of professional communities
- career counselling within employment services
The internship brought together representatives from six different countries, including Ukraine, creating a rich environment for the exchange of expertise and ideas.
The participation format included:
- international professional mobility
- presentations and thematic sessions
- webinars hosted by partner institutions
- job shadowing
- professional discussions
- reflective sessions
This was not simply a study trip — it was a step toward strengthening Ukraine's career counselling system through the integration of European experience and best practices.
As an outcome of the internship, valuable insights and ideas for advancing the field of vocational guidance in Ukraine have already been identified.
Key findings and recommendations will be published in due course.
