Concerns have been raised about a pilot project “Discover Your Talent for Career Guidance,” promoted by ESU Padova and Gate Italy, which simplifies career guidance to a mere test for students aged 17-19. Critics argue that this approach undermines the scientific, ethical, and educational value of career guidance. The project, which uses psychological tests and statistical analyses, is seen as lacking in scientific rigor and failing to consider sociocultural contexts and structural inequalities. Experts from the University of Padua, who have long been involved in advancing career guidance through research and international collaboration, question the involvement of non-specialist actors in such initiatives. They emphasize the importance of a guidance approach that focuses on narrative, participatory, and situated methods, promoting hope, social justice, and the co-construction of desirable futures. The current project, critics argue, risks trivializing the discipline by promoting a market-driven, test-based model that neglects the complex and transformative nature of genuine career guidance.
Is Career Guidance Becoming Just Another Marketing Tool?
