Abstract:

The rapid growth of the offshore wind energy sector in Southern Europe has generated significant demand for a skilled and adaptable workforce, requiring education and training systems that can effectively respond to emerging occupational profiles and technological advancements. Existing educational materials often fail to bridge the gap between emerging professional profiles and individuals seeking to understand, enter or transition within the sector. This lack of proximity between vocational pathways and real labor market demands can hinder informed career decision-making. Career Kits were developed as innovative vocational guidance tools for strengthening the approaches between Vocational Education and Training (VET), industry and learners’ career transitions.

The Career Kits are grounded in a systematic employment and skills need analysis carried out across partner countries, involving close collaboration among VET providers, industry representatives, research organizations, and career guidance professionals. This participatory and evidence-based approach ensured that the resources accurately reflect current and anticipated sectoral demands. They were conceived as practical instruments to support professional discovery, career choice orientation, entry into the labor market, reorientation processes, skills valorization and upskilling pathways.

Designed and developed within a multistakeholder framework, the Career Kits support career guidance, employability and lifelong learning by facilitating communication about training offers, internships and job opportunities, and each one integrates four core components:
(i) a detailed job profile description outlining responsibilities, required competences and working conditions;
(ii) a self-assessment questionnaire enabling users to reflect on their skills and aptitudes;
(iii) a Career Path Map illustrating qualification routes and progression opportunities; and
(iv) video interviews featuring professionals sharing first-hand testimonies about their roles and career trajectories. They target secondary school students, recent graduates and young professionals, unemployed individuals or career changers, experienced professionals seeking upskilling opportunities, as well as companies, HR departments and training organizations.

This paper focus exclusively on the results achieved within the Portuguese CoVE, presenting the design and development of the Portuguese Career Kits, namely: Eletrotechnical Engineer, Maritime VET Educator and Welding Coordinator. The findings highlight their potential as transferable and scalable vocational guidance instruments that foster career-oriented learning, reinforce VET–industry collaboration and support sustainable skills development in emerging green sectors.

Keywords:

ORE, Education and Training, Career Kits, Vocational Guidance, VET–Industry Collaboration, Renewable Energy Sector.