At Velenje School Centre there are 5 secondary schools and a higher professional college. In academic year 2005/2006, 30 secondary education programmes were implemented, ranging from lower-level vocational education and vocational technical education to grammar school education, as well as 5 professional college education programmes, for together 35 different certified titles of vocational/professional education. There are 4 school buildings at the centre, in which 2394 pupils, 740 students and 750 adults participate.

However, of all professions offered at our school centre, only few are "sold out". For most programmes the supply at the labour market is high and therefore the waiting period for first employment extensive. Years ago, following guidelines of the Employment Service of Slovenia, we have guided pupils and students towards economic professions. However, current data from the Employment Services show that among job seekers, these are most common.

How can we match the interests of the children with educational and later, employment opportunities? Years ago, company scholarships were a much better indicator of demand for specific professions and labour force. Today, a company scholarship is almost not an indicator at all, and is often only applied as financial help during education and does not guarantee employment afterwards.

Many questions arise. How can we achieve better compatibility between labour market demand and supply? Which new trends in education and employment can be offered to the individuals in the process of career information and guidance? How can we motivate individuals to enrol into further education and training? How can we present the system of vocational and professional education, vertical and horizontal structures, possible transitions and develop mobility in European education system most effectively?

There are new circumstances in the political and economic fields: increasing globalisation, competition, technological development, EU membership, greater mobility of the workforce, increasing daily worker migration, changed working hours, frequent changing of employment and professions. Times, when after finishing school a person was employed in a company and worked there until retirement, are long gone. Experts claim that by the retirement age, we will change at least six employments. This, however, demands a change in mentality, expectations and activities, as well as inclusion in the process of lifelong learning, greater flexibility, etc.

Students and their parents are faced with an uncertainty and fear: Will I stay unemployed after I finish school? It is necessary to be aware of oneself, one’s capabilities, interests and needs, and that one should be pro-active in searching for employment. We need to accept new changes and realize at the same time that most probably everyone, during their active age, will be registered at the Employment Service of Slovenia as a job seeker for some time. There are difficulties in accessing credible information about the labour market demand.

We need to enable access and provide individuals with as much information on possibilities and conditions in education, scholarships and employment in Slovenia and the EU as possible, through information centres i.e. multimedia information centres. We also need to provide them with individual counselling and help them develop certain abilities and skills for better communication, self-presentation, job interviews and teach them how to introduce themselves to potential employers, how to write a job application, etc.