Early career guidance for children

In her keynote address , “Educational Success—The Contribution of Early Childhood Education,” Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Andrea G. Eckhardt highlighted the central importance of early childhood education for a child’s future educational trajectory . With over 90% of children aged 3 to just under 6 in non-family care, early childhood education has established itself as an integral part of the education system. Furthermore, there is a lot of information here about how good cross-system collaboration can succeed—for example, in supporting all children, in shaping educational partnerships, in fostering connections within the local community, and in facilitating transitions between educational sectors. While career orientation is systematically integrated starting in secondary school, corresponding programs in the early childhood and elementary education sectors tend to be sporadic. Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Andrea G. Eckhardt explains that there are already many entry points for career orientation in early childhood.

In the subsequent workshop “Early Career Guidance,” Prof. Dr. phil. Andrea G. Eckhardt, together with Susann Stolle (RAA Hoyerswerda/Ostsachsen e.V.), presented educational materials for early career guidance. Using the practical resource “Little Masters—Early Career Orientation for Preschoolers,” , educational materials for career orientation in early childhood are now available for the first time. Ten professions from all occupational fields are presented as examples, along with a wide range of activities for educational work with preschool-aged children.

On the one hand, the materials convey factual knowledge about the selected professions, take into account the educational areas of early childhood education, and serve to promote precursor skills. In addition, the materials support the educational partnership with parents and provide guidance for collaboration with external partners.