Project description
1. SOCIAL CHALLENGE
ROAD project may face challenges related to the different market conditions in different areas,
difficulty accessing public schools, and limited access to resources in suburban groups.
Overcoming these challenges would require strategic planning, collaboration with local
stakeholders, innovative approaches, and potential policy advocacy to ensure equitable access
to comprehensive career guidance and experiential learning opportunities for all students.
We face specific challenges in different markets where we used to conduct our career guidance
programs:
● Long Khanh: In Long Khanh, private schools have significantly invested in career guidance
programs. However, accessing public schools proves challenging, as they may need more
resources or initiatives to support career guidance activities. Additionally, students in this area
might need to become more familiar with career guidance, requiring extra efforts to raise
awareness and engage them effectively.
● Vinh Long: In Vinh Long, the teachers have experience implementing career-related activities for
students. However, they face limitations in terms of time and space. As a result, several aspects
of the program have yet to be fully developed, including opportunities for sharing, connecting,
and deepening knowledge within each module.
● Hanoi/Northern areas: Students and inexperienced teachers participate in blended classes
combining online and face-to-face learning. Hybrid learning presents a unique challenge as
delivering career guidance in such a format requires adapting traditional methods to a digital
environment. Effective engagement and interaction between students and teachers become
crucial in this context.
The ROAD project may need help accessing public schools due to various factors such as
policies, financial limitations, or bureaucratic processes. Public schools, which may benefit
significantly from comprehensive career guidance programs, could be more challenging to
engage and collaborate with. Overcoming these barriers and establishing partnerships with
public schools to ensure widespread access to the project’s programs would be a challenge.
Accessing financial and educational resources in suburban areas can be challenging. These
areas may need more infrastructure, fewer connections with local businesses, and a lack of
educational support systems. The ROAD project may need to find innovative ways to overcome
these challenges and ensure that students in suburban areas receive the same level of career
guidance and experiential learning opportunities as their urban counterparts.
2. SOLUTION
First, for schools new to career guidance activities, we offer a foundational program designed
to provide students with essential methods and knowledge in career guidance. This program,
known as Package 1 – Access: 4-hour Career Event, aims to equip students with basic skills and
an understanding of career guidance. It is a starting point for students to grasp fundamental
concepts and techniques in career exploration and planning. By offering this package, we
address the specific needs of schools initiating career guidance initiatives and lay a strong
foundation for further career development activities. Another critical aspect is ensuring
cost-effectiveness, primarily when the program must be conducted in remote areas. To address
this, we have designed the program to be flexible, allowing for both online and offline delivery.
Secondly, a comprehensive career guidance process consists of three crucial stages:
self-understanding, understanding professions, and understanding the job market. We ensure
that students can participate in all three areas when they enroll in Package 2 – Development:
4-hour career event + College route consulting + Company Tour. During the Career
Consultant Program, students can explore various career paths, gain insights from industry
professionals, and engage in interactive activities to enhance their self-understanding.
There is no better activity in understanding the job market than experiencing it. Therefore, we
have introduced Package 3 – Flexible: a 4-hour career event, college route consulting,
company tour, and job experience. With a focus on job experience, we leverage local
resources to provide students with opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of the career
prospects available in their community. Through job experience, students can actively engage
in real-world work environments, allowing them to observe and participate in various job roles.
This firsthand experience helps students make informed decisions about their career paths by
providing insights into their local area’s specific opportunities and requirements.
In addition to our pre-designed packages, we offer unique selling propositions (USPs) that set
us apart from other providers. These USPs include empowerment, customization for each
school, and sustainability. We prioritize the long-term sustainability of our career guidance
initiatives. We aim to provide immediate benefits and establish a foundation for ongoing
support and development. Besides, empowerment, in the context of our career guidance
programs, refers to the idea that teachers have the ability and resources to implement the
program themselves independently.
We always recognize our team’s role as a solution provider, acting as a third party to ensure
that our program meets the needs of schools and career experts who can provide
comprehensive information. Previously, we operated under a not-for-profit model but realized it
was not sustainable. Therefore, we transitioned to a for-profit model while maintaining our focus
on social impact and delivering quality career guidance services. Our target audience has
shifted from directly working with individual students to engaging with educational institutions.
We have recognized that working with schools is more effective and has a longer-lasting
impact than working with individual students. By collaborating with schools, we can reach more
students and provide comprehensive career guidance services within the school system. This
approach allows us to create a sustainable and scalable model that benefits the individual
students and the entire educational community.
Video presentation: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1i7VUdmGVgYrD5GMpZfFuqtarb3kWnJin?usp=sharing
Evidence for financial support from LIN (money)
Evidence for financial support from Fulbright University (money)
Evidence for financial support (venue)