The Hungarian government is assisting young people who are about to continue their studies with a free, accessible career orientation digital platform, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Interior Ministry Bence Rétvári reminded at a press conference in Budapest on Wednesday.
The Career Orientation Measurement and Support Tool (POM) can be accessed on the website of the state-run Educational Authority (OH). On the online platform, students can complete various questionnaires, and based on their answers, the programme shows the fields of expertise and occupations that best suit each student’s personality, interests, and competencies, explained the state secretary. ‘We live in an age where it is more difficult for young people to be confident compared to previous generations,’ the state secretary emphasised, noting that the POM platform serves as a ‘compass for career choices.’ He highlighted that the database contains 283 professions.
He also called attention to the programme having two target groups: graduating primary school students preparing for secondary school entrance exams and young people preparing for the final exams and higher education. The website includes a total of 73 questions measuring areas of interest, an additional 62 questions assessing abilities, and six questions related to personal traits. In addition, the website also offers a question series focusing on mathematics, natural sciences, engineering, and information technology, which requires 35 answers and has a time limit of 45 minutes.
Bence Rétvári underscored that there are few platforms in Central Europe that provide similar assistance to students.
Acting President of the Educational Authority Sándor Brassói stressed that self-awareness is important for making good choices, which is why they want to provide assistance to students in their further studies. According to him, the POM can prevent future dropouts and can even be useful for adults. The questionnaires are accessible after registration, including the providing of an email address, but the portal also has a feature that can be used without registration. The presentation of around 300 professions and the available training options can be freely explored on the website. Brassói pointed out that the POM is not a mandatory tool for students but rather an opportunity. However, it is obviously a rather popular platform: more than 21,000 registered users have completed the tests, and several tens of thousands have browsed the website.
