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Careers in Action - International Conference for Career Services

As part of building the Careers Community of (practice) we organise the International Conference for Career Services, called Careers in Action.

This event, which began in 2021, is the result of the success achieved in 2018 and 2019 by the organisation at U.Porto of two Staff Weeks aimed exclusively at career services (a week of exchange of practices and training).

The Conference, organised in conjunction with the Maior Empregabilidade Consortium (a network of national higher education institutions and partners) was designed as an international event open to all professionals from organisations, and especially higher education institutions interested in employability and careers.

It addresses topics such as:

  • The context of uncertainty about employment and the labour market;
  • The inevitability of change in companies and organisations;
  • The acceleration of transformations in ways of working;
  • The constant need to update and develop skills and career challenges.

This event allows players to share their practices and discuss strategies and trends in these areas.

This is an essential initiative to:

  • Promote and recognise the importance of career services in Higher Education Institutions as a strategic vector for the employability of students and graduates;
  • Publicise career services and the practices and activities related to them, both at U.Porto and at other national and international institutions and organisations, seeking to connect them and create synergies and collaborations;
  • Promote the presentation and discussion of projects and research being carried out in the area of employment, employability, careers, the labour market and skills;
  • Share and discuss with (inter)national partners and organisations the challenges and changes that career services are facing and will face and the trends in (new) skills and professions;
  • Explore the concepts of sustainable careers and career communities;
  • Co-construct the career community culture principles that the annual meeting intends to create.

The event has been attended by 100 participants, not only from higher education institutions but also from companies and other organisations from European countries and the USA, Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Speakers include:

  • Representatives of national and international Higher Education Institutions (such as the EUGLOH network);
  • Representatives of companies and consultancies with studies and practices in these areas;
  • National and international organisations such as the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (Portugal), the International Labour Organisation, CEDEFOP (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training), the European Board for Certified Counselors/National Career Development Association;
  • U.Porto alumni with experience in the national and international labour market.