The CAGEA project has reached an important and exciting stage: students in partner countries are now piloting and testing the newly developed CAGEA online platform. In Bulgaria, the piloting activities are taking place in a school environment, where students have the opportunity to explore the platform, use its interactive resources and share their feedback on how it supports their understanding of future career choices.
CAGEA is dedicated to supporting students in making informed academic and career decisions through tailored educational materials and digital tools. The project focuses on early career guidance, helping secondary school students explore career paths that match their interests, abilities and aspirations.
During the Bulgarian piloting, students tested the platform as a practical learning space for career exploration. The platform includes resources designed for students, teachers, career counsellors and parents, with the aim of making career guidance more accessible, engaging and useful in the school context. The CAGEA platform is available in several languages, including Bulgarian, and offers a Bulgarian course for educators focused on supporting students’ career development.
The first impressions from the Bulgarian school are very positive. Students showed interest in the digital format and appreciated the opportunity to reflect on their personal strengths, interests and possible future pathways. The piloting also confirmed that career guidance becomes more meaningful when students are actively involved, rather than only receiving information passively.
The feedback gathered during the testing phase is especially valuable. It helps the project team understand how students experience the platform in real educational settings, what works well, and where further improvements may be needed. This user-centred approach ensures that the final version of the CAGEA platform will be better adapted to the needs of young people, teachers and schools.
The piloting in Bulgaria also highlights one of the key messages of the project: career guidance should start earlier and should be more practical, personalised and connected to students’ real interests. Previous CAGEA research identified a need for earlier and more structured career guidance, as well as better tools for teachers and families to support students in planning their future.
By testing the platform with students, CAGEA is moving from development to real implementation. The results from the Bulgarian school show that digital tools can play an important role in helping students think more confidently about their future education and career choices.
The piloting phase will continue to provide useful insights from students and educators across the partner countries. Their feedback will support the final adaptation of the platform and contribute to the creation of a more effective, accessible and engaging career guidance tool for European schools.
Through the CAGEA platform, the project continues its mission to bridge the gap between education and the labour market and to empower young people to make informed decisions about their future.
Read more about the project and explore the platform on the CAGEA website: https://cagea-project.eu/
