The Guidance Room - Mia

Mia is 16 years old and in her first year of an academic programme in upper secondary school. This case illustrates situations where students experience academic pressure and uncertainty about their plans.

About the Case

Mia is 16 years old and in her first year of an academic programme in upper secondary school. She started later than her classmates and is struggling with several subjects, particularly mathematics. Her teachers and parents are concerned, but Mia is determined to complete the programme. She has not yet explored possible future pathways.
 
This case illustrates situations where students experience academic pressure and uncertainty about their plans.
 

Structure of the Case

The case consists of four parts:

  1.  Background information about career guidance in Norwegian upper secondary education.
  2. Episode 1 introduces Mia and her situation.
  3. Episode 2 shows selected moments from her guidance session.
  4. Thematic reflection questions for professional discussion.

 

Background: Career Guidance in Upper Secondary Education in Norway

Upper secondary education in Norway offers two main pathways: General Studies and Vocational Education and Training (VET). Students may transition between pathways, and VET students may take supplementary courses to qualify for higher education.
 
The Education Act (§16-1) requires that all students in upper secondary education have access to career guidance at school, including individual guidance on request. Counties must ensure that apprentices also receive guidance during training.

The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) has a public website in Norwegian for information about education and work at Utdanning.no, and offers digital career guidance at Karriereveiledning.no, which is free and available to the entire population.


1

Episode 1: Meet Mia

Meet Mia

Reflection Questions

After Watching Episode 1

  1. What challenges and influencing factors is Mia experiencing?
  2. What do you recognise from your own practice?
  3. What opportunities for career learning do you see at this stage?


2

Episode 2: Veiledningen med Mia

Join the guidance session with Mia

The selected moments from his guidance session are about: 

  1.  Secure boundaries 
  2.  Career learning 

Reflection Questions

After Watching Episode 2

  • How might you have approached the guidance situation with Mia?
  • The session with Mia shows only two moments of guidance - brief excerpts from a complete session. Is there anything more, or something different, you think should have been said or done during this session? 
  • What competencies and skills did you observe the career counselor drawing on in the meeting with Mia? 


3

Episode 3: Reflection

Thematic Reflection Questions

Reality Orientation 
Mia has decided to complete the general academic track (studiespesialisering), even though she is experiencing some academic challenges. The counselor chooses a strategy of broadening Mia’s understanding of educational and occupational opportunities rather than focusing directly on her current academic difficulties. 

  1. Should the counselor, at some point during the guidance process, address Mia’s academic challenges more explicitly? 
  2. How would you approach this situation in your own practice? 
  3. What is your perspective on the role of reality orientation in guidance with students? 

 

Overlapping Roles  
In many schools, career guidance counselors hold multiple and sometimes overlapping roles in relation to students. Often, they are also subject teachers - and in some cases, school leaders. 

  1. If the counselor had also been Mia’s subject teacher, how might that have influenced the guidance session? 
  2. Could this have introduced any ethical challenges? 
  3. Might it have affected teaching or grading practices? 
  4. What potential benefits could arise from such a dual role? 
     

Career learning 
Even though Mia appears confident in her decision to pursue the general academic track, it’s not certain she will stay on that path. What support can the school offer to help her navigate her future career choices? 

  1. Are there any career learning activities that might help Mia gain insight into her interests, strengths, and options? 
  2. Could she explore career-related learning within her academic subjects on the general track? If so, how might that be integrated? 
  3. What would be particularly useful for Mia to learn about, reflect on, or practice - for example, decision-making, goal setting, or exploring job markets? 
  4. If you could offer Mia a short-term work placement, what kind of experience would you hope she could gain from it - such as insight into specific roles, workplace culture, or professional expectations? 


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