INTEREST TEST AS AN INSTRUMENT IN THE PROCESS OF PROFESSIONAL ORIENTATION

The present situation in Georgia brings new challenges and priorities to all areas of life in society. The challenges and priorities reveal many problems, particularly, new forms of structure of education and labour mobility, economy, employability, new occupations and qualifications, increased unemployment especially among young people, impact of demographic trends on labour supply, economic and migration policy, multicultural environment. Their solution also requires putting greater emphasis on the quality of education and vocational training. It is also significant is to improve educational opportunities at all levels, ensure the adaptation of skilled labour, raise awareness on existing trends at labour market.

Nowadays, vocational training still remains to be an unattractive and undesirable field in Georgia as in a post-Soviet Country. According to EUVEGE, the proportion of 20-24-year-old people representing the majority of students enrolling in vocational training organizations is only 1.19%. (EU Technical Assistance to VET and Employment Reforms in Georgia, 2016). Despite the high rate of unemployment in Georgia, companies have difficulty in filling job openings, as skills of unemployed young people do not meet the requirements of labour market. Growing demands for skilled workers cannot be met by vocational education. Most young people are either university graduates with different professional skills, or untrained workers. And the percentage of those between these two areas is very low.

In order to ensure harmonization of requirements of the labour market in Georgia and the interests of unemployed young people and private sector, a paradigm shift is needed in various aspects, which is directly related to both vocational orientation and vocational training. For this, however, one should promote transition between schools and economy. Such transition may be provided by professional advice.