Why, When, and for Whom Does Career Education in Secondary Schools Work? A Qualitative Study of Stakeholders’ Perspectives in The Netherlands

Career education in secondary schools plays a pivotal role in supporting students as they navigate the complex decision-making process involved in the transition to higher education. However, the evidence base regarding the effectiveness of career education is limited and fragmented, with a distinct lack of clarity regarding the underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to identify the best practices and underlying mechanisms of career education within Dutch secondary education. Based on focus group interviews with stakeholders with diverse interests and positions (N = 25), we identified five categories of best practice activities alongside a framework consisting of ten mediators, eight moderators, a meta-moderator, and four contextual factors. This framework, while reinforcing some previous identified mechanisms, brings new elements into focus, distinguishing additional mechanisms and their categorisation as mediators, moderators, and contextual factors. These findings may serve as a foundational framework for future research and can support schools in enhancing their career education curricula. It is crucial that career education activities align with the students’ current capacities and potential for growth, ensuring that these programs are responsive to students’ developmental stages and their zone of proximal development.