The world of work is changing. Digitalisation, globalisation, and population ageing are having a profound impact on the type and quality of jobs that are available and the skills required to perform them. The extent to which individuals, firms and economies can reap the benefits of these changes will depend critically on the ability of individuals to maintain and acquire relevant skills and adapt to a changing labour market over their working careers.

Career guidance is a fundamental policy lever to help adults successfully navigate a constantly evolving labour market through advice and information on job and training opportunities. Most adults who do not train say that there was no training offer that they wanted to take up (82%). This may reflect a lack of understanding of the importance of training in today’s labour market, or difficulties in identifying suitable training opportunities.

Contrary to perceptions that career guidance concerns mainly young people in school, survey data suggest that there is substantial demand for career guidance services among adults. However, adults most exposed to the risk of job loss and skills obsolescence use career guidance services less frequently than their less disadvantaged peers. This chapter examines the reasons why adults typically seek guidance as well as the main barriers to the use of these services.

A variety of providers are involved in delivering career guidance services to adults, including the public employment service, dedicated public career guidance agencies, the social partners, education and training institutions, and private providers. Services can be open to all adults, or target specific population groups. This chapter maps the different career guidance providers and the target groups they typically serve. It analyses the ways services are delivered (such as face-to-face, online, by telephone or instant messaging) and how they are advertised. It explores the role of online career guidance portals. Finally, the chapter provides an overview of the changes made to the delivery of career guidance services in the context of the COVID‑19 pandemic.

What sets high-quality career guidance apart? After reviewing survey evidence on users’ satisfaction and outcomes, this chapter discusses policy measures that countries have put in place to improve quality. Measures include: certifying organisations against quality standards; defining staff qualifications and competencies; measuring outcomes; producing and using high-quality labour market information; and developing tools to promote tailored career guidance services.

Responsibilities for adult career guidance are shared among multiple ministries, levels of government and social partners. Strong coordination mechanisms can facilitate seamless and high-quality service delivery, reduce duplication and prevent gaps in provision. This chapter provides an overview of how OECD countries promote coordination across the many actors involved in adult career guidance. It also discusses how funding of career guidance is shared between governments, adults and employers, and provides examples of policies to reduce the cost of career guidance for those who cannot afford to pay.