Study switch (Biemans et al., 2020) and isolation due to corona (Van Mol et al., 2021) can lead to difficult intake in and transitions within education and poor future prospects for students. The twofold focus of this research project, carried out at institutions of secondary vocational education (EQF levels 3-4), higher professional education (EQF-level 6), and academic higher education (EQF-level 6), is on guidance practices and on study and work-related interests of students. The research goal is to gain insight into guidance practices with regard to study choice, study career and future orientation, so that more students can find perspective in education and work. This research builds on existing knowledge on this area with extra attention to psychological and social capital, and, additionally, the consideration of future images, interests and skills of young people themselves. In line with the need for more research on this topic, existing insights are validated with student groups from different programs at different educational levels (Slot et al., 2020; Vulperhorst, 2022).

Issues of student dropout, progression and study success have been requiring attention for some time now (Brand-Gruwel et al., 2019; Van den Broek et al., 2020). Less physical education during the covid pandemic led to study delays or feelings of isolation for some students (Van Mol et al., 2021). Although there are many job opportunities nowadays, there is also social and economic uncertainty and many students have doubts about their future. Psychological capital and social capital are important for the well-being of students (Nielsen et al., 2017) and are also positively related to future images of students about themselves as a professional and the possibilities they see for realizing their ambitions related to education and work (Keijzer et al., 2020; Weiss et al., 2019).

Learning experiences with regard to study career guidance, the support experienced and the acquisition of career competences are relevant to the extent to which students experience what they have learned as valuable and applicable (Kuijpers et al., 2011; Mittendorff et al., 2017; Wigfield et al., 2020). Skills such as curiosity, flexibility and risk-taking can help students deal with uncertainties regarding their future orientation and take action at the right time (Yang et al., 2017). In order to find perspective in education and work and to strengthen the well-being of students, it is crucial to connect with the interests of students (Draijer et al., 2020; Quinlan & Renninger, 2022). After all, experiencing interest is beneficial for well-being, learning performance and appreciation of activities at school or elsewhere (Hidi, 2006; Slot et al., 2020). Students often have broad interests, for example with regard to favorite activities and subjects they follow, which also influence their considerations for a profession or further education (Draijer, et al., 2020; Vulperhorst, et al., 2020; Quinlan & Renninger, 2022). Meaningful activities and group work can play a role in this (Renninger, et al., 2019), but also, for example, wanting to achieve a certain goal, focus on personal development, or wanting to participate substantially in a certain practice (cf. Slot, et al., 2020). Existing insights into the development of interest of students in relation to education and work can be better utilized in guiding students in their study choice and study career and can be validated with more target groups (Slot, et al., 2020; Vulperhorst, et al., 2020).

This research builds on existing knowledge with regard to guidance and support with study choice, study career and future orientation, with extra attention to the psychological and social capital of students and to their interests related to education and work, as experienced in the various contexts of their daily life.

Three large institutions take part in the study: one institution offering secondary vocational education, one offering higher professional education, and one offering academic higher education. They are all located in South Holland, a predominantly urban province in the west of the Netherlands. Participating students followed a program in Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics at secondary vocational education; a professional Bachelor in Occupational Therapy or Accountancy; or an academic Bachelor in Law or at an Honors College. The research follows a mixed method approach with sub-questions focused on: 1. The characteristics of guidance practices with regard to study and career planning before the gate and during a study; 2. Students' learning experiences with regard to study and career planning; 3. Interests and future images of students with regard to education and work; 4. Transferable working elements with regard to study choice, study career and future orientation. The guidance practices have been analyzed by means of an environmental scan based on documents on websites, and semi-structured interviews with fifteen student counselors and curriculum designers to obtain more insight into the guidance practices. For sub-questions 2 and 3, data is collected with a large-scale questionnaire study and a small-scale study (N≈30) with a digital logbook. Data is collected in two periods. We analyze the questionnaire data with descriptive statistics and (multilevel) regression analysis to provide insight into differences in initial interests and future images in relation to education and work, and possible connections with, respectively, learning experiences concerning study and career planning, perceived support, and psychological and social capital. In a week-long digital log, students can indicate daily which interests they have worked on. In addition, daily video calls and an in-depth interview after that week take place with a selection of the participants. We analyze the logbook data by means of content analysis, social network analysis, and multilevel regression analysis to provide insight into differences in initial interest profiles in relation to education and work, and how the interests are fed within and outside the education. The in-depth interviews and video conversations are analyzed from a biographical perspective and expressed in personal stories. Sub-question 4 is answered by analyzing advisory board meetings. Based on reflection and discussion about the findings, the advisory board members formulate design principles for guiding students in choosing a study, study career and future orientation for use in broader contexts than those studied.

The results show that individual, personally focused attention and frequent supervision are important characteristics of the practices used by study programs to (better) guide students in their study choice, study career and future orientation. Based on the findings, case studies of guidance practices will be presented during ECER-Glasgow. The results of a questionnaire survey and an additional study with a digital logbook and in-depth interviews about students' interests, images of the future and learning experiences are presented. The research builds on research with regard to guidance in study choice, study career and future orientation, with extra attention for the role of psychological and social capital. Existing insights into student interest development in relation to education and work are validated with more target groups (Slot et al., 2020; Vulperhorst, 2022). The twofold focus of the research project leads to insights into student guidance as well as practically applicable outcomes, in the form of design principles or tested guidelines. The research project aims to contribute to better guidance of various groups of students in their study choice, study career and future orientation, so that more students can find perspective in education and work.

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