From 25 to 27 September 2026, the “Agrupamento de Escolas Francisco Simões (Almada)” held a multiplier event in Serpa, in southern Portugal. Over three days, the event brought together students, teachers, parents and representatives of the Municipality. Its purpose was to present the main results of the CAGEA project to the people who can put them to use: the manual, the online platform and the project websites.
CAGEA (Career Guidance from an Early Age) is an Erasmus+ KA2 European initiative coordinated by Portugal. It helps secondary students aged 13–17 connect what they learn at school with the realities of the job market. It does this through digital tools, teacher training and resources for families. The event was designed to share these outputs beyond partnership and give them a life in the local community.
The CAGEA Manual: a practical guide with ready-to-use activities for teachers and counsellors, supporting career education from an early age.
The CAGEA Platform: an interactive online space where students take part in self-reflection and career exploration activities, discovering their interests, strengths and possible pathways. The platform is available in Portuguese.
The project website: a central point for news, results and resources, available in several languages, including Portuguese.
What made the event special was who was in the room. Our students took an active part, showing how they used the tools and sharing their own experience of thinking about their futures. Teachers discussed how the manual and activities could be integrated into their classes and tutoring work. Parents heard how they can support young people in matching their personal skills with future labor-market needs. Representatives of the Municipality showed their interest in strengthening the link between schools, families and local development.
Over the three days, the event reached 33 participants: 20 students, 4 teachers, 6 parents and 3 representatives of local institutions.
Participants showed strong interest in the project’s outputs, with many saying they wished such tools had been available when they were choosing their own careers. Students’ feedback was especially encouraging: the activities prompted them to reflect on who they are and what they enjoy, while the platform introduced career options, they had not previously considered. This is precisely CAGEA’s purpose—to help young people develop self-awareness early and make informed, confident choices.
The CAGEA team thanks everyone who took part, especially our Director and the Municipality, the participating schools, families and students, for their welcome and engagement. Career guidance works best when the whole community takes part, and this event was a good step in that direction.
