Lifelong education and training

The career path of any member of education staff starts with the choice of a study programme, which is followed by an induction period, a teaching certification examination, and independent work in a playroom, classroom or other teaching environment. However, this is only the beginning of the development of a member of education staff. Any person who wishes to work with toddlers, children or adolescents, as well as adults, must engage in continuous education and training.

Entry into the profession

The teaching profession is regulated, which means that the conditions for working in the profession are determined by law. The conditions for performing educational work are laid down in the Organisation and Financing of Education Act, while the implementing regulations prescribe the required type of education for teachers and other education staff working in particular officially recognised study programmes.

Teachers in basic and gimnazija (general upper secondary) schools and those teaching general subjects in technical and vocational schools must hold a degree in the appropriate field obtained in a second-cycle study programme, while preschool teachers and teachers of professional subjects in technical and vocational schools must hold at least a first-cycle degree obtained in a study programme of an appropriate field.

During an induction period, education staff train under the guidance of mentors to be able to perform work in an educational institution independently. The induction into the teaching profession is based on an induction programme and beginner teacher–mentor–head teacher interactions. The programme is adapted with regard to the employment status and workload of the beginner teacher. Graduates who are employed in education for the first time, even if they have not yet passed the teaching certification examination, in accordance with the applicable employment legislation, have the opportunity to work in collaboration with and under the guidance of an experienced teacher for at least two months. The Ministry also promotes the employment of graduates by co-funding projects for implementing quality induction programmes, such as "First employment" and "Learning how to be a teacher".

When the induction period is completed, education staff must pass a teaching certification examination to obtain full professional qualifications to work in education in Slovenia. In order to take a teaching certification examination, a candidate must demonstrate that they have the required degree and experience in education and that they have carried out the relevant activities in an educational institution.

Career advancement and further education and training

Education staff may be promoted to the job titles Mentor, Advisor and Councillor. In order to be promoted to these titles, they must obtain sufficient work experience, demonstrate good work performance, complete further education and training programmes in education or otherwise obtain additional functional knowledge and perform various additional professional work.

There are many high-quality programmes for further education and training available to education staff. By way of a public call for proposals, the Ministry selects professional training programmes to be published in the Catalogue of further education and training programmes for education staff (KATIS) and determines conditions for co-funding such programmes. Every year, the Ministry also publishes a public call for applications for grants to subsidise the further education of education and other staff in kindergartens and schools providing public services.