Research Assistant Nensi Tomac presented research from the VETFIT project at the 3rd Conference of School Psychologists Horizons of Strength; Zagreb, 19-21/02/2026

27/02/2026

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At the 3rd Conference of school psychologists Horizons of Strength, held at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb from 19 to 21 February 2026, Research Assistant Nensi Tomac from the VETFIT project presented research on the alignment of professional interests and programs of vocational schools students

Research findings

Have students chosen the right profession? (In)alignment of professional interests and programs of vocational schools students (authors: Nensi Tomac, Eta Krpanec, PhD, Toni Babarović, PhD) indicate,

a relatively low level of objective alignment of students’ professional interests and selected vocational programs
the connection between reasons for enrollment and alignment – enrollment motivated by interest and employability is positively associated with objective and subjective alignment, and enrollment primarily conditioned by school success is negatively associated with alignment.

The results highlight the importance of enrolling in programs for which students are intrinsically motivated in order to increase alignment with professional interests and enable better career outcomes.