Analysis of the Vocational Guidance Potential of Elementary School Students Through the Edutainment sector: the Kidzania Case

Changing approaches to understanding the relevant XXI century skills for successful professional development makes it necessary to consider new career guidance formats from a very early age. This research has been used the case-study method, the objective of this study is a comprehensive analysis of children’s early career guidance using an edutainment approach considering the opportunities and limitations of its development. The research is based on the case of KidZania. Early children’s career guidance provides the development of soft skills for better adaptation to future professions. It also associated with outlook, rather than with hard skills. It has been found that Kidzania can be an appropriate platform for early career guidance in the format of edutainment. The first stage of the research was the direct observation in KidZania’s city of professions in Moscow. It has been found the using ways of children’s career guidance. The second stage of the study included interviews with teachers, parents, and KidZania’s employees. It has been found the edutainment’s educational message and whether it coincides with the motives of parents and teachers bringing their children there. Early career guidance is not associated with the choice of specific professions, but it associates with the ability to "try on" several roles, using various attributes and information from mentors. It does not concern the choice of one profession for life. A deeper study of the early career guidance of schoolchildren can provide the basis for developing educational policies. The main potential for the development of early-career guidance for children lies in the interaction of the state with the edutainment sector, like Kidzania and the development of a policy focused on early career guidance.