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Occupational Counseling in Heidelberg (1978)
After passage of the Law for the Promotion of Employment Measures (Arbeitsförderungsgesetz or AFG) of June 25, 1969, the Federal Institute for Employment expanded occupational counseling and brought it under federal control. Occupational counseling was supposed to have a “prophylactic” effect – that is, it was supposed to prevent the type of unemployment that resulted from poor occupational choices. In 1978-79, as part of the fight against high levels of base unemployment (the result of structural change) the Federal Institute for Employment offered occupational counseling to 1.28 million individuals.