Since 20 November 2025, Wallonia has offered a portal dedicated to lifelong guidance (OTLAV, Orientation Tout au Long de la Vie) via cdmetiers.be, the collective website of the Walloon career centres (Cités des Métiers). Developed through a multi-partner initiative, the portal serves as a single-entry point for both citizens and guidance professionals.

Led by the Walloon public service for employment and vocational training, Le Forem, as part of the OTLAV initiative and supported by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and the Wallonia Recovery Plan, the new portal aims to make the available guidance services clearer, more accessible and easier to use. It brings together and coordinates information resources, programmes and initiatives from the different levels of government – regional, community and federal – to provide a coherent and structured overview.

Two complementary access routes

To meet the needs of a wide range of users, including school pupils, students, vocational trainees, workers, jobseekers, parents and guidance professionals, the portal offers two complementary ways to access career guidance services and advice.

• Thematic pathways: structured around four areas (guidance, learning and training, entrepreneurship and work), these step-by-step pathways include stages such as ‘taking stock’, ‘exploring’ or ‘experimenting’. Each stage combines information, advice and questions to help users clarify their situation and identify possible next steps;
• Orientascan: an interactive decision- tree tool that asks users simple questions about their situation and objectives. Instead of producing only an assessment, Orientascan directs users to tailored advice, relevant resources and practical actions linked to available services (resources, activities, personalised support and training).

This dual approach supports independent user navigation while enhancing the effectiveness of adviser-led guidance.

Early results and ongoing development

In the first four months of 2026 the portal recorded more than 15 000 visits and nearly 10 000 unique users, with a significant share using Orientascan. Qualitative user feedback indicates improved understanding of career pathways and easier access to resources thanks to the portal’s structured content and personalised recommendations. The portal is being rolled out as an evolving platform: cdmetiers.be website will continue to consolidate the various Cités des Métiers websites and further adapt based on users’ feedback, partner input and changes in public policy.

A wider guidance ecosystem

The portal forms part of a broader guidance ecosystem that emphasises complementarity among stakeholders

For example, the official portal of the French Community of Belgium, monorientation.be, supports secondary school students in making informed choices about their future. It also supports educational staff by providing practical tools and resources to integrate the educational approach to career guidance into teaching and learning.

Read this publication on Cedefop’s website

Please cite this news item as: ReferNet Belgium, & Cedefop (2026, August 4). Belgium: Wallonia launches one-stop lifelong guidance portal. National news on VET.