Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
Educational, guidance, and career counsellors and advisors advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
Educational mentors and career counsellors' jobs ensure the overall healthy development of children, both physical and mental, by helping resolve behavioural, academic, and other problems.
They counsel students on educational issues, personal issues, truancy, study habits, and career planning, and provide crisis intervention during difficult situations.
School counsellors review transcripts to ensure that students meet college entrance requirements, and write letters of recommendation. They help students with college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs. They also refer students to degree programs based on interests, aptitudes, or educational assessments.
As their academic advisor, they conduct informative sessions on education and career planning and provide instructions on job search, resume writing, and interview skills. They promote career-related programs and events, like career planning presentations, work experience programs, job fairs, career workshops, and conduct orientation programs.
Career guidance counsellors find jobs in public schools, colleges and students’ boardings. All schools are now mandated to have a full-time counsellor and academic advisor. School counsellors usually require a master’s degree in school counselling or psychology.
To become a successful career advisor online, one should have good knowledge of therapy and counselling, education and training, and sociology and anthropology. Additional skills include active communication, social perceptiveness, critical thinking, problem-solving, judgement and decision making, persuasion, monitoring, negotiations and time management.
Qualifications
Every career requires an element of study and academic qualification, and there can be several study routes and pathways you can take. In following any academic pathway you will study subjects that contribute to the specialised knowledge required to achieve your career goals. These qualifications provide a future employer with the evidence that you have the desired knowledge, understanding and experience of their industry, so it’s important to consider the various types of qualifications available to you and to understand how they can boost your career and create opportunities for you.
- M.Phil Psychology
- M.Sc. Psychology
- B.A. Counselling Psychology
- B.Sc. Psychology
Tasks
- Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
- Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.
- Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Provide students with information on topics, such as college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs.
- Teach classes and present self-help or information sessions on subjects related to education and career planning.
- Conduct follow-up interviews with counselees to determine if their needs have been met.
- Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
- Plan and conduct orientation programs and group conferences to promote the adjustment of individuals to new life experiences, such as starting college.
- Assess needs for assistance, such as rehabilitation, financial aid, or additional vocational training, and refer clients to the appropriate services.
Progression Routes
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