Career Counsellor/Advisor, College Counsellor, Counsellor/Advisor, Employment Counsellor, Guidance Counsellor, School Counsellor
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:
| Starting | $29.26 |
|---|---|
| Overall | $35.62 |
| Top | $41.72 |
Interest in mentoring in order to counsel students on personal and social issues such as substance abuse, depression, sexuality, eating disorders, anxiety, self-esteem, family problems, relationship and interpersonal skills, and anger management; and in crisis situations such as dealing with the death of a friend or family member, suicidal tendencies and abuse situations
Interest in co-ordinating information to provide counselling and information services to students, parents, teachers, faculty and staff on matters related to student orientation, career or vocational issues, professional development, co-op and school-to-work transition programs, and interaction with other educational institutions
Interest in administering and interpreting standardized intelligence, personality, vocational, aptitude and interest tests, and in supervising peer counselling programs in school settings; may supervise field experience for graduate students in counselling; may teach regular classes
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Educational counsellors include school guidance counsellors who work in elementary, junior and senior high schools, and university and college counsellors who work in post-secondary schools such as universities, colleges and technical institutes.
Educational counsellors work with individual students and groups of students. In general, they:
School guidance counsellors also help students select appropriate courses, schedule subjects and choose educational programs. They may have additional teaching duties. They also may be involved in advocating for students and developing new programs related to student development.
Counsellors in secondary and post-secondary schools may supervise work experience programs for students.
Educational counsellors work closely with a variety of other professionals. School guidance counsellors work with teachers, speech therapists, school psychologists, social workers and public health nurses. University and college counsellors work co-operatively with instructors and personnel from the Registrar's Office, work experience programs and placement services.
Educational counsellors usually work standard school or office hours but may spend additional evening and weekend hours supervising extracurricular activities, attending meetings, advocating for students, developing workshops or other programs, and planning for their interactions with clients or other professionals. They usually work in office and classroom environments. The work can be emotionally demanding and stressful, particularly when caseloads are high.
Educational counsellors need the following characteristics:
They should enjoy counselling students, co-ordinating information and developing innovative approaches to problems, and administering and interpreting standardized tests.
Educational counsellors need a master's degree in educational psychology, applied psychology or counselling.
The following schools offer programs and courses that meet this occupation’s educational requirements. Other eligible programs and courses may be available.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
For a broad list of programs and courses that may be related to this occupation try searching using keywords.
Educational counsellors who have related master's degrees may become registered psychologists (for more information, see the Psychologist profile). Career advisors who work in educational settings do not require a related master's degree (for more information see the Career Development Professional occupational profile).
Certification is not required, as there is currently no legislation regulating this occupation.
Educational counsellors work for:
Advancement opportunities to administrative positions vary depending on the size and nature of the employing organization, and the counsellor's qualifications.
In Alberta, 99% of people employed as educational counsellors work in the Educational Services (PDF) industry.
The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the E133: Educational Counsellors occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 1.8% from 2016 to 2020. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 40 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Salaries for educational counsellors vary considerably depending on the employing organization and the counsellor's qualifications.
Counsellors who have teaching certificates are paid according to the same salary grid as elementary and secondary school teachers in their school jurisdictions.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $16.35 | $35.83 | $29.26 | $29.50 |
| Overall | $19.23 | $49.24 | $35.62 | $35.95 |
| Top | $21.63 | $62.84 | $41.72 | $39.47 |
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* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Educational Services | $63,735 |
|---|---|
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $62,470 |
Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) website: www.teachers.ab.ca
The Guidance Council of the Alberta Teachers' Association website: www.guidancecouncil.ca
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) website: www.ccpa-accp.ca
For more information on career planning, education and jobs call the Alberta Supports Contact Centre toll-free at 1-877-644-9992 or 780-644-9992 in Edmonton, or visit an Alberta Supports Centre near you.
Updated Mar 09, 2016. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.