Educational Counsellor

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:

• counsel students who are experiencing personal, social, educational or behavioural problems
• provide career or vocational counselling services which may include administering tests and inventories to help students identify their interests, aptitudes and abilities
• collect and make available a wide range of educational and occupational information (for example, information about awards, scholarships and financial assistance programs)
• establish and supervise peer counselling and peer tutoring programs
• act as a resource for teachers and faculty members involved in helping students or graduates identify and pursue employment opportunities
• present self-help or information sessions on subjects related to education and career planning
• help students improve their study habits
• assist students interested in travel and study programs
• evaluate the impact of their work on the lives of the students and other clients
• evaluate the effectiveness of the consulting work they do with teachers and other professionals
• refer students to appropriate services and agencies when required.

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:

• a genuine interest in helping people resolve their problems
• good verbal and written communications skills
• the ability to listen and comprehend with empathy and understanding, without prejudice or judgment
• excellent interpersonal skills
• the creative ability required to develop new programs or ways of doing things
• the ability to demonstrate the impact of the services they offer
• good organizational skills
• a tolerance for ambiguity and an ability to adapt to change quickly.

They should enjoy counselling students, co-ordinating information and developing innovative approaches to problems, and administering and interpreting standardized tests.

Above-average occupational growth is expected in Alberta for 2016 to 2020. Job openings are a result of employment turnover and newly created positions.

Educational counsellors work for:

• schools and post-secondary schools
• correctional facilities
• government agencies
• private practices.

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:

• trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the Educational Services industry)
• location in Alberta
• employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
• occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before)
• size of the occupation.

Over 2,200 Albertans are employed in the Educational counsellors occupational group. This group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 1.8% from 2016 to 2020. As a result, 40 new positions are forecast to be created each year, in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.

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, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-661-3753 or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton, or visit an Alberta Works Centre near you.