Educational counsellors
Career Overview
Educational counsellors work for K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions, where they provide support and information to students. They offer academic guidance, career information or personal counsel – or a combination of all three – to help students succeed in their studies and beyond.
Duties
Educational counsellors:
- Advise students on course and program selection, timetables and scheduling
- Help students adjust to school and build study skills
- Develop and co-ordinate groups and workshops on topics such as note-taking, time management, exam anxiety and test preparation
- Work with students to explore careers, prepare resumés, develop interview skills and build job-search strategies
- Co-ordinate co-op programs, school-to-work transition programs, professional development sessions and student exchanges
- Provide academic information to future students, their parents and their counsellors
- Organize student orientation programs in colleges and universities
- Arrange for employers to recruit co-op students and new graduates
- Work with teachers, parents, faculty and other professionals such as psychologists, speech therapists and social workers to support students
- Help students with personal matters such as substance use, depression, eating disorders, anxiety, and issues around gender, sexuality, self-esteem, family and relationships
- Counsel students in crisis, including those dealing with abuse, suicidal feelings, or the death of a friend or family member
- Administer and interpret standardized intelligence, personality, vocational, aptitude and interest tests
- May teach regular classes, oversee peer counselling programs or supervise field experience for graduate students in counselling
In post-secondary settings, educational counselling is usually divided into separate roles:
- Academic advisors deal with course and program advising
- Career educators help students with career exploration, resumés and interview skills
- Personal counsellors address mental health and wellness
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
4,430% Employed Full Time
48%Educational counsellors work in K-12 schools, post-secondary institutions, other educational settings and government agencies. They usually keep regular school or office hours.
They work closely with children, youth and young adults. Some spend time visiting schools to meet with prospective students, parents and other educational counsellors.
Educational counsellors may deal with complex and stressful situations. They work with vulnerable children and youth experiencing mental health problems and other issues. They are bound by a strict code of ethics and they must keep information confidential while making judgment calls on potential risks to their students or others.
Career Pathways
In general, elementary school counsellors provide more social and personal counselling, while high school counsellors provide more career and academic counselling.
Educational counsellors in colleges, universities and other post-secondary settings tend to specialize. They may focus on academic counselling, personal counselling or career counselling.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Job Titles
Education, Training and Skills
Educational counsellors must have a bachelor’s degree in a field, such as counselling, career development, education or social sciences. Many jobs also require a master's degree in counselling psychology or in a related field, such as educational psychology, developmental psychology or social work.
To work in the K-12 school system, educational counsellors usually need a teacher’s certificate and some teaching experience.
To work in post-secondary settings, educational counsellors may need an academic specialization and licensing by a provincial regulatory body. For example, career educators can apply for certification as a certified career development practitioner (CCDP) through the BC Career Development Association.
Workers coming to B.C.
Career educators coming to B.C. who are certified by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information, such as a letter of good standing, references or a criminal record check.
Workers who trained outside of Canada
Career educators who trained outside of Canada and have never received certification from a Canadian jurisdiction will likely need a full assessment to be certified in B.C. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants. Contact the BC Career Development Association for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
4,430Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 110 | 2.5% |
| Kootenay | 70 | 1.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 2,890 | 65.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 65 | 1.5% |
| Northeast | 30 | 0.7% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 385 | 8.7% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 880 | 19.8% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)
1,810Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 40 | 0.1% |
| Kootenay | 30 | 0.5% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,050 | 1.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | 20 | 1.1% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 220 | 1.8% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 440 | 1.0% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2023-2033) |
|---|---|
| Educational Services | 1,670 |
| Health Care And Social Assistance | 50 |
| Public Administration | 30 |
| Professional, Scientific And Technical Services | 30 |
| Repair, Personal And Non-Profit Services | 10 |
Insights from Industry
In the K-12 school system, mental health and wellness are a focus for all educational counsellors. Since they are often a student’s first experience with personal counselling, these educational counsellors play an important role in shaping a young person’s attitude and openness in seeking mental health support in adulthood.
Resources
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B.C. School Counsellors Associationbcschoolcounsellor.com
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BC Career Development Association (BCCDA)www.bccda.org/home
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BC Post-Secondary Counsellors’ Association (BC PSCA)bcpsca.com
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BC Teachers’ Federationbctf.ca/
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Independent Schools Association of British Columbia (ISABC)isabc.ca
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Make a Future – Careers in BC Education – Education Assistantswww.makeafuture.ca/careers-in-bc-education
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Teacher Qualification Service (TQS)www.tqs.bc.ca
