Educational counsellors
Educational counsellors advise current and prospective students on educational issues, career planning and personal development, and coordinate the provision of counselling services to students, parents, teachers, faculty and staff.
Good
Market Demand
TEER 1
Skill Level
NL, PE, AB
Top Provinces
What They Do
- Counsel students regarding educational issues such as course and program selection, time tables and scheduling, school adjustment, attendance problems and study skills
- Counsel students regarding career or vocational issues including career exploration and planning, résumé preparation, job interview skills and job search strategies and make available to them a wide range of educational and occupational information
- Coordinate co-op and school-to-work transition programs, and the provision of counselling and information services, such as career information, professional development sessions and exchanges with other educational institutions, to students, parents, teachers, faculty and staff
- Consult with teachers and parents or faculty and other professionals such as psychologists, speech therapists and social workers regarding various issues and concerns, and with administrators and community agencies regarding programs and referrals
- Administer and interpret standardized intelligence, personality, vocational, aptitude and interest tests
- Develop and coordinate study skills groups or workshops in high schools, colleges and universities on topics such as note-taking, test or examination anxiety and preparation strategies and time management skills
- Visit colleges and secondary schools to provide academic information to prospective students, their parents and educational counsellors
- Coordinate or participate in student orientation programs in colleges or universities
- Arrange for employers to recruit graduating college and university students, and students for co-op education work terms
- Counsel students regarding personal and social issues such as substance abuse, depression, sexuality, eating disorders, anxiety, self-esteem, family problems, relationship and interpersonal skills and anger management
- Counsel students in crisis situations such as dealing with the death of a friend or family member, suicidal tendencies and abuse situations
- May supervise peer counselling programs in school settings
- May supervise field experience for graduate students in counselling
- May teach regular classes.
Qualifications
- checkA bachelor's degree in counselling, career development, education or social sciences is required for counsellors in school settings.
- checkA master's degree in counselling psychology or a related field such as educational psychology, developmental psychology or social work is usually required.
- checkEducational counsellors in post-secondary settings require an undergraduate degree and may require a graduate degree. A particular academic specialization may also be required.
- checkIn Quebec, membership in L'Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d'orientation is mandatory to use the titles ''vocational counsellor'', “guidance counsellor” and “vocational guidance counsellor”.
- checkA teacher's certificate in the province of employment and some teaching experience is usually required for counsellors in school settings.
- checkEducational counsellors in colleges and universities may require licensing from a provincial regulatory body governing psychologists, educational counsellors or social workers.
Market Outlook by Province
Newfoundland and Labrador
The employment outlook will be Good for educational counsellors (NOC 41320) in Newfoundland and Labrador for the 2025-2027 period.The following factors contributed to this outlook:Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.Here are some key facts about educational counsellors in Newfoundland and Labrador: Approximately 400 people worked in this occupation in May 2021. Educational counsellors mainly work in the following sectors: Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111): 57%Universities (NAICS 6113): 25%Community colleges and C.E.G.E.P.s (NAICS 6112): 13% The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:Full-time workers: 94% compared to 83% for all occupationsPart-time workers: 6% compared to 17% for all occupations66% of educational counsellors work all year, while 34% work only part of the year, compared to 56% and 43% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 46 weeks compared to 40 weeks for all occupations.The gender distribution of people in this occupation is: Men: 23% compared to 51% for all occupations Women: 77% compared to 49% for all occupations The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is: no high school diploma: n/a high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 27% for all occupations apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: n/a bachelor's degree: 12% compared to 14% for all occupations university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 79% compared to 7% for all occupations
Good
Outlook
Prince Edward Island
The employment outlook will be Good for educational counsellors (NOC 41320) in Prince Edward Island for the 2025-2027 period.The following factors contributed to this outlook:Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.The majority of educational counsellors are employed in the educational services sector, primarily in elementary and secondary schools. Employment opportunities in this occupation depend on enrollment at the secondary level and on government funding. The K-12 student population in the province has been increasing in recent years due to strong population growth and this resulted in new employment opportunities for educational counsellors. Furthermore, the province has earmarked considerable investment over the next five-years towards the construction of new schools, renovations and other major projects. However, the announcement by the federal government to reduce immigration targets will mean a slowdown in population growth and although the impact of this policy is uncertain at this time, it could have some affect on employment prospects over the medium term.The job requirements usually vary depending on the educational setting. In elementary and secondary schools, counsellors are required to be certified in addition to having at least a bachelor's degree. Educational counsellors in colleges and universities may be required to hold a master's degree in education or other disciplines such as sociology. In addition, fluency in a second language can be an asset to job seekers generally. Some of the job opportunities are for part-time work.Here are some key facts about educational counsellors in Prince Edward Island: Approximately 100 people worked in this occupation in May 2021. Educational counsellors mainly work in the following sectors: Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111): 61%Universities (NAICS 6113): 30%Provincial and territorial public administration (NAICS 912): 7% The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:Full-time workers: 86% compared to 84% for all occupationsPart-time workers: 14% compared to 16% for all occupations41% of educational counsellors work all year, while 59% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.The gender distribution of people in this occupation is: Men: 17% compared to 51% for all occupations Women: 83% compared to 49% for all occupations The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is: no high school diploma: n/a high school diploma or equivalent: n/a apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: n/a bachelor's degree: 28% compared to 17% for all occupations university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 56% compared to 8% for all occupations
Good
Outlook
Alberta
The employment outlook will be Good for educational counsellors (NOC 41320) in Alberta for the 2025-2027 period.The following factors contributed to this outlook:Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.Here are some key facts about educational counsellors in Alberta: Approximately 1,650 people work in this occupation. Educational counsellors mainly work in the following sectors: Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111): 49%Universities (NAICS 6113): 24%Community colleges and C.E.G.E.P.s (NAICS 6112): 14% The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:Full-time workers: 89% compared to 80% for all occupationsPart-time workers: 11% compared to 20% for all occupations62% of educational counsellors work all year, while 38% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 44 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.Less than 5% of educational counsellors are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.The gender distribution of people in this occupation is: Men: 18% compared to 53% for all occupations Women: 82% compared to 47% for all occupations The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is: no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations high school diploma or equivalent: 7% compared to 28% for all occupations apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 13% compared to 19% for all occupations bachelor's degree: 43% compared to 21% for all occupations university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 34% compared to 9% for all occupations
Good
Outlook
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Immigration Pathways
TEER 1 occupations typically require a university degree and qualify for Express Entry. These are high-priority for STEM and healthcare category draws.
Express Entry (FSW)
Provincial Nominee Programs
Category-Based Draws
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Top Companies Hiring
Organizations with the most NOC 41320 openings right now.
Wilfrid Laurier University
7 active roles · Waterloo, ON · Brantford, ON
Central Alberta Co-op Ltd.
7 active roles · Olds, AB · Spruce View, AB
University of Toronto
7 active roles · Toronto, ON
Simon Fraser University
6 active roles · Burnaby, BC
Six Nations Polytechnic
6 active roles · Brantford, ON
Carters
5 active roles · Moncton, NB · Burnaby, BC
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Search Educational counsellorsarrow_forwardCore Competencies
Persuading
to effectively communicate the benefits and potential outcomes of various options to help students make decisions that align with their goals
Social Perceptiveness
to counsel students on personal and social issues, including substance abuse, depression, sexuality, anxiety, self-esteem, relationship and interpersonal skills
Fluency of Ideas
to suggest multiple career paths for students unsure about their future and to offer varied strategies for improving academic performance or coping with stress
Verbal Ability and Speech Clarity
to provide information to students, parents, teachers, faculty and staff on matters related to student orientation, career or vocational issues, professional development and interactions with other educational institutions
Collaboration
to consult with teachers, parents and other professionals to support students in career, social and personal development
Knowledge in Training, Mentoring and Coaching
to understand how to effectively support students to reach their educational and career goals by offering career and personal development, information on post-secondary education and recruitment events
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