School Counsellors
(NOC 4033)
in All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community ServicesSchool counsellors advise students on educational, personal, and career-related issues. They coordinate counselling services for students, parents, faculty, and teachers. They work for school systems and post-secondary institutions.
Job Outlook
Average
Read more
Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services
Hourly Pay
$21.43
Minimum$38.46
Median$49.15
MaximumAnnual Pay
$11,714
Minimum$60,033
Median$87,328
MaximumCompared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services
Hourly Pay
$16.30
Minimum$30.00
Median$51.30
MaximumAnnual Pay
$5,616
Minimum$44,335
Median$92,599
MaximumAbout the job
Nature of work
School counsellors advise students on educational, personal, and career-related issues. They coordinate counselling services for students, parents, faculty, and teachers. They work for school systems and post-secondary institutions.
Job duties
School counsellors:
- Counsel students about educational issues like course and program selection, timetables and scheduling, school adjustment, attendance problems, and study skills.
- Counsel students about career issues including career exploration and building, resume preparation, job interview skills and job search strategies, and direct them a wide range of educational and occupational information.
- Coordinate co-op and school-to-work transition programs, and counselling and information services like career information, professional development sessions, and exchanges with other schools.
- Consult with teachers, parents, faculty, and other professionals like psychologists, speech therapists, and social workers about issues and concerns, and with administrators and community agencies about 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 like notetaking, test or examination anxiety and preparation strategies, and time management skills.
- Visit colleges and secondary schools to provide academic information to potential 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 about personal and social issues like substance abuse, depression, sexuality, eating disorders, anxiety, self-esteem, family problems, relationship and interpersonal skills, and anger management.
- Counsel students in crisis situations like 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.
Sample job titles
- academic adviser
- college counsellor
- educational counsellor
- guidance counsellor
- international student adviser
- school adjustment officer
- school counsellor
- student employment services coordinator
- student services counsellor
- university counsellor
Skills
- You should be patient, imaginative, objective, and resourceful. Leadership skills and the ability to motivate students are important. You must be able to communicate ideas in a clear, concise, and interesting way. You must have the ability to demonstrate fair and ethical judgements and maintain confidentiality as the norm. Planning and organizational skills are also necessary.
Job requirements
- A bachelor's degree in counselling, career development, education or social sciences is required for counsellors in school settings.
- A master's degree in counselling psychology or a related field like educational psychology, developmental psychology or social work is usually required.
- School counsellors in college and university settings require an undergraduate degree and may require a graduate degree. A particular academic specialization may also be required.
- A valid Nova Scotia teacher's certificate and some teaching experience is required for counsellors in school settings.
- A master’s degree in counselling with a school counselling stream is required for counsellors in the public school system.
- School counsellors in colleges and universities may require licensing from a provincial regulatory body governing psychologists, school counsellors or social workers.
Other considerations
- Elementary school counsellors generally provide more social and personal counselling whereas academic counselling is provided more by high school counsellors. Educational counsellors in colleges, universities and other settings may specialize in academic, career or personal issues counselling. Energy and stamina are often needed, as a school counsellor's workday involves more than just school hours.
By the numbers
Quick look
employed in 2016
employed full-time
self employed
median age
Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services
employed in 2016
employed full-time
self employed
median age
Where will I likely work?
Halifax
$59,907 median annual incomeNorth Shore
$68,505 median annual incomeAnnapolis Valley
$43,079 median annual incomeCape Breton
$71,245 median annual incomeSouthern
$72,060 median annual incomeCompared to: All NS Occupations
Halifax
North Shore
Annapolis Valley
Cape Breton
Southern
Top Industries of Employment
Educational services
Health care and social assistance
Public administration
Other services (except public administration)
Professional, scientific and technical services
What is the age of Employment?
35-44
45-54
55-64
25-34
15-24
65+
Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services
35-44
45-54
25-34
55-64
15-24
Top levels of education
Master
$77,695 median annual incomeBachelor
$49,467 median annual incomeCollege Diploma
$39,150 median annual incomeHigh school
$5,402 median annual incomeDiploma Below Bachelor
N/ACompared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services
Bachelor
$45,929 median annual incomeCollege Diploma
$35,398 median annual incomeMaster
$71,043 median annual incomeHigh school
$29,055 median annual incomeDoctorate
$100,443 median annual incomeEducation & training
Education of Students with Multiple Disabilities
College or University ProgramThese programs focus on the design of educational services for children or adults with multiple disabilities which adversely affect their educational performance and that prepares individuals to teach such students. They include courses in identifying students with multiple disabilities, developing individual education plans, teaching and supervising multiple handicapped students, counselling, and applicable laws and policies.
Institutions providing this program
Various, NS
Human Resources Development
College or University ProgramThese programs prepare students to apply integrated training, organizational development, and career planning and counselling skills to the design, management, and evaluation of programs to improve individual productivity, employability, and job satisfaction and organizational effectiveness. They include courses in psychology, organizational behaviour, principles of adult education, occupational counselling, skill testing and evaluation, program design, consulting practice, organizational development, and applications to issues such as training, management development, customer service, and total quality management.
Institutions providing this program
School Counselling and Guidance Services
College or University ProgramThese programs prepare individuals to apply the theory and principles of guidance and counselling to the provision of support for the personal, social, educational, and vocational development of students, and the organizing of guidance services within elementary, middle and secondary educational institutions. They include courses in legal and professional requirements, therapeutic counsellor intervention, vocational counselling, and related sociological and psychological foundations.
School Psychology
College or University ProgramThese programs prepare students to apply clinical and counselling psychology principles to the diagnosis and treatment of student behavioural problems. They include courses in child and/or adolescent development, learning theory, testing, observation and other procedures for assessing educational, personality, intelligence and motor skill development, therapeutic intervention strategies for students and families, identification and classification of disabilities and disorders affecting learning, school psychological services planning, supervised counselling practice, ethical standards, and applicable regulations.
Institutions providing this program
Employment requirements & contacts
Regulations
Right to Title and Practice: This job is regulated. The job title is protected, and you may not use it without a professional licence. A licence shows that the holder has met provincial requirements and is required to legally do this work.
Special Requirements: Nova Scotia Teacher Certification is required to work in the public school system. Certification may be required by other education related employers.
Right to Title: This job is regulated in Nova Scotia. The job title is protected, and you may not use it without a professional designation. Professional designation shows that the holder has met provincial standards for the job. Employers may require professional designation, but professional designation is not necessary to do this work.