Career Practitioners (Employment Counsellors)

(NOC 4156)

in All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

Employment counsellors and career development practitioners provide information and help to job seeker clients on all aspects of the job search and career development. They also provide advice and information to employer clients regarding employment issues and human resources. Employment counsellors and career development practitioners work for human resource departments of companies, employment service organizations, universities and colleges, consulting firms, prisons, and by federal and provincial governments. Supervisors of employment counsellors are included in this group.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate Decline employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 15 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Moderate rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

  • Estimate 1830 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 5515 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$21.54

Minimum

$23.59

Median

$41.03

Maximum

Annual Pay

$8,933

Minimum

$39,095

Median

$65,380

Maximum

Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

Hourly Pay

$16.30

Minimum

$30.00

Median

$51.30

Maximum

Annual Pay

$5,616

Minimum

$44,335

Median

$92,599

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Employment counsellors and career development practitioners provide information and help to job seeker clients on all aspects of the job search and career development. They also provide advice and information to employer clients regarding employment issues and human resources. Employment counsellors and career development practitioners work for human resource departments of companies, employment service organizations, universities and colleges, consulting firms, prisons, and by federal and provincial governments. Supervisors of employment counsellors are included in this group.

Job duties

Employment counsellors:

  • Interview clients to get employment history, educational background, and career goals.
  • Identify barriers to employment and help clients with job readiness skills, job search strategies, writing resumes, and preparing for job interviews.
  • Assess need for assistance like rehabilitation, financial aid, or further training and refer clients to the appropriate services.
  • Provide established workers with information and strategies for maintaining a job or moving within an organization, dealing with job dissatisfaction, making mid-career changes, and adjusting to workplace transitions.
  • Collect labour market information for clients about job openings, entry and skill requirements and other occupational information.
  • Advise employers on human resource and other employment-related issues.
  • Provide consulting services to community groups and agencies, businesses, industry, and other organizations involved in providing community-based career planning support or resources.
  • May administer and interpret tests designed to determine the interests, aptitudes, and abilities of clients.

Sample job titles

  • career coach
  • career counsellor
  • career development practitioner
  • career resource centre coordinator
  • case manager
  • employer engagement specialist
  • employment counsellor
  • employment maintenance worker
  • job coach
  • job counsellor
  • job developer
  • workforce development officer
  • workshop facilitator

Skills

  • You should have an interest in the welfare of others and a desire to help them. Patience, maturity, and good listening skills are important. You must be able to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing. Leadership, reasoning and decision-making skills are also necessary. An understanding of human nature is also important.

Job requirements

  • A bachelor's degree or college diploma in employment counselling, career development or in a related field like human resources development, psychology, education or social services is required.
  • A master's degree in counselling psychology or a related field like educational psychology, developmental psychology or social work may be required.

Other considerations

  • Movement to positions in personnel or training is possible. Progression to supervisory positions is possible through experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

465

employed in 2016

88.3%

employed full-time

3.2%

self employed

77.7%
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22.3%
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45.2

median age

Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

55,420

employed in 2016

76.4%

employed full-time

6.6%

self employed

64.0%
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36%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
43.5

median age

Where will I likely work?

47.9%

Halifax

$40,051 median annual income
18.1%

Annapolis Valley

$44,312 median annual income
14.9%

Cape Breton

$37,012 median annual income
13.8%

North Shore

$40,473 median annual income
5.3%

Southern

N/A

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

39.7%

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

16.7%

Health care and social assistance

12.8%

Educational services

11.5%

Public administration

7.7%

Other services (except public administration)

What is the age of Employment?

28.0%

45-54

24.0%

35-44

20.0%

25-34

18.0%

55-64

6.0%

65+

3.0%

15-24

Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

24.2%

35-44

22.7%

45-54

21.4%

25-34

17.2%

55-64

8.4%

15-24

Top levels of education

42.6%

Bachelor

$38,939 median annual income
18.1%

High school

$43,139 median annual income
18.1%

College Diploma

$38,222 median annual income
10.6%

Master

$40,478 median annual income
5.3%

Diploma Above Bachelor

N/A

Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

28.9%

Bachelor

$45,929 median annual income
21.2%

College Diploma

$35,398 median annual income
16.8%

Master

$71,043 median annual income
14.6%

High school

$29,055 median annual income
4.6%

Doctorate

$100,443 median annual income

Education & training

Applied Behaviour Analysis

College or University Program

These programs focus on applying principles of learning and behaviour to enhance the development, abilities, and choices of children and adults and prepares students to address the behavioural needs of individuals, especially those with developmental disabilities and autism. They include courses in behaviour analysis and learning, behavioural and functional assessment, developmental psychology, applied behavioural analysis in developmental disabilities and autism, applied behavioural analysis in mental health and aging, research methods, evaluation of interventions, and professional and ethical issues.

Institutions providing this program

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Human Resources Development

College or University Program

These 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

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Human Services

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on the general study and provision of human and social services to individuals and communities and prepare students to work in public and private human services agencies and organizations. They include courses in the social sciences, psychology, principles of social service, human services policy, planning and evaluation, social services law and administration, and applications to particular issues, services, localities, and populations.

Institutions providing this program

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Psychology

College or University Program

These programs focus on the scientific study of individual and collective behaviour, the physical and environmental bases of behaviour, and the analysis and treatment of behaviour problems and disorders. They include courses in the principles of the various subfields of psychology, research methods, and psychological assessment and testing methods.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

University of King's College

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

School Counselling and Guidance Services

College or University Program

These 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.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Social Work

College or University Program

These programs prepare students for the professional practice of social welfare administration and counselling, and focus on the study of organized means of providing basic support services for vulnerable individuals and groups. They include courses in social welfare policy, case work planning, social counselling and intervention strategies, administrative procedures and regulations, and specific applications in areas like child welfare and family services, probation, employment services, and disability counselling.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Sociology

College or University Program

These programs focus on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. They include courses in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

Regulations

Career Counsellor

Special Requirements: Standards exist for this job in Nova Scotia. Certification or membership in a professional body may be required by employers, but a certificate is not needed to do this work.

Regulating body:
Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association - Career Counsellors Chapter
Ottawa, ON
Career Development Practitioner

Special Requirements: Standards exist for this job in Nova Scotia. Certification or membership in a professional body may be required by employers, but a certificate is not needed to do this work.

Regulating body:
Nova Scotia Career Development Association
Bedford, NS

Contacts

Employment Nova Scotia
Halifax, NS
Nova Scotia Career Development Association
Bedford, NS

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.