Job description Academic Counsellor in Ontario

Find out what work is like for an academic counsellor in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Educational counsellors (NOC 41320).

Educational counsellors

Description

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. They are employed by school boards and post-secondary educational institutions.

Work week duration

Educational counsellors usually work between 35 to 40 hours per week.
Between 35 to 40 hours

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Educational counsellors have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • 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.

Physical demands Help - Physical Demands

  • Sitting

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Workplaces and employers

Here are the typical workplaces where Educational counsellors are employed and some of their main characteristics:

  • School boards
  • Post-secondary educational institutions

Work environment Help - Physical Work Environment

  • Indoors, environmentally controlled

Physical proximity from others Help - Physical proximity from others

  • Close (at arm’s length)

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 41320), and a list of similar occupations:

  • academic counsellor
  • career counsellor - education
  • indigenous advisor – college
  • school counsellor
  • student services counsellor

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Educational counsellors in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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