What is education counselling? why it is needed for student who wants to pursue professional degree?

Students who receive career counselling are better able to recognize their own interests, values, and skills. It helps students to understand to choose a career with confidence. Career counselling helps students feel less anxious about their future by giving them a clear path and concrete steps to follow.

What is education counselling? why it is needed for student who wants to pursue professional degree?

The word counselling means is to give guidance, as a student or a teenager they always need counselling every aspect of their life. As we are talking about the education counselling here it comes about counselling related to student education. Meaning of education counselling is the professional advice given to the student regarding his future, opportunity and growth.

 Frank Parsons, father of counselling, in 1908, thought that it was important to assist young people in making better informed career selections based on their talents, interests, and job market demands. Frank Parsons thought that everyone has the right to a happy career, so he created a counselling system that assisted individuals in finding occupations that matched their abilities and interests. Frank Parsons believed that everyone had the right to a fulfilling career, so he created a counselling system to help people find jobs that were a good fit for their skills and interests. He also founded the Vocational Guidance Bureau in Boston, the world's first vocational guidance organization.

Since thereafter the counselling for student was followed. In India Acharya Narendra Dev, understood the importance of student’s counselling in 1938, and since than the student counselling was followed, and even thereafter there were many upgradations, in counselling process. Parents also understood and educated themselves, they started taking initiative by which student also took the counselling. 

Why is it needed for student who wants to pursue professional degree? Here is why

Career counselling is essential for students obtaining a professional degree since it may assist them in the fundamental objective of career counselling. And also, to assist students in making well-informed career selections that are consistent with their personal and professional aspirations.
Benefits of career counselling include enhanced self-awareness, improved decision-making abilities, less concern about the future, and a clear grasp of the processes required to attain professional goals.

The Position of a Career Counsellor 
A career counsellor is an important resource for students as they navigate the career preparation process. 

• Qualifications: Career counsellors often have degrees in psychology, counselling, or a similar subject, as well as specific training in career assistance.
• Responsibilities: Their tasks include performing evaluations, giving career information, assisting with goal planning, and providing guidance and encouragement throughout the decision-making process. 
• Skills Required: Effective career counsellors have great communication and interpersonal skills, empathy, critical thinking, and the ability to engage and inspire students. 
• Personal Development: Career counselling helps students identify their own strengths and shortcomings, which promotes personal growth. 
• Academic Success: It promotes academic accomplishment by connecting students' educational courses to their employment ambitions.
• Career Exploration: By providing information about career opportunities career counsellor encourages students to discover the one of best career according to their interests and skill set.
   

Different Kinds of Career Guidance

• Individual Counselling: One-on-one meetings help student to concentrate on the requirements and objectives of the student.
• Group counselling: Meetings with several students at one time that promote student to learn and support from one to another.
• Online Counselling: More students can access career counselling using digital platforms for virtual guidance.

There are few steps which are followed by counsellor

1. In career counselling, the first session conducted by the counsellor is  critical, with the goal of understanding the individual's interests, values, personality traits, skills, strengths, weaknesses, and career objectives, the counsellor assists the individual in exploring their interests, passions, and values in order to identify potential career paths that align with their personal preferences and goals, which may include discussions about hobbies, extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, family expectations, peer group pressure etc.
2. Psychometric exams, whether manual or computer based. These assessments collect objective data about an individual's aptitude, personality type, learning preferences, abstract, analytical, and numerical abilities, as well as interests, work values, and career and stream interest inventories. The results provide valuable insights into potential career matches and areas for further exploration.
3. The counsellor looks into several job alternatives that are suitable with the individual's interests, talents, and aspirations. The counsellor may offer tips and resources to assist the client acquire important professional skills such as resume writing, interview preparation, networking, and job search methods.
4. Individuals are assisted in making educated career selections that consider personal interests, values, talents, work market trends, and prospective problems.
5. Career counselling is a continuous process in which the counsellor monitors the individual's progress, addresses any barriers or problems that occur, and adjusts the career plan as appropriate.