A Career Counselor in a Psychological and Pedagogical Counselling Center - Qualifications and Competencies

Abstract

Introduction. Educational and career counseling has in Poland almost a hundred years of history. The first counseling centers were established in the interwar period, and their main task was to support young people in choosing a profession.

Research Objective. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of psychological and pedagogical canter in the process of choosing a profession for young people. The article is a review. The primary focus here is on the person of a career counselor (in the context of the formal requirements for this profession, i.e., qualifications, competencies, desired personal characteristics), as well as delineated by the educational law tasks, areas of activity, content, forms, methods, and tools necessary for work in this position.

State of knowledge. The career counselor employed in the psychological and pedagogical counseling center is a specialist in vocational orientation and guidance, assisting primary and secondary school students in planning their educational and career. It is a person with high formal qualifications and competencies (in terms of knowledge and skills), endowed with such desirable personal qualities as openness, kindness, empathy, communication skills, and patience. The counseling process is based on establishing a positive relationship with the client, recognizing the individual's resources (supported by diagnostic testing), and developing an individual action plan (IPD).  Professionals' workshop is created according to the provisions of educational law, according to clients' different needs and expectations.

Conclusion. Supporting the student in educational and professional choices makes the decision-making process more conscious and thoughtful, thus increasing the client's chances of success in future school and work. On the one hand, counseling activities have their specific methodology; on the other hand, they are performed in a very dynamic reality. Therefore, this specialist's knowledge, skills, and workshops must be constantly expanded and updated to meet today's challenges best.