Career counselling service is referred by different names in different countries. Some of them are- ‘vocational guidance’ and ‘academic guidance’. European Nation and World Bank have defined career counselling in a broader sense which encompasses concepts of career information, career guidance along counselling. You will read about “State of career counselling in India” in this blog.
The aim of doing this is to provide the seeker with career management skills for making sound career decisions. Career guidance as has been discussed in the above two chapters emphasise in-depth information about the selected career stream for a student. This makes them aware of the challenges and opportunities in their career field.
Government Policies
Indian Government has launched the National Career Service in 2015 which has been supported by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. It has a focus on skill development, vocational training, and career counselling and employment generation. It is one of the modular systems that have been placed in the ecosystem to reach out to the masses in need of career counselling. Although the system is in place since 2015, it is yet to reach all the students and professionals. The major challenge is a population that comprises 315 million students and double the professionals. In contrast, there are very few career counsellors available in the country which renders all the efforts useless.
Academics And Certification
Several private career counsellors are practising in the country from as early as the 1980s. However, there are still no certified training programs for career counsellors. In fact, this has resulted in unreliable guidance being provided to the students specifically in the rural regions where there is no access to private counselling centres. You can also check guiding working professionals.
Availability Of Counselling
Private practice of career counselling is more readily available in the country, however, the ratio of availability of career counsellor to the number of students is shockingly less i.e. 1:20,000 which is nowhere close to the global standard. Also, the availability is there in Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities only.
Universities’ Initiatives
- Various universities offer diploma and postgraduate courses in guidance and counselling in India. National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) also offer courses in guidance and counselling. The courses, however, are yet not given much importance since the expertise of a career counsellor is more established by his/ her experience.
- Career counselling courses vary from graduate courses to doctorate level in India. As per the recent recommendations, every educational institute must have at least one career counsellor but this is a big challenge due to the unavailability of career counsellors. In the real scenario, some hundreds of career counsellors are available for 1.5 million students.
CAREER COUNSELLOR'S POWER-UP PACKAGE
If you’re feeling stuck in your career or unsure about your next steps, a career counsellor’s power-up package could be just what you need to get back on track. This package typically includes a series of one-on-one sessions with a qualified career counsellor who can help you identify your strengths, explore new career options, and create an action plan for achieving your goals. Additionally, a career counsellor’s power-up package may include access to career assessments and resources, such as job search tools and networking opportunities. With the guidance and support of a career counsellor, you can gain the confidence and skills you need to take your career to the next level.
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