EDUCTIONAL, VOCATIONALL COUNSELOUR

Job Definition:

• Vocational education teachers teach or instruct vocational or occupational subjects in adult and further education institutions and to senior students in secondary schools and colleges. They prepare students for employment in specific occupations or occupational areas for which university or higher education is not normally required.

Job Description:

• Counsel individuals and provide group educational and vocational guidance services.

Duties and Tasks:

• 1) Counsel students regarding educational issues such as course and program selection, class scheduling, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.
• 2) Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
• 3) Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
• 4) Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, other counselors, and administrators to resolve students’ behavioral, academic, and other problems.
• 5) Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.
• 6) Identify cases involving domestic abuse or other family problems affecting students’ development.
• 7) Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children’s progress, and to determine their priorities for their children and their resource needs.
• 8) Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
• 9) Encourage students and/or parents to seek additional assistance from mental health professionals when necessary.
• 10) Observe and evaluate students’ performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• 11) Enforce all administration policies and rules governing students.
• 12) Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students’ needs and progress.
• 13) Provide students with information on such topics as college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs.
• 14) Evaluate individuals’ abilities, interests, and personality characteristics using tests, records, interviews, and professional sources.
• 15) Collaborate with teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of school programs.
• 16) Teach classes and present self-help or information sessions on subjects related to education and career planning.
• 17) Establish and enforce behavioral rules and procedures to maintain order among students.
• 18) Conduct follow-up interviews with counselees to determine if their needs have been met.
• 19) Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops, in order to maintain and improve professional competence.
• 20) Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
• 21) Plan and conduct orientation programs and group conferences to promote the adjustment of individuals to new life experiences such as starting college.
• 22) Assess needs for assistance such as rehabilitation, financial aid, or additional vocational training, and refer clients to the appropriate services.
• 23) Instruct individuals in career development techniques such as job search and application strategies, resume writing, and interview skills.
• 24) Address community groups, faculty, and staff members to explain available counseling services.
• 25) Attend staff meetings, and serve on committees as required.
• 26) Compile and study occupational, educational, and economic information to assist counselees in determining and carrying out vocational and educational objectives.
• 27) Provide information for teachers and staff members involved in helping students or graduates identify and pursue employment opportunities.
• 28) Review transcripts to ensure that students meet graduation or college entrance requirements, and write letters of recommendation.
• 29) Refer students to degree programs based on interests, aptitudes, or educational assessments.
• 30) Provide special services such as alcohol and drug prevention programs, and classes that teach students to handle conflicts without resorting to violence.
• 31) Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities such as restrooms.
• 32) Observe children during classroom and play activities to gain additional information about them.
• 33) Interview clients to obtain information about employment history, educational background, and career goals, and to identify barriers to employment.
• 34) Establish and supervise peer counseling and peer tutoring programs.
• 35) Plan and promote career and employment-related programs such as work-experience programs.
• 36) Refer qualified counselees to employers or employment services for job placement.
• 37) Sponsor extracurricular activities such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.
• 38) Perform administrative duties such as hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
• 39) Provide information to businesses regarding human resource and employment issues.

Activities:

• 1) Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• 2) Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• 3) Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• 4) Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• 5) Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• 6) Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• 7) Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• 8) Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• 9) Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• 10) Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• 11) Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• 12) Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• 13) Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• 14) Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• 15) Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• 16) Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• 17) Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• 18) Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• 19) Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• 20) Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• 21) Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• 22) Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• 23) Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• 24) Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• 25) Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• 26) Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• 27) Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• 28) Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• 29) Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Abilities:

• 1) Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand
• 2) Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• 3) Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• 4) Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• 5) Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• 6) Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• 7) Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• 8) Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• 9) Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Knowledge

• 1) Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• 2) Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• 3) Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• 4) Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• 5) English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• 6) Sociology and Anthropology — Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
• 7) Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• 8) Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• 9) Therapy and Counseling — Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.