Most schools in Quebec offer the services of a guidance counsellor. However, many parents and students are unfamiliar with the role they play. To learn more about guidance counsellors and how they facilitate school transitions, check out the following article.
It’s completely normal for students to feel overwhelmed when it comes time to pick a career. There are more than 4,000 educational programs and 1,300 trades and professions to choose from, not to mention countless websites offering career advice! Fortunately, guidance counsellors are there to lend a hand. In particular, they help students figure out who they are by asking questions on the following:
- Their personality traits
- Their skills
- Their values
- Their general interests
- Etc.
To find out how you can help your teenager get to know themselves and make the right career choice, check out our article on the subject.
In their final two years of high school, students are invited to meet with their guidance counsellor and choose a career. The counsellor will do the following:
- Outline the student’s general profile (e.g., family and personal history, health, aptitudes)
- Determine any specific needs (e.g., special needs student)
- Identify the student’s interests and desires
- Help them find a career they like
- Determine whether their career choice is realistic and, if necessary, find alternatives
- Etc.
Secondary III students are encouraged to meet with their school guidance counsellor, either individually or in groups, to explore different post-secondary options and identify their interests through activities. Together, they’ll also discuss the following:
- Why high school course selections matter
- What prerequisites students need for certain degrees
- How they can achieve their goals
- What skills they’ll need to practise their dream job
- How to pick the right post-secondary institution
- Etc.
Guidance counsellors work with the school’s teachers and administration to organize academic and career orientation days, which aim to inform students about the different opportunities available to them. Orientation activities may include the following:
- Videos
- Talks
- School visits
- Industry visits
- Internships
- Etc.
Guidance counsellors also speak directly with parents. They can answer your questions and provide information on a variety of topics:
- The school system
- Post-secondary programs
- The services they offer to students
- Etc.
Supporting your child during his career choice process is very important. We invite you to discover some ways to get more involved.
Writing : Amélie Cournoyer
Scientific Review : Mireille Moisan, guidance counsellor
Rewriting : The Alloprof Parents' team
Beauregard, François. « Conseillère et conseiller d’orientation : un rôle central dans la réussite éducative ». Nouvelles CSQ, automne 2013, 34-35.
Matte, Laurent. L’orientation : répondre ou non aux besoins des élèves. Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d’orientation et des psychoéducateurs et psychoéducatrices du Québec, 2010, 4 p.
Merci à Monsieur Luc Gélinas, conseiller d’orientation et président de l’Association des conseillers et des conseillères d’orientation du réseau scolaire du Québec , pour sa collaboration et l’entrevue téléphonique accordée.