Abstract:

In the recent years, the profession of a school career counsellor in Latvia is becoming more in demand, and their numbers are rapidly increasing. These are specialists working in general, special and vocational education institutions. Their duties in schools vary greatly: cooperate with the school administration, class teachers, parents of the students; conduct group classes; provide individual career counselling; take care of the implementation of career support events in the school; explore the companies, organisations, and sole proprietors that can invite students for a visit to show them everyday work of professionals in different fields, the specific nature of the profession and working environment; organise educational excursions to such companies; perform methodological and research work. However, the entirety of school career counsellors working in Latvia is very non-homogenous. This is why the aim of this research is to describe the professional profile of school career counsellors in order to make conclusions about the support they require. Research methods: analysis of the information available in theoretical literature and the unpublished databases of the State Education Development Agency. Current laws and regulations in Latvia that govern the operation of the career development support system in the State are also analysed in this research.

Through empirical research it was found that the workload of school career counsellors varies from 0.3 to more than 1, and these people work at one or several education institutions (maximum 7) at the same time. 18% of them work as school career counsellor only; whereas 82% perform other duties as well: a teacher of a specific subject (Latvian Language and Literature, English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies, Home Economics and Technologies, Sports, Geography, etc.), social educator, librarian, class teacher, project coordinator, afterschool teacher, school administration work, etc. During the research it was found that of all school career counsellors only 23% are qualified to give individual consultations to students, and this is a very low indicator.

The most significant conclusions are related to the necessity to provide systemic support for improving the professional qualification of school career counsellors (seminars, courses, lectures, supervisions, etc.), for creating new methodological materials and electronic tools in order to promote cooperation among these specialists, municipal institutions and entrepreneurs, for introducing mentoring and experience exchange strategies and developing interpersonal communication skills.

Keywords:

School career counsellor, duties, professional profile.