Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Assisting and Caring for Others Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

The Work

• Supports the development of jobseeking skills and techniques such as preparing a cover letter, Curriculum Vitae and application forms
• Helps participants to develop an individual job search plan
• Support & prepare participants for job interviews
• Build relationships and rapport with participants
• Develop verbal communication skills as well as body language skills
• Identify individual strengths and skills and match them to local employment opportunities
• Explore and analyse local available work opportunities
• Have access to the facilities of the Job Club (telephones, computers, internet, email, newspapers, Jobs Ireland website, and other relevant data sources)
• Develop a network of contacts that supports particpants to access employment opportunities

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.
• Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators, and other professionals to discuss children's progress, resolve behavioral, academic, and other problems, and to determine priorities for students and their resource needs.
• Identify cases of domestic abuse or other family problems and encourage students or parents to seek additional assistance from mental health professionals.
• Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
• Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
• Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
• Teach classes and present self-help or information sessions on subjects related to education and career planning.
• Provide special services such as alcohol and drug prevention programs and classes that teach students to handle conflicts without resorting to violence.
• Conduct follow-up interviews with counselees to determine if their needs have been met.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

There are many pathways to develop towards a career in delivering support in a jobs club. Jobsclubs are funded by DEASP around the country and also delivered by local area partnerships in communities. 

Training & Development pathways

FET Centre Traineeship & PLC courses: Teaching/ Facilitation, Youth & Community work, Social work, Social care work, Lifecoaching, or personnel/ HR NFQ level 5-6 Search FET Courses

CAO Higher Education entry: Teaching, Youth and Community work, Social work, Personnel/ HR courses at NFQ level 6-8 Search CAO courses 

Posgraduate Option: Career Guidance & Counselling NFQ Level 7 [special purpose]

Post grad Professional development course options NFQ level 9

Dublin City University (DCU) MSc in Guidance Counselling 2 year part time (contact DCU directly regarding entry criteria)

University of Limerick (UL) MA Guidance Counselling & Lifespan Development 2 year part time (contact UL directly regarding entry criteria)

Maynooth University 

Certificate in Adult Guidance, Theory and Practice 
1 year part-time (contact MU directly for more information and entry criteria)

Post Graduate Diploma (Arts) in Adult Guidance Counselling 2 year part time - FURTHER EDUCATION ONLY - (contact MU directly regarding entry criteria)

Recognising Foreign Guidance Qualifications

NARIC Ireland provides advice on the academic recognition of foreign qualifications by comparing them, where possible and appropriate, to a major award type and level on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). A comparability statement for each qualification listed is available for download on the NARIC website. 

Professional Development & CPD 

Institute of Guidance Counsellors 

ILDN Irish Local Development network

Gov.ie Job Clubs Network support

Last Updated: July, 2022

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €26k - €47k

Salaris will be based on the Local Area partnership salary scale. These may vary slightly between eachpartnership, based on sessional or prorata hours worked

Data Source(s):
ILDN/ Gov.ie/ Forsa

Last Updated: May, 2022

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment growth was below average over the five-year period, with little growth since 2020. It should be noted that career guidance professionals working in the second level system are most likely captured in the secondary teaching occupations. Employment permits issued in 2022 were all intra-company transfers and related to roles outside of the education sector.

• ILDN Irish Local Development Network

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• Intreo - DEASP

  • Nationwide Local Offices
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• Activelink

  • Activelink, 2-4 Merville Road, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin, A94 E3F8, Ireland.
  • 01-6677326
  • [email protected]
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