Anyone know what qualifications one needs to become a Careers Advisor at a School/College?

[TomAndJerry]

I have absolutely no idea. My Cousin has asked me to post this as she is considering this route.

Answer here

Thanks Lilymaid. Very informative. I will phone my cousin and let her know what it says.

If DD's careers advisor was anything to go by no qualifications were needed she was absolutely useless, anything DD wanted to do the woman said no I don't think so and more or less said she could never be good enough. (DD has been working in her first choice of career for two years now and is doing very well at it). This woman is actually the careers officer for the local authority so covers several schools

I did the post grad course if your cousin wants any more info.

bobsyouruncle - What undergraduate degree have you got? You need this first then the postgrad 1 year course don't you???

Yes, mine's psychology, but there were people on my course with lots of different undergraduate degrees, not all social science but maths, science etc. I don't think the type of degree is that important, it's more about skills & personal qualities tbh. Experience of some type of youth work would be an advantage, paid or voluntary.

When I trained it was a one year course with placements, then your first year in a job was probationary - this may have changed though, I don't work as a CA anymore!

bobsyouruncle - I just passed on the information that you posted, and my cousin told me that her Careers advisor told her not to do a degree in Psycholoy or Sociology, and that her degree should be in a Curriculum subject, i.e, English, Maths, History etc. She said she could do a straight degree or a 50/50 2 subjects degree.

I am just wondering why she was told she has to do a degree in a curriculum subject. She would rather do Social Sciences.

Thanks anyway.

Hmmmm... find that advice a bit dodgy tbh! And I think the current careers info such as that given on the website linked to on this thread back me up! As far as I know there is no preferred first degree subject and social sciences very relevant. Advise your cousin to contact the course leaders of the post grad courses she's thinking of applying to & ask them what they're looking for. Really important to do the degree course she wants to do, especially if end result is the same!?