Education & Counselling

Shaping the future of next generation through education

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nothing is more relevant than this statement by Nelson Mandela, social rights activist and former president of South Africa.

Education, be it formal or informal, forms the groundwork of most career journeys – that is probably why you logged on to our webpage in the first place. Professional roles in most, if not all industries often require you to have some forms of education or certification to begin with. Whether you are a high school certification, diploma, degree, or master’s degree graduate, education level paired with practical skills makes a major contribution to your employability.

You may not be relying solely on what you learnt in the classroom to excel in your job, but what you learned will certainly help pave the way towards pursuing your desired career. Take mathematics as an example. It may seem as easy as solving an equation, but mastering each of them brings you a step closer to high-paying careers like auditor, computer programmer, financial analyst, economist, and even medical scientist. (Time to be good and appreciate your teachers!)

Now, what if we do a role switch and make you the guiding light who helps shape the bright future of the next generation? If you are keen, careers in the Education and Counselling are definitely worth exploring. Let us delve right into it.

What are the career options?
If boredom or being stuck in the classroom are your concerns about working in this field, you can be less worried. Beyond classroom job options like teachers, coaches, and lecturers, there are many other different roles within a school system.
Career opportunities in Education and Counselling include:
  • Teacher (Preschool, Elementary, High School, or Tertiary Education)
  • Private Tutor
  • Sports Coach
  • School Librarian
  • School Principal
  • School Counsellor
  • Curriculum Manager
  • Dean of Students
  • Education Consultant
  • College Academic Advisor
  • Community Director
  • Chief Academic Officer
What skills do you need?
An ability to teach or guide is a given for sure. However, education is not only about teaching and learning, but also about being a support system for students to discover their interests, potentials, and personal growth. It takes strong communication and interpersonal skills to help guide students through their educational progress, making these two the key skills you need to be hired in the Education and Counselling field.
Some other skills you will need are:
  • Leadership
  • Critical thinking
  • Organisation
  • Patience
  • Commitment
  • Creativity
  • Record keeping
  • Lesson plan and syllabus development
  • Adaptability to audience
  • General computer skills
  • Professional development
  • Community building
How is it like working in the field?

Are you a people person? If yes, you might want to consider building a career in Education and Counselling. Most job roles in this field require you to actively interact with students, their families, or other social communities. You may also expect some administrative and organisational tasks such as preparing lesson plans, grade assessment and recording, or helping students with college applications or scholarships. Regardless of which role you are taking on, your goals are mainly, but not limited to educate, inspire, motivate, and encourage students while preparing them for their future careers.

Here are some common job scopes you should expect as a teacher or educator:
  • Prepare comprehensive lesson plans and schedules.
  • Teach students based on national curriculum standards.
  • Create and distribute education materials such as notes, assignments, and exam papers.
  • Assess and record students’ progress.
  • Provide grades and feedback.
  • Provide educational and social guidance as needed.
  • Observe students’ behaviour and provide advice or support as needed.
  • Encourage students’ participation in lessons, as well as in other school activities.
  • Safeguard students’ welfare.
  • Research new topic areas and maintain up-to-date subject knowledge.
If you are leaned towards counselling roles, be prepared for these tasks:
  • Assist with college programme enrollments, jobs, and scholarships.
  • Listen to students’ academic, emotional, or social concerns.
  • Mediate conflict between students and teachers.
  • Review and update student records.
  • Help students find their interests and strengths through aptitude assessments, interviews, and individual planning.
  • Evaluate student progress and provide support as needed.
  • Assist with academic, skill, and career development.
  • Identify issues that affect school performance.
  • Represent school or institution in education fairs or events.
Competency-based learning: the future of education.

Very likely! Workforce demand has been ever-increasing in the agriculture sector. In fact, employers find it hard to fill their vacancies with qualified graduates. To overcome this labour shortage, farming and fishing companies worldwide are no longer limiting the opportunities to applicants with qualifications or direct experience in the sector. As long as you have relevant transferrable skills and experiences, you would be welcomed with open arms.

What’s more? The need for agricultural products will hardly cease – well, we all need food to live. The demand for food products will only continue to increase, along with the growing population. With these demographics, the need for labour in the sector can only become greater.

What are the latest trends?

Although adherence to national education guidelines is essential in streamlining syllabus and facilitating students’ progress tracking, schools and institutions today are finding new ways to incorporate personal skills development in their lessons. These initiatives came about as employers find human skills as (or even more) important than technical skills that can be picked up over time. One of such approaches is competency-based learning which focuses on students’ desired learning outcomes and demonstration of skills.

Rather than being bound to traditionally defined subject syllabus and having students make their progress within a fixed schedule, regardless of whether they have truly mastered the subject, competency-based learning allows students to learn and move forward at their own pace. In short, students’ progress happens only when their competencies are proven. It is believed that this approach is far more effective in preparing students for the working world.

While more private schools around the world are attempting to incorporate this new form of learning in their education system, some parents and public schools are concerned about its effectiveness without a standard assessment. To determine its applicability, teachers are encouraged to slowly introduce this concept by preparing more engaging lessons and taking students’ preference into account. For example, language competency can be better built by allowing students to pick their own books and sharing their findings, than merely making them study textbooks.

Imagine if you are one of the educators who successfully implement this approach on a full scale. You will be helping students of all backgrounds and learning capabilities in achieving their career dreams!

In a nutshell
Education and Counselling is where you can improve the lives of others, and not merely products or profitability. We find this the best of all reasons to build a career in this field. If you think so too, it is a sign to start exploring this career area!