Staff responsible for guidance in early childhood and school education 

Each school or higher education institution is responsible for employing the staff they need and the types, and number of personnel in various categories is not regulated. In larger schools there is usually a guidance counselor (studie- och yrkesvägledare).

Counselors at school level

Educational and vocational guidance is generally given within the schools and it is the responsibility of the school head to ensure that all pupils receive educational and vocational guidance. There are especially trained career and guidance counselors (studie- och yrkesvägledare) at compulsory schools (grundskola), upper secondary schools (gymnasieskola) and in schools for municipal adult education (kommunal vuxenutbildning). Although career education and guidance is the responsibility of all school personnel, the career and guidance counselors have specialist knowledge that plays a central role in career education and guidance. In order to be employed as a career counselor in the public school system, the applicant must have an education that is intended for such work.

There is a 3 year university programme for career and guidance counselors. A school-leaving certificate från gymnasieskolan with a additional passing grade in social sciences (the basic requirement for tertiary education is a passing grade in Swedish/Swedish as a second language and English) is required for admission to the programme. Guidance counselors are recruited by schools through open procedures and are employed by the municipality on a permanent contract.