In a report from 2022, an international team of researchers compare career guidance professionals in schools in England, Iceland, New Brunswick (Canada), Ireland and Sweden (Exploring the roles, qualifications and skills of career guidance professionals in schools An international review (hkdir.no)) 

The report covers the national legislations that regulate career guidance in schools, the role and qualifications the career guidance counsellors are expected to have, if there are competence standards and mechanisms for quality assurance. In addition, the report presents recommendations for further development in the Norwegian context. 

Key findings in the report include:  

• It is common for governments to place a legal expectation on schools to deliver career guidance. This frequently includes detail about how career guidance should be delivered and requirements for the training and qualification of careers professionals.  

• Qualifications for career guidance professionals working in schools are typically at either the Bachelor’s degree level or at the Master’s level. England and Sweden also supplement the educational qualifications with work-based routes for those who are already in practice but do not meet the requirements. In England, Iceland and New Brunswick the requirement for professional practice is built on through a formal certification or registration process.  

• There are a relatively common set of skills and competences which are identified by the case study countries. These broadly align with the Norwegian National Quality Framework for Career Guidance framework.  

• Most countries have developed forms of quality assurance for career guidance in schools. Quality is assured across a range of domains including policy, organisation, process and people.  

Based on these findings, the following recommendations for Norway are made.  

1) Ensure that schools have a strong and unambiguous requirement to deliver career guidance to pupils.  

2) Include requirements for appropriately trained careers professionals to appointed as part of the regulations that are given to schools.  

3) Produce a school specific articulation of National Quality Framework for Career Guidance framework.  

4) Clarify whether career guidance is a separate profession in schools or a function performed by school counsellors.  

5) Develop and articulate the mechanisms that can be used for quality assurance of career guidance in Norwegian schools.  

6) Strengthen the professional association(s).  

7) Develop a strategy for continuing professional development (CPD). 

More information: 

Hooley, T. (2022). Exploring the roles, qualifications and skills of career guidance professionals in schools. An international review. Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills Exploring the roles, qualifications and skills of career guidance professionals in schools An international review (hkdir.no) 

Source: Eurydice Unit Norway