Self-Assessment of Career Counsellor Competencies in the Field of Career Guidance Depending on the Place of Residence

Abstract

The importance of career guidance and the competences of a career counsellor is described and highlighted in this article. The counsellors are seen as key professionals assisting individuals in their educational and job transitions during their career, addressing both individual and labour market requirements. The aim of the study is to analyse the self-assessment of career counsellor competencies in the field of career guidance depending on the place of residence in Latvia. The self-evaluation of career counsellors regarding their competence was used. In the study 340 respondents took part from all Latvia regions, they were graduates of the last eleven years of the Career Counsellors Master's Program and other in-service career counsellors and school career counsellors working in schools, employment agencies and private consulting companies. The data were analysed statistically by using SPSS computer program: 1) crosstab method, 2) chi-squared test. The significance of the results and the most important conclusion: analysing the frequency of respondents’ responses of excellent and good career counsellor competence depending on the place of residence, it can be concluded that excellent (Pearson Chi-Square p-value = 0.867) and good (Pearson Chi-Square p-value = 0.892) career counsellor competence not depending on the place of residence of the respondents, the excellent and good career counsellor competence is equally good everywhere in Latvia.