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How to Become a Guidance Counsellor: Australian Careers in Counselling

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What is a Guidance Counsellor?

What will I do?

What skills do I need?

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What is a Guidance Counsellor?

A Guidance Counsellor helps people work through personal, study, and career challenges. They work mainly in schools, where they support students at key points in their lives. The goal is to help each person make clear choices about their future.

Guidance Counsellors run one-on-one sessions with students to explore their strengths and goals. They look at each person’s needs and build a plan to address specific concerns. They also work with teachers, parents, and other staff to create strong support networks for students.

Day-to-day tasks cover a wide range of support areas. These include career and study planning, stress advice, and help with job-seeking skills. Guidance Counsellors also step in during crises to give immediate help to students in distress.

This career suits those who want to make a real difference in people’s lives. Guidance Counsellors shape the paths of individuals well beyond school. Strong demand for mental health support in schools means this profession offers both purpose and job security.

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Career snapshots For Guidance Counsellors

Guidance Counsellors are in high demand across Australian schools and community settings. Around 40,100 counsellors work nationally across the broader occupational group (Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025). About 2,800 new positions are added each year, with future demand rated very strong. Most roles are in education and training, health care, or community services. About 49% of counsellors work full-time, with the remainder in part-time or contract roles.

Median full-time earnings for counsellors are $2,154 per week (Jobs and Skills Australia, May 2025). This equals about $112,000 a year. For school-based guidance counsellor roles, SEEK reports average advertised salaries of $125,000 to $130,000 (June 2026). The female share of the workforce is 79%, and the median age is 44 (Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025). Future demand is forecast as very strong, making guidance counselling one of the more stable human services careers.

What will I do?

Guidance Counsellors provide personalised support to help individuals manage personal, educational, and career challenges. They draw on a range of counselling tools and professional knowledge to empower their clients. By building trust and working closely with schools and families, they help students thrive.

  • Career Guidance – Helping clients explore career, study, and employment options based on their skills and interests.
  • Job-Seeking Skills – Providing resources and training to build clients’ job-seeking abilities, including resume writing and interview practice.
  • Substance Abuse Assessment – Assessing client needs related to drug and alcohol use and making appropriate referrals.
  • Individual Counselling – Conducting one-on-one sessions to address emotional, relational, and personal concerns.
  • Family and Couple Support – Running counselling interviews with couples and family groups to improve relationships.
  • Behavioural Strategies – Presenting practical approaches to help clients shift attitudes and behaviours.
  • Rehabilitation Planning – Working with clients to build rehabilitation plans that address vocational and social needs.
  • Special Needs Advice – Giving insights and advice to parents and teachers about students with special learning or behavioural needs.
  • Remote Counselling – Providing counselling services by phone or online as required.

What skills do I need?

Guidance Counsellors need a strong mix of interpersonal and analytical skills. The most important are active listening and empathy, which help clients feel safe to share their concerns. Good communication skills let counsellors explain complex options in plain, clear language. Problem-solving ability is also essential, as no two clients face the same challenges.

A solid grasp of counselling techniques, such as cognitive behaviour therapy, helps counsellors guide clients toward practical solutions. Organisational skills matter too, as counsellors manage case notes, referrals, and follow-up plans. Cultural awareness is important in today’s diverse schools and communities. Ongoing professional development keeps these skills sharp as the field evolves.

Skills/attributes

  • Active listening and empathy
  • Strong verbal and written communication
  • Problem-solving and critical thinking
  • Knowledge of counselling techniques (e.g. cognitive behaviour therapy)
  • Cultural awareness and sensitivity
  • Organisational skills and case management
  • Crisis assessment and intervention
  • Collaboration with educators, families, and allied health professionals
  • Understanding of educational and vocational pathways
  • Ethical practice and confidentiality
  • Emotional resilience and self-care
  • Report writing and record-keeping
  • Adaptability and flexible thinking
  • Facilitation of group sessions and workshops

CourseFinder makes every effort to ensure the information we provide is correct at the time of publication. We welcome your input to help keep our career profiles as accurate and up to date as possible. All queries and feedback will be taken into consideration as we conduct periodic reviews of our content. Add your voice to the conversation!

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About the author

Laura Atkinson

Laura Atkinson

Laura Atkinson is an Account Management and SEM specialist at Course Finder Group with six years' experience in the Australian education sector. She works day to day with universities, TAFEs and independent training providers, which gives her a close view of how courses map to real career outcomes. She writes practical guidance on career pathways, choosing the right qualification and what to expect when moving into a new field.