In a school guidance programme, three key personnel—Counsellor, Career Master (or Career Teacher), and Classroom Teacher—work together to support students. While their main goal is the same—helping students navigate academic, vocational, and personal challenges—their specific functions differ according to their training, experience, and available resources. Rather than overlapping, their roles are complementary, forming a coordinated system of guidance.

The responsibilities of each personnel depend on several factors:

• Availability of a full-time counsellor
• School infrastructure and facilities
• Time allocated for guidance activities
• Budget and support resources

For instance, a school with a full-time counsellor can run a comprehensive guidance programme, with the Career Master and teachers playing supportive roles. In schools without a counsellor, Career Masters and teachers take on a more hands-on role, ensuring that essential guidance activities are still conducted.

The roles of each personnel can be compared based on their professional background, type of guidance activities, and available resources. Below is a synthesized comparison at the secondary school level:

Comparing the Roles of Counsellor, Career Master, and Teacher in School Guidance

Counsellor

The counsellor leads and manages the school guidance programme. Typical functions include:

• Conducting classroom sessions on career exploration (“Careers for the Future”)
• Teaching skills for daily living and workplace success
• Administering and interpreting interest inventories and aptitude tests
• Leading group discussions on personal needs, wants, and emotional development
• Organizing lessons on entrepreneurship and planning high school curricula aligned with career goals
• Arranging role-playing exercises and other interactive activities
• Providing individual counselling sessions on employment preparation
• Guiding students on workplace expectations, resumes, applications, and interview skills
• Conducting sessions on financial aid, job ethics, coping with stress, and maintaining health related to careers
• Facilitating experiential learning opportunities such as worksite visits
• Supervising group activities and discussions on economic trends, society’s needs, and lifelong learning

Career Master / Career Teacher

The Career Master, often a trained school teacher, complements the counsellor’s work by providing educational and career-related information. Key roles include:

• Coordinating and planning activities with the counsellor
• Designing classroom sessions that link curriculum content with career opportunities
• Helping students evaluate personal needs and vocational goals through structured activities
• Supporting the development of emotional, social, and career awareness
• Facilitating lessons on career clusters, apprenticeships, technical training, college pathways, and on-the-job experiences
• Assisting with assignments, information resources, and practical exercises related to job skills, decision-making, and resume preparation
• Organizing classroom discussions, projects, and experiential opportunities that reinforce career awareness
• Ensuring that students understand how community industries and societal needs influence career options

Classroom Teacher

Classroom teachers, though not specialists in guidance, play a critical role in daily student development:

• They are the first point of contact, identifying student needs and challenges
• Help maintain and utilize the Career Information Centre for academic and career planning
• Foster a supportive and motivating classroom environment
• Promote positive attitudes toward the school guidance programme among students, parents, and peers
• Observe students closely, identifying academic, social, and personal issues that may require specialist intervention
• Use techniques such as personal observation, student interviews, and anecdotal records to understand individual student needs
• Collaborate with the counsellor and Career Master in implementing guidance activities
• Integrate vocational awareness and life skills into everyday classroom teaching

Summary

While the counsellor directs and organizes the comprehensive guidance programme, the Career Master acts as a facilitator and information provider, and the teacher integrates guidance into daily learning and monitors students’ ongoing needs. Together, they ensure a well-rounded, supportive framework that addresses students’ academic, personal, and career development.