Adult guidance worker

Adult guidance workers help people think about their career, and learning and training opportunities

As an adult guidance worker, you'll explain the options available to the people you work with, helping them to make informed choices about their future. You'll offer information, advice and guidance (IAG) on education, training and work opportunities.

You'll often work with people at times of transition, brought about by things such as redundancy, health issues, or a desire or need to change career.

You may work as part of a team in a large organisation or as a sole operator in a voluntary group. Some aspects of the role can also overlap with those of a careers adviser.

The role is known by different titles, such as education guidance worker, personal adviser and welfare adviser.

Types of adult guidance worker

Adult guidance worker roles, include:

• personal advisers - within Jobcentres, and the National Careers Service
• welfare advisers - in contracted organisations, or the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Responsibilities

As an adult guidance worker, you may work with individuals or groups in a variety of settings and will need to:

• provide clients with advice in person, via email or the telephone
• manage a caseload, which is often comprised of a particular client group
• at times work with hard to reach or marginalised groups, including unemployed or disabled people, adults with health and social needs or learning difficulties, and people with few educational qualifications
• conduct interviews, and design and deliver group sessions aimed at building employability skills
• use a variety of assessment tools, such as ability or personality tests, computer-based interest guides or skills inventories and diagnostic tools
• build up and maintain knowledge of information resources on education, training and work and signpost clients accordingly
• organise local jobs fairs and maintain job boards
• collect, update and produce information on local opportunities or in a particular employment sector
• refer clients to other agencies, such as government agencies, training providers or specialist organisations, and advocate where necessary
• liaise closely with welfare, finance and careers services
• undertake outreach work, such as visiting community groups to talk about learning opportunities
• plan, coordinate and attend events and fairs to market opportunities to prospective students
• secure, carry out and monitor contracts, such as the National Careers Service
• meet targets and report to funders - some contracts are paid on outcome rather than the activities delivered
• bid for additional funding and projects, followed by writing contracts and reports
• develop and maintain a network of contacts with other providers of IAG, joining relevant professional associations where possible
• undertake administrative tasks, such as setting up and maintaining client records, conducting audits, recording statistical data and producing management reports
• work towards and maintain accreditation with quality frameworks such as the Matrix Standard or Investors in People
• work with local further and higher education institutions on initiatives designed to widen participation, such as 'taster' or funded courses.

Salary

• You can expect a starting salary of £19,000 to £25,000. This varies greatly depending on the location and organisation.
• Salaries for a team manager or area manager range from £25,000 to £35,000, while senior advisers can earn more than this.

Salary levels vary widely. Salaries in the voluntary sector tend to be lower than in large organisations, such as universities.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Working hours are usually 9am to 5pm, although occasional evening or weekend work may be required.

There are opportunities for part-time and contract work.

What to expect

• Temporary and fixed-term posts are common with contracts dependent on the renewal of funding.
• Advisers usually have an office base but typically undertake information and guidance work in a range of environments including public libraries, community centres, Jobcentres, prisons, hostels and even shopping centres. You may be involved in work with a particular employer or employment sector. An increasing amount of information and guidance activity takes place via email and the internet.
• The work may be stressful and frustrating. Working with clients who may have low aspirations can demand huge amounts of energy. Ethical dilemmas may arise where there's a conflict between targets, such as employment outcomes and the needs of the client.
• Travel between venues and appointments during the working day is common. Overnight absence from home is occasionally required, usually associated with professional training and conferences.

Qualifications

This area of work is open to graduates qualified in all subject areas.

Your subject of study is less important than having the right personal qualities and evidence of real commitment to, and interest in, the fields of education, training and employment and the needs of adult learners.

Entry without a degree or HND is possible for those with relevant experience who are prepared to train on the job.

After gaining some useful experience, many graduate entrants go on to complete a professional qualification, such as the Qualification in Career Guidance (QCG) awarded by the Career Development Institute (CDI).

Postgraduate training in counselling, teaching or social work is also helpful.

Other graduates start by working in a related field, such as information management or community work, and often gain additional experience in a voluntary capacity while undertaking NVQ qualifications in IAG.

This is often a feasible route for graduates who are unable to undertake the QCG. A level 4 NVQ has become a common baseline qualification for posts in the field. Recruiters may expect candidates to possess a level 4 NVQ or at least a willingness to undertake the course.

There may be considerable competition for jobs. Keep up to date with current issues and read relevant publications and websites to help improve your chances. Consider joining a professional association (such as the CDI) as a student member and, if you know which area of the UK you'd like to work in, start networking by attending events and meetings.

Skills

You'll need to show:

• communication and interpersonal skills
• the ability to establish a rapport and work with clients from a range of backgrounds
• assertiveness and the ability to remain calm under pressure
• presentation and facilitation skills
• listening and questioning skills
• the ability to work well as part of a team, but also to work independently, using your initiative
• organisational skills with the ability to prioritise tasks and manage time effectively
• the ability to meet targets and deadlines
• administrative skills including writing reports, maintaining accurate records and using IT
• the capacity to research and manage large amounts of information
• commitment to the principles and practice of equality and diversity.

This is an area where work and life experience are valued. The role is often a second or even third career for many people.

Work experience

Guidance companies sometimes offer trainee posts to people with relevant experience and suitable personal skills and qualities. Training in careers guidance, plus some initial experience, may lead to opportunities in adult guidance.

Pre-entry experience is essential and work in any of the following areas would be useful:

• community work
• counselling
• education
• human resources
• mainstream careers work
• social work
• welfare advice.

Voluntary experience is just as valuable as paid experience and will provide clear evidence of commitment. A good place to search for volunteering opportunities is your local branch of the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA).

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

The number and type of organisations that employ staff in IAG functions has expanded over recent years. You may need to look beyond the job title to identify possible opportunities, as only a few are advertised under the title of adult guidance worker.

Organisation and funding structures vary across the UK, and this affects the types of employment available.

Adult guidance in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland is mainly delivered by:

• Careers Service Northern Ireland
• Careers Wales
• Skills Development Scotland

In England, a careers advice service is offered by the National Careers Service and private careers companies.

Opportunities for employment may also arise in:

• colleges
• community, voluntary and charity organisations
• private careers consultancies
• private industry.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Charity People
• Jobs in Advice
• Local Government Jobs
• Careers in Careers
• Times Educational Supplement Jobs

Most relevant employers advertise vacancies rather than recruit from speculative applications, but it's still worth actively networking to find out who is delivering services in any particular area.

Professional development

There are opportunities for practice-based training and academic study leading to a higher degree. If you're already working in a guidance capacity, either paid or voluntary, you can study for NVQs in Advice and Guidance at levels 3 and 4. These are competency-based qualifications, linked to your ability to perform a range of tasks connected with your work.

Some organisations will consider candidates without a guidance qualification and enable them to take up study while working.

It can be helpful to have a background in interviewing, human resources or customer service.

The Qualification in Career Development (QCD), awarded by the CDI, is a university-based course, which can be studied either full-time or part-time at designated universities across the UK. All programmes are at Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) level 7 (equivalent SCQF Level 11 in Scotland), and most can be topped up to a full Masters degree within a year.

Continuing professional development (CPD) takes many forms including short courses, conferences, visits and work shadowing. CPD is an important aspect of guidance work, and practitioners are expected to be reflective, constantly evaluating and developing their work. Systems of supervision and peer review are becoming more structured.

Employers will also generally expect you to keep up to date with government policy and labour market trends through your own research.

Career prospects

Adult guidance workers often progress from other roles, such as careers adviser, personal adviser, or adult or community education worker, into a specialist adult guidance role.

Career development may be horizontal, for example providing the opportunity to develop research skills by undertaking a project on the needs of a particular group. Sometimes career moves are forced by changes in funding and contract requirements.

There is some scope for promotion to team-leader roles. Team leaders support their colleagues with their training and development and in some cases undertake formal supervision.

Various management roles exist, with responsibility for managing a team, project or budget or other work such as bid writing or staff training and development. Management roles usually mean less opportunity for client contact.

Experienced guidance workers may be able to secure freelance work as writers, researchers or consultants, although this tends to be more prevalent in the higher education (HE) or private sector.