Counselling and the new world 

By Zoée St-Amand 

A year ago, I woke up in a new reality. Without warning, a virus showed up, disrupting everything in its path. Across the globe, all of us have been affected personally. The labour market has undeniably been shaken up and will undergo an unprecedented transformation. Workers have had to adapt thus far, but they will need to continue doing so, as it is very difficult to predict what the labour market of tomorrow will be like. 

This transformation was well under way even before the pandemic, but it will certainly accelerate the changes. In 2019, the International Labour Organization (ILO) issued a document stating that many factors could have a profound impact on the labour market. The ILO predicts that, within a few years, automation, artificial intelligence and technology, among other things, will have effects that will impact millions of workers across all sectors.  

Today, the effects of the pandemic have already being felt heavily in the restaurant, tourism and health-care sectors, among others. Why is this so important? Because people’s jobs, professions and occupations are a major part of their lives. In 2007, Mercure, Vultur and Fleury conducted a research study involving 1,000 young Quebec workers. The study showed that at least seven out of 10 young people rank work as one of the most important values in their lives. They also reported that work is very important for older workers. Moreover, Dionne and Girardin (2021) note that a person’s profession plays a much more significant role than simply providing an opportunity to earn a living. It has an impact on identity development, social integration and general well-being. 

I went to my mailbox yesterday morning and picked up my copy of l’orientation magazine (February 2021), a publication of the Ordre des conseillers et des conseillères d’orientation du Québec. In it, I read a critique by President Josée Landry of the public’s lack of awareness of the value of the service and the expertise that career counsellors offer in the labour market and in training. I began to think about my future as a professional in the field. I had a feeling that the coming years could be defining moments for the profession: an opportunity for the field to take its rightful place and for employment counsellors to finally demonstrate their relevance in the social sphere. In fact, a study conducted by professors and researchers Milot-Lapointe, Savard and Le Corf (2018) demonstrates the effectiveness of individual career counselling in reducing career indecision and psychological distress. Considering the myriad upheavals in the labour market, I imagine that there will be many challenges and that employment counsellors could be of great help to the clients who meet with them. 

I was in class today, and my professor was speaking about advocacy, both for the client’s well-being and for recognition of the profession. I wholeheartedly agreed, and I put up my hand. Yes, I want to be part of the collective effort to make our profession better known to the public, because I feel that in the years to come our relevance and expertise could help a great number of people. It is such an exciting time for counselling, and it is up to us to seize it, to use it to our advantage and, at the same time, to guide our clients through this unknown future to the best of our abilities. 

Zoée St-Amand, master’s in counselling student, Université de Sherbrooke. Coming from an administrative background, I had a strong desire to work with people that led me to retrain in the field of counselling. I have a keen interest in understanding the changes in the world of work and their impact on individuals, sociology and humankind. 

References 

Dionne, P. et Girardin, V. (February 2021) Travail et suicide : au-delà des chiffres [Work and suicide: beyond the figures]. l’orientation, 22-24. 

Landry, J. (2021, février) L’orientation n’est pas un luxe [Counselling is not a luxury]. l’orientation, 4-5. 

Mercure, D., Vultur, M. et Fleury, C. (2012). Valeurs et attitudes des jeunes travailleurs à l’égard du travail au Québec : une analyse intergénérationnelle [Work Values and Attitudes of Young Quebec Workers: An Intergenerational Analysis]. Relations industrielles, 67(2), 177-198. doi: 10.7202/1009083ar 

Milot-Lapointe, F., Savard Réginald, & Le Corff, Y. (2018). Intervention components and working alliance as predictors of individual career counseling effect on career decision-making difficulties. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 107, 15–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.03.001  

Rani, U. et Grimshaw, D. (2019). Introduction – Travail, emploi, société: que nous réserve l’avenir? [Introduction – Work, employment, society: what does the future hold for us?] Revue internationale du Travail, 158(4), 633-650. doi: 10.1111/ilrf.12141