Educational and vocational counseling has an essential role in shaping and planning the career path of young people, such as students.
Currently, in the pre-university education system in Romania, the student counseling process presents a series of shortcomings and aspects that should be significantly improved:
• the insufficient number of counselors in relation to the number of students (currently a counselor can have even 600 students in charge, often from several schools),
• lack of resources to facilitate students' access to counseling services,
• the lack of an effective training system for counselors or the insufficient and ineffective promotion of support services and their importance for the personal and professional development of students.
In the absence of real support offered to young people to discover their potential and make the most appropriate decisions regarding their career and development, and as a result of a deficient counseling system during pre-university studies, consequences are reached that can also be observed in the environment university, with some students dropping out after just a few months due to the wrong choice of field of study.
In relation to the increasingly important role played by the student counseling system, the Rector of UVT, prof. Dr. Marilen Gabriel Pirtea, points out: "The West University of Timișoara prioritizes the training of future school counselors, who carry out their activity in the pre-university environment, through the master's university study program Counseling and educational integration. Graduates of this master's degree program are prepared to teach at the pre-university level and act as school counselors specializing in educational psychology, school and vocational counseling, and educational integration specialists. They acquire transversal and specialized skills in complex fields, such as: evaluation and psychopedagogical intervention, educational and career counseling or curriculum adaptation. Also, this UVT program aims to develop practical skills through applications in the University Clinic of Psychopedagogical Therapies and Counseling, as well as in several partner organizations.
If we analyze in depth the general unfavorable context in which the student counseling system is located, we notice that it can have much more harmful effects on the development and training process of young people, during the pandemic period we are going through, when many young people need and greater support and appropriate support. Thus, we believe that the Government of Romania, through the Ministry of Education, will have enough reasons to pay special attention to the field of student counseling in the near future, including by supporting universities for the development of quality human resources training programs, which will carry out with professionalism such of activities in the pre-university system".
The need for educational counseling is extremely high in pre-university education, both from the perspective of direct beneficiaries (students) and from the perspective of indirect beneficiaries. Educational counselors are the ones who offer psycho-pedagogical assistance to all students who encounter difficulties in school learning, in adapting to the social environment of the school or for those with emotional or behavioral difficulties. The educational advisor also proposes preventive programs to reduce school dropouts, addictions or risk situations, etc. It offers assistance (counseling) to teachers as well, in relation to educational management or teaching activity, in the relationship with parents or in organizational relations. The educational counselor offers psycho-pedagogical counseling services to parents/guardians, both at group level, through organized lectures, and individually, for cases in risk situations or for those presenting problematic behaviors.
Master's degree program Educational counseling and integration is carried out by the Department of Educational Sciences, in collaboration with the Department of Psychology, within the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology.
In addition, UVT meets the personal, educational and professional development needs of students through a series of related activities, addressed to them, such as preparation for the baccalaureate exam, contests in specific fields or vocational and professional counseling activities. Here we can remember the webinars offered free of charge to students throughout the country in which topics from the field of educational psychology are addressed.
Also, UVT, in partnership with Great People Inside, makes the platform available to students YTM, where pupils and students can test their aptitudes, interests and personality through scientifically validated psychometric instruments. After completing the test made available on the platform, students can outline a clearer picture of the study program suitable for them, thus being supported in making an informed and responsible decision regarding the continuation of their studies. In addition, they can turn to an advisor within the framework The Center for Counseling and Career Guidance (CCOC) from UVT for clarification and additional questions.
In order to prevent university dropout and to ensure the best possible integration of young people into the academic environment, in addition to the counseling activities dedicated to students before entering the university system, UVT also supports students through various counseling activities, right from the first days of studies. The Career Counseling and Guidance Center (CCOC) of UVT is the only such structure in the country that has direct contact with all students of the first year of university studies, through the discipline of Professional Counseling and Career Guidance, where they are helped to define a career plan, starting from the first semester of studies. In addition, throughout their university studies, students can at any time benefit from individual counseling, personal development workshops, guides and other services offered by CCOC to shape a successful future.
