Career Counselor
Lawton, OK
United States
FLSA Classification
Exempt
Safety Designation
Not Safety Sensitive
Reports to
Director of Student Services
Deadline
April 9, 2025
Start Date
June 2, 2025
Salary
$60,662.00
Job Description
Summary/objective
The Career Counselor supports high school and adult students with career exploration, academic planning, and workforce readiness. This role involves counseling, coordinating career events, collaborating with schools and partners, and serving as a Crisis Intervention Counselor while maintaining confidentiality and accurate records.
Essential functions
· Provide comprehensive career advisement and planning support for current and prospective high school and adult students, guiding them toward informed academic and professional pathways.
· Conduct in-depth research and systematically disseminate insights on career clusters, labor market trends, post-secondary educational institutions (technical schools and colleges), scholarship opportunities, employment prospects, and career exploration resources.
· Act as a liaison between sending schools, collegiate institutions, community partners, and students, fostering strong collaborative relationships that enhance educational and career development opportunities.
· Facilitate the distribution of information regarding available referral agencies within the GPTC district to support student needs.
· Offer individualized career, academic, and attendance counseling to both high school and adult learners, ensuring personalized guidance tailored to their unique circumstances and aspirations.
· Engage with schools, civic organizations, and community stakeholders to promote awareness of institutional offerings and career pathways.
· Develop, coordinate, and deliver specialized programs, including industry-specific tours, career fairs, job expos, career exploration workshops, social-emotional learning initiatives, and employability skill-building sessions.
· Support recruitment, enrollment, and student retention efforts through compelling presentations, campus tours, and direct engagement with prospective students.
· Maintain expertise in full-time and short-term program curricula, ensuring comprehensive advisement for students and community members seeking educational advancement.
· Serve as a Crisis Intervention Counselor, staying well-versed in all legal, ethical, and procedural guidelines related to crisis intervention for both adult and underage students. Participate in ongoing professional training to enhance crisis response capabilities and collaborate with staff in delivering effective crisis support services.
· Uphold strict confidentiality standards in alignment with moral, legal, and ethical obligations associated with crisis intervention and student counseling.
· Ensure accurate and organized documentation and maintenance of both physical and digital student records, adhering to institutional and regulatory compliance requirements
Competencies
Guiding Career Development: Able to help students assess their strengths, interests, and values to explore career pathways and make informed decisions. Understands labor market trends, industry demands, and educational opportunities to provide relevant guidance. Supports students in setting achievable career goals and developing long-term career plans.
Building Job Readiness: Capable of preparing students for the workforce by developing their professional skills, including communication, problem-solving, and adaptability. Provides guidance on resume writing, job applications, interview techniques, and workplace expectations. Encourages confidence and self-sufficiency in career preparation.
Connecting Education, Industry & Partner Schools: Skilled in building partnerships with coworkers, employers, industry leaders, and educational institutions to create opportunities for a diverse population of students. Collaborates with partner schools to align academic programs with workforce needs and provide seamless transitions between secondary, post-secondary, and technical training programs. Facilitates internships, apprenticeships, mentorships, and dual-enrollment opportunities to bridge the gap between education and employment.
Communication, Listening & Counseling Skills: Effective in building trust and rapport with students through effective verbal and written communication, active listening, empathy, and motivational support. Understands diverse student backgrounds and provides personalized guidance to address barriers to success. Helps students navigate career-related challenges, make informed decisions, and develop resilience in their career journey.
Supervisory responsibilities
None
Work environment
The Career Counselor typically works in an office environment, but the mission of the school may require work in partner schools and other settings. A standard workweek is required but may require evening or weekend hours to accommodate activities such as Board meetings and representation of Great Plains at public events.
Physical demands
The Career Counselor role requires the ability to sit for extended periods while also being mobile across school campuses and community events. The position involves lifting and carrying materials up to 25 pounds, as well as using office technology for administrative tasks. Strong verbal, auditory, and analytical skills are essential for effective communication and decision-making. The role also demands the ability to handle high-stress situations and respond effectively to emergencies, crisis situations, and student altercations.
Travel required
Frequent local travel and occasional regional or national travel for professional development, meetings and other activities as assigned is necessary in the Director of Instruction role.
Required education and experience
· Master’s degree in School Counseling
· Valid Oklahoma secondary school counselor certification
Preferred education and experience
· Minimum of two years of counseling experience at the high school, career tech, and/or adult level
· Knowledge and/or experience with career technology programs
Discrimination Statement
Great Plains Technology Center does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, marital status or veteran status, in any of its activities or operations. If you have any questions about equal opportunity please contact; Human Resources, 580-355-6371, hr@greatplains.edu.
Other duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice at the discretion of the Superintendent and/or their designee.
Employment Benefits Include: 100% paid health insurance; paid sick leave; paid school holidays off; tuition reimbursement; 100% paid contribution to teacher’s retirement.
Great Plains Technology Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer
· Valid Oklahoma secondary school counselor certification
· Knowledge and/or experience with career technology programs