For most of us, the path to professional success has many twists and turns. It can be difficult to find a profession with purpose, or to get the experience and support you need to achieve your personal career goals. That’s why today’s top wellness colleges offer special practicums to help students set themselves smoothly on-track for the careers they deserve.
Practicums are for-credit job placement opportunities where students can apply their skills in a professional environment, get ‘real-world’ feedback, network with industry experts, and engage in valuable applied career exploration.
Read on for a closer look at five reasons why pursuing a practicum takes your life skills coaching or counselling training to the next level.
1. Gain Practical Experience Working in the Counselling Field
Firstly, practicums give students valuable and practical on-the-job experience, where they can apply their classroom knowledge to real-life situations.
For example, students who pursue practicums with government-run mental health clinics can apply the specific program-planning and mental health counselling skills they learned in-class to members of their communities who need it most.
2. Make Worthwhile Connections in Your Community
During practicums, students work with professionals who mentor their growth, offering guidance, direction, insight, and support. These mentors can be instrumental in helping students envision their own professional futures, and foster the particular counselling skills they need to succeed in the wellness related career of their choice.
3. Evaluate Your Career Goals before Graduating from Life Skills Coach or Counselling Training
Your practicum experience can act as a window to your potential future career: you’ll begin to understand what your work day might be like after you graduate with your diploma.
Pre-graduate practicums give students a chance to reorient themselves toward different niches, counselling styles, or wellness certifications before graduation that may be suitable. Students finish practicums with greatly enhanced understanding of their professional future.
4. Position Yourself for Long-term Employment Opportunities
If you’re passionate about wellness, your energy, enthusiasm, and sense of purpose will often impress the practicum supervisors. When students excel in their practicum environments and leave positive impressions upon their hosts, it is not uncommon for them to be hired at their placements.
Many Rhodes students have been hired by their practicum hosts, or alternatively, have had doors opened and employment contacts made through positive practicum feedback. Students also frequently earn professional recommendations and reference letters from these supervisors, which add valuable weight to their resumes.
5. Give Back to Your Community with Life Skills /Coaching and Counselling Training
Using your life skills training to change lives is a fulfilling experience. The knowledge gained will inspire positive change throughout your community.
The right training program will enable you to begin helping real-world clients immediately after your course work is completed.
For these reasons and many more, you and the world around you can truly benefit from a life skills or wellness related coaching and counselling practicum.
Are you interested in developing your own counselling skills in Vancouver? Visit Rhodes College for more information or to speak with an advisor about taking the first steps towards a rewarding new career.
