Competences of career counsellors in conditions of uncertain future-context of 4th industrial revolution

Abstract

Current labour market is influenced by uncertainty posed by challenges of occurring trends. Those trends are on the one hand shaped by demographic changes influencing labour supply and on the other hand transformations provided by 4th industrial revolution. Emerging innovative technological development, in addition to demographics and rising inequality, brings widespread automation and irreversible shifts in the structure of jobs giving rise to new opportunities but also creating new areas of uncertainty. The unpredictability of the labour market sets new tasks for the institutions supporting better adjustment of labour supply to demand needs. Crucial institution realizing those tasks are career counsellors who provide their service for different groups of clients. Effective career guidance is determined by comprehensive competences of counsellors. It should be noted that with regard to competences in the context of Industry 4.0, most of the research to date has focused on the analysis of employees' competences rather than on the competences of career counsellors. The development of the future labour market is subject to a hitherto unknown transformation. These premises, as well as the originality and validity of the research, both in the national and European dimension, prompted the authors to conduct innovative qualitative study. The aim of the article is to identify future competences of career counsellors in line with the ongoing trends on the labour market.