Times Higher Education, BMI and Common Purpose launched the THE Counsellor Accreditation Programme (CAP) in May this year.
Throughout the week-long course, counsellors from around the world attended talks and discussions on topics from emerging technologies to students’ career paths, exchanged opinions on recent developments in counselling and explored various universities in London.
Here is some of the feedback received from counsellors who participated in the course.
Buket Ayaz
Head of careers and university counselling, Nord Anglia International School, Dubai
I came into the sessions thinking that I would be thinking only about college counselling and how to make that better. But now I feel like I am a different person, because I’m not only thinking about college counselling, but I’m also thinking about how I can incorporate so many different things into it. Like the advancements in AI (artificial intelligence), technological advancements – the speed of it, and how I can keep up with it.
It’s brought me to a whole different level, and I can definitely say that what I was before attending the CAP – I’m a totally different person now. And that’s what I will take back to my school, to my community, and teach them what I’ve learned throughout the programme.
Augusto Neto
Assistant director of university guidance and careers, scholarship mentor and BTEC CMP teacher, St Paul’s School, São Paulo
We’ve just finished the first-ever Times Higher Education CAP. It’s been an absolute honour to come here to London and to have participated in this fantastic programme with counsellors from around the world – 90 of us here this week.
The CAP is an absolutely amazing programme that can help counsellors around the world to brush up on their knowledge, to validate some of their experiences and to gain a lot more insight into the world of college counselling from the experiences of those all over the world.
In the future, the Times Higher Education CAP will be available to everyone online and for free. So you should definitely, if you hear about it, ask other counsellors who participated and take the CAP yourself. Certainly, you’re going to be adding to the vast wealth of knowledge and experience we brought together here this week.
Jennifer Tassell
Head of the counselling department, International School of Panama
The CAP was probably one of the best professional development experiences I’ve had in my 15-year career. Everything was extremely current and applicable. There are so many takeaways that I have from this.
I’m actually a little bit stressed because there are so many things that I want to do, that I’m going to want to implement when I get back and I think I’m probably going to overwhelm my team a little bit with all the ideas. But I’m so excited.
Myriam Polo de Molina
College placement counsellor, Colegio Colombo Británico
It has been really enriching for me to participate in this important event, because that’s one way to be up to date with what’s going on with the counselling department and all the skills that we develop – all the tools and strategies that I can bring to my school and also share with my stakeholders, especially with teachers.
Artificial intelligence is one of them for me. It’s a new topic, but I think that’s the most important one, because that’s one way for me to improve my time with students. If I spend less time doing paperwork, then I can really give effective attention to my students.
Aline Chmatalik
School counsellor and coordinator of international studies, Escola Móbile
The CAP was very good for us: networking, sharing experience. It was very good for our network. Also, we have so many great ideas that we can bring back home and talk to our students, to our faculty, families. So, yes, I think everyone should do it. It was a great opportunity.
Kate Cottrell
Global connections centre consultant, Colegio Hacienda Los Alcaparros
This experience with the CAP was eye-opening. I think I came here thinking “I am a career and college counsellor” and realised really that I’m a counsellor preparing students for this uncertain future that they have.
I have been connected with colleagues around the world, with new ideas, with new technology. I feel prepared to go back into my school, my community, and share those ideas, share those tools and really make a difference that’s going to help the future of our students.
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