Vocational guidance and vocational counsellors (1920)

This classic essay-'Berufsberatung und Berufsberater' by Aloys Fischer (1880-1937) is here published for the first time in English, in a translation by Christopher Winch. Fischer discusses the vocational situation after the end of the First World War and considers the needs of young people seeking to choose an occupation in difficult circumstances. He emphasises that vocational choice is difficult and requires specialist help. To this end he describes what he takes to be the aims and duties of the role of vocational counsellor and describes that kind of preparation that such a counsellor needs in order to properly fulfil his/her role. Much turns in the discussion on differences between German and English expressions, and these are discussed in the complementary essay, 'Aloys Fischer: Vocational Orientation and Vocational Choice as Fundamental Prerequisite for Vocational Education' by Erika Gericke, which also explores Fischer's significance in the light of contemporary German VET. An introduction to the broader context is provided in 'Founding German Vocational Education: Kerschensteiner, Spranger and Fischer as key figures in the classical German VET Theory' by Christian Steibe, Dina Kuhlee and Christopher Winch, the Editors of this Special Issue.