Abstract

The labour market of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become increasingly competitive, requiring higher qualifications, specialised skills, and informed academic and career decision-making from secondary-school graduates. In response, the Ministry of Education has appointed Career Guidance Counsellors (CGCs) across public schools. Despite these efforts, CGCs continue to face significant challenges, including the absence of a national competency framework, inconsistent qualifications, unclear role definitions, and limited professional development and progression. These gaps restrict their effectiveness in guiding students toward future-oriented pathways, especially at a time when the nation’s priorities are shaped by UAE Vision 2021 and the forward-looking agenda of UAE Vision 2031.

This qualitative study develops a contextually grounded competency framework for CGCs in UAE public schools. The literature review provides an overview of CGCs in the UAE, drawing on the HRD literature on practitioners who deliver client-centred services and on competency frameworks, highlighting how organisational structures, professional learning systems, and socio-cultural expectations shape guidance practice. Building on international competency models from NICE, Canada, Australia, the UK, and Saudi Arabia, while embedding Emirati cultural authenticity, the study conceptualises CGCs as reflective “life designers” whose professionalisation is essential for national talent development.

Empirical data were collected between December 2023 and June 2024 through semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions with CGCs, educators, and key stakeholders across Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates. Thematic Framework Analysis revealed significant regional variations in counsellor preparation, institutional support, and programme implementation. Participants across all regions stressed the need for explicit job descriptions, structured continuing professional development, and the establishment of a unified, nationally endorsed competency framework aligned with the strategic aims of Vision 2021 and the transformative human-capital agenda of Vision 2031.

This study contributes theoretically by integrating HRD perspectives with culturally responsive approaches to career guidance and by proposing a comprehensive, internationally informed, and locally authentic competency framework tailored to UAE public schools. By articulating standards that strengthen counsellors’ professional identity, enhance consistency of practice, and improve their capacity to guide students toward meaningful and future-ready careers, the framework supports the UAE’s long-term aspirations for human-capital development and a knowledge-driven economy.