The State of Michigan, United States, had passed a bill mandating all the Michigan universities and colleges for their respective school counselors to include career counseling as part of the services they rendered to their students. In a vote of 101-6, the House of Representatives, as well as the Senate House, gave a strong support to pass and enact the said law.

Formerly House Bill 4181, it was finally enacted into a Public Act 151 of 2017 law just this November

House of Representatives Voted for the Passage of House Bill 4181

It can be remembered that school counselors in Michigan need to render at least 150 hours of studying professional development in order to retain their certification. They also need to render these 150 hours for the entire five-year duration of their certification. However, with this newly revised code passed, the counselors are now mandated to render at least 25 hours of those 150 hours dedicated to career counseling. Aside from that, another 25 hours will be dedicated by these school counselors to prepare their high school students for entering the college life. For those students who wish to seek military opportunities after post-high-school graduation, the school counselors are also mandated to render 5 hours to assist them as well as those students preparing for the K-12 program.

Roberts Believed that Helping the Students Prepare for their Future Is a Vital Point in Opening Up Opportunities in their Life

The legislation believes that hands-on guidance with the students will help them prepare on what’s going to anticipate as they enter the workforce industry. They’ll be able to know what to expect, what the demands of the industry are. They’ll also prepare to be equipped with the necessary skills, abilities, characteristics, and the right attitude to qualify for a said job position. This will also enable the students to create more job opportunities suitable for them. Because of this, the said act received solid support on both houses, with the House of Representatives voted 101-6 vote, while the Senate House voted 38-0 vote that enables the passage of law smoothly.

The Ministry of Education in Michigan Backed the Said House Law

Ministry of Education in Michigan Supported the New Law

Aside from the lawmakers, it seems this educational law is also strongly backed by the Michigan Education Department as well as its universities and colleges. The Ministry of Education believes that through the school counselors, their students will be able to explore career choices and guide them should they also want to explore postsecondary enrollment options. These new services rendered by the school counselors will help boost their performance as they continue making a pivotal point in their student’s lives. The Ministry is also hopeful that this law will pave the way to a bright future for Michigan students as they are now equipped with the tools needed in order to survive and compete in a knowledge-based economy. The school counselors will play a great role in molding the student’s educational network and support as they get through their educational life.

The Congress is Hopeful That The Other States will also Follow Michigan’s Footsteps

The Senate House Passed the Public Act 151 of 2017 Law

After the law was passed, it now falls into the hands of the Michigan interagency to implement the new law. Once the law is deemed effective and there will be a surge of productivity among the student’s education and opportunity as a working professional, the Congress hopes that the other states of America will pass and implement the same law to improve their educational system. In a changing world where the demands of working industry are evolving, our own valued students need to be highly adaptable to such changes and demands. The legislation believes that through the guidance of these school counselors, our students will gain confidence in what they do best and excel in their chosen field of endeavor.

This new shift in the school counselor’s services was received with warm welcome. According to Michigan College Access Network, they welcome this new challenge with vigor in order to improve their services and the quality of education they deliver to their beloved students. They reiterated that as school counselors, they also need to upgrade their skills, abilities, and knowledge in order to cope up with the latest trends of the workforce in order to guide their students not only to become the best working professional but also to improve and become the best version of themselves. The Michigan school counselors cannot wait to put this new law into motion.