Work place simulation in counselling education

The purpose of this paper is to inform a project which will seek to enhance the skills development and thus employability of the graduates from the graduate certificate in counselling skills offered at the University of Abertay, Dundee. A workplace simulation project will be developed that is based on the concepts of learning communities and draws upon the established pedagogy of experiential learning. This paper will also briefly consider some current educational models of learning before looking at a specific example of innovative learning practice within the graduate certificate in counselling skills at the University of Abertay. This paper will seek to show how 'skills practice' sessions within the counselling skills programme, link with Abertay graduate attributes. This paper will review the use of innovative student centred and subject specific pedagogy models relevant to the field of counselling skills. The paper will also seek to link to core knowledge and skills required for professional practice and development of professional practice with the UK Professionals Standards Framework required of lecturers (www.heacademy.ac.uk)