This study examined evidence-based coaching, based on the REGROW model, as a tool to improve career counselling in vocational education. Specifically, it was investigated whether teacher...Show moreThis study examined evidence-based coaching, based on the REGROW model, as a tool to improve career counselling in vocational education. Specifically, it was investigated whether teacher administered coaching was more effective in improving student wellbeing and motivation for career counselling sessions, from pre- to post-test, than only receiving regular career advice conversations. In addition, teacher and student evaluations of coaching and career advice conversations were investigated. The participants were 114 vocational education students between the ages of 16 and 27. Of those, 71 students received coaching and career advice conversations and 43 students received only career advice conversations. Additionally, 16 teachers provided coaching and career advice conversations to the experimental group and 9 teachers provided career advice conversations to the control condition. It was found that motivation, perceived choice, and experienced usefulness of the sessions increased over time, regardless of condition. This study did not find coaching to be more effective in increasing wellbeing and motivation for sessions compared to the academic career advice conversations. Neither condition appeared to contribute to a significant increase in student wellbeing. Furthermore, student and teacher evaluations of the coaching/career advice sessions did not differ for the coaching and career advice group. Teacher and student evaluations were positively correlated, indicating that students and teachers were overall in alignment with their evaluation of the coaching/academic career advice conversations. In addition, limitations of the study and suggestions for future research were discussed.Show less
