Licensed psychologist, national certified career counselor, and master career counselor Dr. David Reile is managing director of USA-based Career Development Alliance LLC (CDA, estb.1993), a company that offers career counseling services, executive and leadership coaching, and organisational consulting services. Reile is also on the board of advisors of the New Delhi-based Mindler Education Pvt. Ltd (estb.2015), a new-age career guidance company.

Newspeg. Dr. Reile was in Bangalore on March 1 to conduct a leadership workshop for school teachers and principals. Two days earlier, in Delhi he launched the International Career Coach Certification Module, a three-month hybrid mode credentialing programme for career counselors co-designed by Mindler and CDA. 

History. A community counseling postgraduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, with a Ph D in counseling psychology from Howard University, Washington, Reile has taught career development courses at the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins and more recently at the Loyola University, Maryland. In 1993, Reile promoted Kensington Consulting, a private counseling and consultation services company. 

Direct talk. “There’s a huge shortage of qualified career counselors in India. About 90 percent of schools in this country don’t provide counselors or career guidance services to students. Knowledge plus skills training make school and college-leavers industry-ready. However, this is not enough. Students also need help to choose career paths best suited with their aptitudes. Therefore, the role of career counselors/planners needs to be acknowledged in all schools. I believe the three-month hybrid credentialing — a three-day face-to-face workshop followed by online learning — programme designed by CDA and Mindler, which has deep knowledge of the K-12 system in India, will be widely welcomed by school principals and teachers across the country,” says Reile. 
Future plans. Looking ahead, Reile believes the number of professional counselors in India will multiply rapidly.

“The idea of professional counseling and career guidance for students in schools and higher education institutions has struck root in India. Working together with the Mindler Education team, I hope to be able to assist school leaders and teachers in helping students make suitable career choices. Education is not only about knowledge acquisition, it’s also about building career paths that lead to fulfilling lives in adulthood. I believe most educators in India are beginning to accept this proposition,” says Reile.

Odeal D’Souza (Bangalore)

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