To see to the professional needs of its people, the U.S. Navy has officers and enlisted sailors who specialize in career counseling services. Enlisted Navy career counselors are found within the Navy counselor career field or "rating." Navy sailors holding other ratings also serve as command career counselors within their particular units, such as those on ships or at Navy bases. Navy counselors, or NCs, and command career counselors take a variety of career training and specialty courses applicable to their jobs.

Navy Career Counselors

The U.S. Navy's NCs are the principal advisors on policies and regulations related to Navy enlisted career planning matters. Navy career counselors also help Navy commands organize and implement aggressive enlisted career development and retention programs. Many Navy commands may not have actual NC-rated sailors, but almost all have other sailors serving as command career counselors, sometimes as an additional duty. Navy NC and command career counselor coursework includes recruiting techniques as well as retention and career development programs.

NC Career Training

To become an NC, a Navy sailor must convert from another rating and have a thorough knowledge of Navy organization, policies and procedures. The Navy NC rating only accepts sailors in the E5 or E6 pay grades. Technical training for sailors accepted into the NC rating lasts for four weeks and is held at Navy bases in San Diego and Norfolk, Virginia. Navy NC courses include incentive programs and how to interview personnel, plus how to design individualized career development pathways for each sailor, according to Navy Personnel Command.

Command Career Counselors

Navy commands are required to have at least one career counselor per 30 sailors. Sailors selected to serve as command career counselors also attend a four-week course held at the Navy's Fleet Training Center in San Diego. Navy command career counselors receive training in computers and how to utilize the Navy's Career Information Management System. Additionally, Navy command career counselors are taught how to administer career counseling programs, including enlistment and re-enlistment procedures, career retention and special re-enlistment bonus programs.

Navy Career Tools

Navy NCs and command career counselors have access to a wide variety of online training to keep skills current. "Navy Career Tools" is a series of Web-based applications that keep Navy career counselors up to date and able to assist fellow sailors with their career planning needs. All training and actual career counseling online programs for Navy career counselors are found within the Navy's Command Career Counselor Toolbox application. Navy NCs and command career counselors are expected to utilize the Navy CCC Toolbox regularly.