Counseling represents a process that is almost impossible to define in its entirety, as well as to standardize during the actual implementation. This master thesis tries to cover the different characteristics of counseling, with an emphasis on pedagogical counselling and pedagogical counseling in an educational institution. Pedagogical counseling in an educational institution is carried out by a school professional associate pedagogue, who has to have certain competencies to performing such work. Therefore, the main aim of this master thesis is to present the counseling work of the school professional associate pedagogue in educational institutions and to establish what competencies are needed for the school professional associate pedagogue to carry out counseling work. It is evident that counseling work is one of the most complex areas of work of pedagogues. In order to carry out counseling work, a school professional associate pedagogue, in addition to experience in working with young people and knowledge of their development, should have extremely developed pedagogical competencies. In addition to general, specific competencies are significant for conducting counseling work and can be divided into different professional knowledge (pedagogical and psychological), qualifications, values, skills, abilities. Positive personality traits and life-ethical orientation are also significant. School professional associate pedagogues develop their competencies through formal, higher education, but also through additional professional training and informal learning. By developing competences, the school professional associate pedagogue also develops his own knowledge and work and in this way he is more prepared to help students in any situation in which they may find themselves.