by Gloria Welton
We take our car in for check-ups and inspections, but something as important as our own career and the stage we are in with our employment tends to be left to chance.
This is the insight that Sareena Hopkins of the Canadian Career Development Foundation (CCDF) in Ottawa brought to an audience of about 120 people at the Career Development Association of PEI (CDA of PEI) annual conference held in Summerside.
“Wouldn’t it be amazing if every Canadian heightened their sense of career awareness every now and then?” says Sareena. “Look inward, look outward, do a check. And if they didn’t like what they saw, they would go to see a Career Development Practitioner for a check-up.”
Sareena says what stands out in her own career path is how incredibly blessed she is to be part of a community practice world-wide doing exactly what she always felt she was meant to do: helping people live healthier and happier lives through career development.
According to the October 2015 Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, 74,400 people are employeed on PEI. However, 8,200 people are looking for work, and this is not counting those who are employed but looking for a career change.
“The work of career development workers and educators on PEI helps people find the career meant for them,” says Kim Murphy, Chair of CDA of PEI. “This effort leads to improved lives, productive workplaces, and a better PEI.”
CDA of PEI Inc. was formed in 1999 and incorporated in 2011. Its members are career and education providers, influencers, and stakeholders. Its mandate is to seek out information and provide networking opportunities to empower its members on PEI.
This year’s conference provided information on what is happening across PEI, Canada, and globally when it comes to advancing the career development profession while keeping the needs of job seekers in focus.
“When we work day to day with students and clients, it is essential to be focused on the individual,” says Sareena. “To serve them best, it is important to know that we are part of a global community of practice.”
Career development field exploding with opportunities
“Every day, we see students and clients struggling to find their way,” says Sareena. “Many face unwelcoming and confusing labour markets. And as career development practitioners we also face our share of funding cuts and instability at work.
“Ironically, many of the current political issues, like skills shortages and workplace health, are exactly what we do, yet no one is looking to career development practitioners for solutions as yet.”
For more details about the work being done with the Career Development profession on PEI, visit www.cdapei.ca.
For job seekers looking for professional Career Development services and programs on PEI, click here.
Resources for Career Development professionals
CCCD has been trying to make the field much more visible to funders, the media, and ultimately to the public they serve. Visit www.cccda.org.
Every two to three years, researchers, policy makers, and practice leaders from around the world, including Canada, come together for a symposium on career development and public policy to exchange, bridge gaps, and collectively strengthen the field. Visit http://iccdpp.org.
The International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance has over 22,000 members world-wide. It can connect you to an entire global community of career practitioners. Visit www.iaevg.org.
The Canadian Research Working Group on Evidence-Based Practice in Career Development is pushing the research agenda in the field. For more recent research and evaluation initiatives, visit www.crwg-gdrc.ca.