CERIC’s new “Meet the Moment” tool: highlighting career development value in an uncertain economy

CERIC has unveiled a new resource titled “Meet the Moment: The Essential Value of Career Development in Uncertain Times” to help career development professionals effectively communicate their crucial role amid current economic challenges. 

Designed as a messaging tool, the initiative equips Canada’s estimated 40,000-60,000 career development professionals with language to articulate how their expertise addresses urgent concerns of jobseekers and clients facing disruption from new tariffs, workplace AI transformation and cautious hiring practices in today’s volatile economy. 

“Career development is shifting from a periodic consideration to an indispensable, ongoing practice,” notes the resource, which positions career professionals as both first responders to immediate career crises and long-term partners in building workforce capacity and resilience. 

The initiative comes at a critical juncture as Canada navigates significant economic restructuring that requires investing in people as much as products. With a new federal government in office, the timing creates an opportunity to advance the conversation beyond the traditional “fail-first” model of career services and position career development as essential workforce infrastructure. 

The tool features seven key messages that career professionals can incorporate into their communications: 

1. Your Economic Safety Net in Uncertain Times – Positioning career guidance as a necessity rather than an option 
2. Trusted Expertise for a Changing World of Work – Highlighting the specialized knowledge and training of career professionals 
3. Helping You Navigate Uncertainty with Confidence – Emphasizing personalized action plans and practical strategies 
4. Championing Decent Work, Not Just Any Work – Supporting the pursuit of secure, fulfilling employment with living wages 
5. Supporting Career Growth at Every Stage – Promoting career development as a lifelong investment 
6. Empowering You to Shape What’s Next – Reframing setbacks as stepping stones to new possibilities 
7. Strengthening Careers, Communities and Canada – Connecting individual career success to community resilience and national prosperity 

The resource encourages career professionals to apply these messages across multiple channels including websites, social media and marketing materials. It also serves as a discussion starter among colleagues to develop unified messaging that advocates for career services as a public good.