CERIC expands Career Development Glossary with five new terms reflecting evolving field

CERIC has added five new entries to its Glossary of Career Development, further strengthening a resource that supports shared understanding and consistent language across the career development field. 

The glossary is a dynamic tool that reflects the evolving terminology of career development in Canada. It offers clear, accessible definitions for terms used by educators, practitioners, researchers and policymakers, contributing to a more cohesive and professional ecosystem. 

Career Literacy: Career literacy is the capacity to acquire and manage the knowledge and skills required to understand career-related information, develop self-awareness of one’s values and strengths, and make informed decisions about career pathways and goals, all while considering one’s individual context and background. 

Career Mindset: A career mindset informs a strategic approach to career development, grounded in self-understanding, that enables an individual to be an intentional participant in their own career. It is characterized by flexibility, openness and a sense of agency in one’s career. An individual’s career mindset can progress over time and with appropriate supports. 

Career Lens: Taking a career lens in policy development means incorporating a perspective that focuses on the impact of policies and decisions on individuals’ career development and progression. It involves considering how policy choices influence people’s opportunities for skills development, employment, job quality, job security, advancement, support systems and overall career well-being. 

Fail-first Career Services: Currently, Canada has a “fail-first” approach to public employment and career services that helps Canadians whose careers have been disrupted by injury or illness, family or socioeconomic circumstance, or layoff. This approach treats career services as acute interventions that are only required during an emergency or crisis.  

Public Good: The “public good” refers to actions and initiatives that are undertaken with the primary goal of benefiting the general welfare and interests of Canada’s entire population and society. It signifies efforts that focus on improving the well-being, opportunities and quality of life for all members of our country rather than serving the interests of only specific groups or individuals. 

These terms reflect CERIC’s commitment to building career development knowledge, mindsets and competencies. They also reinforce the essential role career development plays in serving the public good, by supporting inclusive access to opportunity and economic resilience. 

To view the full glossary and explore recent additions, visit: ceric.ca/glossary-of-career-development.