2021

CERIC welcomes its 2021/2022 Board of Directors

September 7, 2021By

CERIC is pleased to welcome the members of its Board of Directors for the upcoming year. The volunteer Board guides CERIC in its mission as a national charitable organization to advance career development in Canada. André Raymond, Director, Career Services and Continuing Education at Laval University in Quebec City, returns as Chair of the Board. 

Reflecting a broad cross-section of leaders, the complete list of Board members for 2021/2022 includes: 

  • André Raymond, Laval University, Quebec City, QC (Chair) 
  • Candy Ho, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC (Vice-Chair) 
  • John Horn, BC Pension Corporation, Victoria, BC (Past Chair) 
  • Sue Watts, Employment + Education Centre (EEC), Brockville, ON (Secretary/Treasurer) 
  • Lorraine Godden, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON 
  • Darlene Hnatchuk, McGill University, Montreal, QC 
  • Meghan Lavallee, Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology, Winnipeg, MB 
  • Valérie Roy, AXTRA, Montreal, QC 
  • Rob Shea, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL 
  • Lisa Taylor, Challenge Factory, Toronto, ON 
  • Barbara Wilson, Thrive Career Consulting, Toronto, ON 
  • Donald G. Lawson, The Counselling Foundation of Canada, Toronto, ON (Honorary Director – Ex-officio) 
  • Bruce Lawson, The Counselling Foundation of Canada, Toronto, ON (Executive Officer – Ex-officio) 

Members of CERIC’s three Advisory Committees – Practical & Academic Research; Content & Learning; and Advocacy & Community Engagement – have been appointed by the Board for the next year. Members of these committees play an important role in implementing CERIC’s two strategic mandates: promoting career development as a priority for the public good, and building career development knowledge, mindsets and competencies. 

The focus of CERIC’s work is education and research in career counselling and career development that increases the economic and social well-being of Canadians. This includes funding projects that produce innovative career development resources. CERIC also annually hosts Cannexus, Canada’s largest bilingual career development conference, publishes the country’s only peer-reviewed journal, Canadian Journal of Career Development, and runs the CareerWise / OrientAction news sites.  

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2021

Announcing fall webinars: Anti-racism, Succession, Ethics, Resiliency & Assessment

August 11, 2021By

CERIC along with its partner associations will be offering a variety of webinar series in the next few months to support the career development community on a range of essential topics. Covering critical issues such as ethics in the wake of COVID, career centre succession planning and anti-racist counselling practices, these webinars will give you the latest knowledge you need to succeed. Plan to “head back to school” and refresh your learning this fall.  

The upcoming calendar includes: 

Webinar series cost $119 for members of the partnering association and $159 for non-members. For the webinar series, registered participants will receive a password-protected video recording of each session. The recordings will remain available for one month after the final webinar in the series to allow you to catch up if you miss any weeks. Individual certificates of attendance will be provided to all registered participants who attend the webinars live. 

CERIC partners with associations and organizations across Canada and beyond to present webinars that offer timely, convenient and affordable professional development. Previously, CERIC has also worked with the Canadian Association for Supported Employment, New Brunswick Career Development Association, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, Association of Service Providers for Employability and Career Training BC, Ontario School Counsellors’ Association, Experiential and Work-Integrated Learning Ontario, Career Professionals of Canada, Ontario Association of Career Management, Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d’orientation du Québec, Association québécoise des professionnels du développement de carrière, Labour Market Information Council and the US-based National Career Development Association. 

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2021

Free webinar Sept. 9 to share insights into career management in Canada’s public sector

July 26, 2021By

Author Lisa Taylor will be offering a free webinar on Sept. 9 based on her popular new book that supports government managers in developing and engaging employees. Retain and Gain: Career Management for the Public Sector Playbook sold out on Amazon on its launch date and was downloaded more than 2,000 times in the first two months of release, demonstrating that career development, public sector careers and implications for public policy are critical topics in 2021.   

In this interactive webinar, future of work strategist Lisa Taylor will share how the Playbook has been received as she has worked with groups across the country to introduce this unique resource to executives, managers and employees. Having interacted with close to 1,800 public sector employees in a short period of time, Taylor will share some of the “behind-the-scenes” conversations, findings and uses that have been unearthed.  

Aimed at both public sector managers and career professionals counselling Canadians about opportunities in the public sector, the webinar will address: 

  • What career management looks like in the post-pandemic hybrid workplace  
  • How career management strategies can help to advance diversity, equity and inclusion   
  • Shifting demographics and the implications for career management today  
  • Concrete practical starting points for putting career management into action  
  • How public servants at all levels affect the career development of Canadians   

A sought-after expert on today’s fast-changing world of work, Taylor is President of Challenge Factory and the Centre for Career Innovation. She offers invaluable leadership and insights on how to gain strategic workforce and career advantage with a focus on talent equity, demographics and new market dynamics. 

The Playbook, which was released in May, identifies 40+ low-cost tips, activities and actions that public sector managers can take starting today (some in only 10 minutes a day) to attract, engage and retain staff. Written in an innovative “travel guide” format, the Playbook integrates a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) throughout and recognizes the unique context of public sector workplaces. It is available for purchase or can be downloaded for free at ceric.ca/publicsector. This Playbook follows two earlier Retain and Gain editions Career Management for Small Business and Career Management for Non-Profits and Charities. 

 

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2021

Registration open for first hybrid Cannexus conference, Jan 24-26, 2022

July 23, 2021By

The 2022 Cannexus Career Development Conference – to be held as a hybrid event for the first time – is now open for registration. This dual format for the 16th annual conference will offer the best of both worlds, providing an accessible, content-rich and value-packed opportunity for Canada’s career development communities to convene, share and learn. Cannexus22 will take place Jan. 24-26, 2022 both virtually and in Ottawa, Canada with a bonus ​virtual-only conference day, Cannexus Reflections, on Feb. 4.  

Cannexus brings together professionals across the career and workforce development ecosystem to explore research, policy and practice. The conference will continue to reimagine the impact of career development on education, the economy and social justice as pandemic recovery unfolds. In the past, live Cannexus conferences have drawn more than 1,200 delegates and, last year, the virtual conference attracted more than 2,300 participants.  

Two keynote speakers have been announced so far for Cannexus22: Waneek Horn-Miller and Yvonne Rodney. Horn-Miller is a Mohawk Olympian whose keynotes are aimed at bridging the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. A former Director of the Career Centre at the University of Toronto, Rodney describes herself as an unapologetic introvert who is also an author, career consultant, speaker and playwright. She will discuss how to move from languishing to finding joy in the now.  

The Cannexus schedule for both the in-person and virtual portions is available with the program to be posted by the end of September. Content will cover current and emerging hot topics in career development, including: the future of work and workplaces, building mental health and resilience, and post-COVID labour market trends. Whether part of the in-person version or the virtual conference, delegates will be able to access: 

  • 150+ sessions both live and on-demand 
  • Presenters from across Canada and around the globe 
  • Recordings that are available for six months 
  • Networking opportunities 
  • Exhibitor Showcase 

This instalment of Cannexus will continue to offer special Gratitude rates plus deep discounts for groups, students and members of 30+ provincial, national and international supporting organizations. The Gratitude rate ends Sept. 9, 2021. There are also bursaries available to support individuals in attending the virtual portion of the conference. For 2022, the Marilyn Van Norman Bursary will be awarded to 13 applicants from charitable or non-profit community-based organizations. Additionally, the Young Professionals Bursary will support 12 emerging employment and career development practitioners to attend. Application deadlines are September 30, 2021.  

Cannexus is presented by CERIC and supported by The Counselling Foundation of Canada and a broad network of supporting organizations. For more information on the conference and to register, visit cannexus.ceric.ca. 

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careering magazine cover2021

Spring-Summer issue of Careering dives into Career Pivots

June 23, 2021By

The digital-exclusive Spring-Summer 2021 issue of Careering, on the theme of “Career Pivots,” comes at a time when the workforce is navigating immense shifts. The disruptive impact of COVID-19 on work and education is evident across many of this issue’s articles, from a Grade 12 student’s reflection on her future plans, to interviews with small business owners suddenly thrust into job search.

The broader takeaway, however, is a reassuring one: with the support of career education and career professionals, Canadians can develop the skills to thrive amid change. Careering authors examine theories that support client engagement and the development of a change-ready mindset; they offer strategies for employee career conversations, dealing with employment gaps and supporting lifelong learning; they present effective K-12 career exploration approaches, and much more.

Articles in this issue:

Careering magazine is Canada’s Magazine for Career Development Professionals and is the official publication of CERIC. It is published three times a year and includes select content in French. Subscribe to receive your free copy. You can also access past issues for free online.

The Fall 2021 issue of Careering magazine will be on the theme of “Career Development Reimagined.” New contributors are welcome, and can submit in English, French or both languages. Please review our Submission Guidelines and send a 1-2 paragraph proposal outlining your topic idea to Editor Lindsay Purchase, lindsay@ceric.ca, no later than June 30.

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2021

CERIC releases 2020 Annual Report: A year like no other

June 22, 2021By

With a theme of “Stretch, Support, Strive,” the 2020 CERIC Annual Report reflects on a year like no other. It was a year that took us to new and uncharted places, both as an organization and as a sector. We started the year with banner attendance at Cannexus, Canada’s Career Development Conference, in Ottawa in January 2020. By mid-March, our staff were working from home and CERIC began to respond to the fast-changing needs of career development stakeholders in the face of the global public health crisis. 

As Board Chair André Raymond and Executive Director Riz Ibrahim outline in their Leadership Message, CERIC sought to better understand how these needs were unfolding and what gaps were emerging. We did this through a series of periodic Pulse Surveys that took a recovery-oriented lens and showed remarkable resilience and innovation across career services in Canada. Our response included offering free webinars on timely topics like taking career and employment services online and managing mental and emotional well-being for both clients and career professionals. The pandemic also meant that we had to reimagine Cannexus in 2021 as a virtual offering. Being mindful of the economic uncertainties, we offered compelling rates and were also able to bring in new international partners with the pivot to virtual – all with a view to reimagining career development in this new reality where we found ourselves. 

Internally, CERIC took time in 2020 to fine-tune our new Strategic Plan. Early in the year, we revised our Vision (People in Canada have the capacity to use their skills and talents towards a more fulfilling future for all) and Mission (Advancing career development in Canada) and confirmed two mandates that would drive our work for the next few years. These are: “Promoting career development as a priority for the public good,” working with stakeholders across the career development ecosystem to advance efforts that show the social and economic value, and public benefit of career development; and, “Building career development knowledge, mindsets and competencies,” growing expertise and skills among career practitioners and educators through research, learning and acting as a hub for community.  

Highlights for CERIC that promote career development for public good: 

Key achievements for CERIC that build career development knowledge: 

  • Initiated a project to translate the popular book Career Theories and Models at Work: Ideas for Practice into French, with Japanese, Latvian and Estonian translations also in progress, extending its international reach 
  • In partnership with Memorial University, continued to expand knowledge by publishing two issues of the Canadian Journal of Career Development, Canada’s only peer-reviewed academic journal in the field 
  • Presented free webinars that addressed pandemic challenges and also offered paid series with partner associations in the field on highly relevant topics such as supporting positive outcomes for Black students, with a total of 19,887 webinar registrations 
  • Hosted Cannexus, Jan. 27-29, 2020 in Ottawa, bringing together a record number of 1,258 delegates to learn about and discuss the issues shaping work and well-being in Canada, including workforce development, youth employment and reconciliation 
  • Produced timely resources through CERIC’s popular bilingual content communities, CareerWise and OrientAction (in partnership with Quebec-based GRICS), to help Canada’s career development professionals navigate a rapidly changing reality  
  • Conducted a series of CERIC Recovery Pulse Surveys with 1,146 career and employment professionals to track the effects of COVID-19 on career services across the country, with data showing resilience and innovation  
  • Engaged the next generation of career development researchers through our Graduate Student Engagement Program (GSEP), adding 39 students currently enrolled in full-time master’s and PhD programs  
  • Issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on the linkages between experiential learning and career development to effectively bridge the gap between the classroom and the world of work  
  • Announced the award of the Career Development in Children: Identifying Critical Success Conditions and Strategies project, which will examine how foundational skills introduced by classroom teachers connect to career-related learning in grades 4-6 

In addition to these highlights, as well as inclusion of financial statements, the CERIC 2020 Annual Report also includes an acknowledgement of CERIC staff this past year as well as a special thank you to the CERIC Board and Advisory Committee volunteers who helped us navigate through these uncharted waters and to our funder, The Counselling Foundation of Canada, for its unwavering support. 

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2021

CERIC’s Retain and Gain Playbook helps to grow an inclusive public sector workforce

May 26, 2021By

CERIC has published a new edition of its popular Retain and Gain Playbook to support public sector employers in developing an inclusive, agile and equipped workforce. The bilingual publication comes at a time when all levels of the public sector are focused on career development as a means of putting the full capacity of their talent pools at the service of Canadians, exemplified by the federal government’s recent Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion.

Written in an innovative “travel guide” format, the Playbook is a concise, action-oriented career management resource that public sector leaders and managers can use to attract, engage and retain staff. It applies to all levels of government: municipal, provincial, federal and First Nations. The Playbook is authored by workforce expert Lisa Taylor, who integrates diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) throughout and recognizes the unique context of public sector workplaces. The Playbook is situated in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on public sector careers, including workforce mental health and remote work arrangements.

The publication includes:

  • 40+ practical, low-cost tips, activities and actions that can be implemented in as little as 10 minutes a day (worksheets and additional references included)
  • An exploration of career issues of specific interest to the public sector such as when there are few opportunities for knowledge specialist advancement
  • A special section on “Careers and Canadians” outlining how career management can be a powerful lens for the development of public policy and delivery of public services

Activities in this Playbook will help facilitate dedicated career conversations, individual and organizational career planning strategies and greater awareness of the career-related resources available in the public sector – and how to find them. They will also help foster resilience and responsiveness to changing conditions. The Playbook makes the case that career management offers a strategic lever for stronger organizational performance beyond employee satisfaction and loyalty. It drives better public service and increased opportunity for innovation.

Development of the Playbook was guided by an Advisory Committee that included representation from the Government of Canada’s Interdepartmental Career Community of Practice, National Managers’ Community and Privy Council Office (Public Service Renewal Secretariat) as well as from the Governments of Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. The book is being championed across the public sector as a foundational tool for managers that also responds to the need to support the career advancement of equity-seeking groups:

“Finally! A comprehensive resource that is practical and speaks to the benefits of career planning while providing free tools and pathways that recognize our busy work lives. This should be saved on the desktops of all public service people-management leaders. As the public service readies itself for the culture shift for the future of work, and responds to the calls to action on addressing systemic racism, diversity and inclusion, this Playbook comes at a critical time to help understand how career conversations are essential to align talent with the organizational needs of today and tomorrow…now.”
– Tracey Sametz, Director General, Human Resources, Transport Canada

Retain and Gain: Career Management in the Public Sector is the third book in CERIC’s Retain and Gain series. It builds on the success of two earlier resources also authored by Lisa Taylor: Retain and Gain: Career Management for Small Business Playbook (2017) and Retain and Gain: Career Management for Non-Profits and Charities Playbook (2018).

The Public Sector Playbook is available in both English and French and can be downloaded for free at ceric.ca/publicsector. It is also for sale via Amazon.ca in print or ebook formats. Bulk orders of 10 or more copies can be purchased at a 30% discount and placed through CERIC by contacting sales@ceric.ca.

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2021

Free webinar with Dr. Kris Magnusson on “Working With – and Around – Emotions in Career Helping”

May 12, 2021By

CERIC is offering a free webinar – A Conversation with Dr. Kris Magnusson on Working With – and Around – Emotions in Career Helping – on Tuesday, June 8, 2021. It comes as a follow up to his popular keynote earlier this year at Cannexus21, Canada’s Career Development Conference where he will further explore the dynamic interplay between feeling, thinking and doing and how career practitioners can intentionally use these processes to improve results for clients.

This webinar will be of interest to those working in career advising, employment services and guidance counselling. Others in the broader career development system including educators and policymakers will also benefit. Whether or not you were one of our 2,300 attendees at Cannexus, all are welcome to this free online event.

Dr. Magnusson will continue to discuss how the traditional view on career helping and career counselling as a cognitive process has been dominating funders’ perspective on career services provision. And, he will address how service providers can recognize the powerful role of emotions in helping clients navigate increasingly complex and unique career challenges.

You can watch (or rewatch) his Cannexus keynote and Q&A with Tony Botelho, Director, Career & Volunteer Services at Simon Fraser University in advance.

Dr. Magnusson recently completed two terms as Dean of the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University, and in 2019 returned to faculty life as a Professor. Magnusson’s academic work is in the area of counselling psychology and career development. He was the recipient of the Province of Alberta Career Development Award of Excellence and the 2006 recipient of the Stu Conger Award for Leadership in Career Development. He is also a co-founder of the Canadian Research Working Group for Evidence-based Practice.

Learn more about this webinar and register today.

 

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2021

Nominate a career development leader for the Etta St. John Wileman Award by June 30

April 26, 2021By

The Etta St. John Wileman Award for Lifetime Achievement is designed to recognize individuals who have devoted their lives to enhancing the field of career development. If you know a leader who deserves to be celebrated – a changemaker who has shaped our communities for the better and has impacted your work and the work of the field in significant ways – complete the nomination form by June 30, 2021. 

The award seeks to: 

  • Honour individuals who have established themselves as leaders within career development. 
  • Recognize trailblazers who combine being a mentor, educator, advisor, advocate and role model. 
  • Encourage people in Canada and around the world to celebrate those who have contributed so much to the career development profession. 

Leaders who have demonstrated a substantive and long-term commitment to career development are eligible to be nominated for this prestigious award. The Selection Committee encourages nominations of candidates from equity-deserving backgrounds or of individuals working with communities facing equity challenges. 

Presented on a less than annual basis at Cannexus, Canada’s Career Development Conference, in Ottawa, the award is given in the name of Etta St John Wileman. A little over 100 years ago, with a World War that had just begun, Wileman emerged as champion and crusader of career, work and workplace development in Canada. She was a strong advocate for a national system of employment offices. She lobbied for the role of parents and schools in the career guidance of children. In short, she believed in the importance of work to the human soul.  

Reflecting the spirit of Etta St. John Wileman, past recipients of the award have included Marilyn Van Norman, Denis Pelletier, Norman Amundson, Mildred Cahill, Bryan Hiebert, Donald Lawson, Michel Turcotte and, most recently, Roberta Neault. Several of the previous honourees have recorded video messages to share what receiving the Wileman Award means to them. 

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