2021

Free follow-up webinar with Zabeen Hirji on Cannexus keynote: “A Future of Work that Works for All”

April 14, 2021By

CERIC is offering a free webinar – A Conversation with Deloitte Executive Advisor Zabeen Hirji on Building a Future of Work that Works for All: It’s Your Turn to Ask Questions – on Tuesday, April 27. It comes as a follow up to her popular keynote earlier this year at Cannexus21, Canada’s Career Development Conference where she will further explore the topic of inclusive prosperity and answer questions from participants.

This webinar will be of interest to those working in career advising, employment services, guidance counselling, workforce development and human resources management. Anyone in the broader career development ecosystem including educators, employers 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.

Hirji will continue to discuss themes related to our shared purpose in helping people unlock their potential, achieve career success and build inclusive prosperity, including:

  • Re-imagining “work from anywhere,” lifelong learning, employee agency and responsibility, diversity and inclusion
  • Building trust through transparency and authenticity, empathy, inclusion and compassion
  • Grasping this pivotal moment to create Work that Works for All when we are more aware of our interconnectedness but also our inequities

You can watch (or rewatch) her Cannexus keynote and fireside chat with Magnet’s Mark Patterson in advance of the webinar.

As Deloitte’s Executive Advisor, Future of Work, Hirji advises on issues key to the transformation agendas of business and government. She is also Executive-in-Residence at Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University and is the former Chief Human Resources Officer for RBC.

Learn more about this webinar and register today.

READ MORE
2021

Call for Presenters for Cannexus22 Career Development Conference now open

April 13, 2021By

Planning for Cannexus, Canada’s Career Development Conference in January 2022 is now underway. Cannexus22 is expected to be a hybrid conference with a live in-person and virtual portion. CERIC invites individuals or organizations with an interest in presenting at the 16th annual Cannexus to submit a brief session outline for consideration using the Proposal Form. The deadline for proposals is Thursday, June 3, 2021.

Presenting at Cannexus provides an unmatched opportunity to exchange information and explore innovative approaches in career counselling, and career and workforce development. Presenters gain recognition as experts and leaders in the field at the conference and beyond. We expect participants from across Canada and internationally. In the past, our live conferences have drawn more than 1,200 delegates and our virtual conference more than 2,300. 

CERIC has identified areas of interest to assist presenters in targeting the content of their sessions: 

  • Adult Education and Career Development 
  • Advocacy & Social Justice 
  • Application of Current Research, Theory & Methodology  
  • Building the Profile and Sustainability of the Career Development Sector  
  • Career Development for Youth Outside of School  
  • Career Education K-12 Students  
  • Career Education Post-Secondary  
  • Client Mental Health  
  • Effective Career Counselling/Coaching Techniques  
  • Employee Recruitment & Engagement  
  • Employment/Training Programs (Community, Government, Industry)  
  • Entrepreneurship & Self-Employment  
  • Experiential/Work-Integrated Learning  
  • Global Perspectives on Career Development Research & Practice  
  • Indigenous Career Development  
  • Job Search Strategies  
  • Labour Market Information  
  • Leadership Development  
  • Management & HR Issues for Career/Employment Centre Directors  
  • Mature Worker Career Development  
  • New Technology & Tools for Career Professionals  
  • Online Career Service Delivery/Remote Learning Approaches  
  • Pandemic Recovery  
  • Rural Career & Community Economic Development  
  • Self-Care for Career Professionals  
  • Supporting Clients with Disabilities  
  • Workforce Planning & Development  
  • Working with Newcomer and Refugee Communities  

Cannexus is presented by CERIC and supported by The Counselling Foundation of Canada and a broad network of supporting organizations and sponsors. 

READ MORE
2021

CERIC is now making past webinars available on-demand

March 24, 2021By

By popular request, CERIC, in collaboration with partnering associations and expert presenters, is now able to offer recordings of past webinars on-demand, extending access to this valuable learning. Available right now, you can purchase all paid webinar series from 2020, including those on Autism, Remote Services, Mental Health, Older Workers and Self-Care.

The cost is $119 per person with a discount of 25% on group registrations of 5 or more. Recordings will be accessible until February 2022.

CERIC partners with associations and organizations across Canada and beyond to present webinars that offer timely, convenient and affordable professional development.

READ MORE
2021

New webinar series to help career professionals enhance their financial literacy

March 17, 2021By

CERIC is partnering with the Vocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada (VRA) to offer a new webinar series for career practitioners to enhance their learning on current personal financial management practices. The 3-part series, Self-Employed Career Practitioners: Tools and Strategies to Better Manage Your Finances will be led by accredited financial literary counsellor Pamela George.

Often career practitioners, like many Canadians, have limited understanding of finances, how credit works, and of the potential impact on their financial well-being. With an ongoing shift towards self-employment, it becomes more important, especially in light of the pandemic, for career practitioners to educate themselves around financial literacy. This webinar series will help career practitioners who are self-employed themselves – or who support clients who are part of the growing gig economy.

  • Webinar #1: How to Set up and Organize Your Finances for Success, Thursday, May 20, 2021 | 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
  • Webinar #2: BUDGETING – How to Build a Personal Budget, Thursday, May 27, 2021 | 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
  • Webinar #3: Type of Savings and How to Pay off Debts, Thursday, June 3, 2021 | 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET

The cost for the full series is $159. A discount is available for VRA members.

George has been steadfastly committed to one overarching goal: To educate and empower Canadians, so they may regain control of their finances and start living the life they want. Whether she is counselling individuals, couples, families, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs or groups, George has successfully helped thousands of people pay off debt, build budgets and save for the future.

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 Association of Career Educators & Employers, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, BC Career Development Association, Association of Service Providers for Employability and Career Training BC, Career Professionals of Canada, Ontario Association for Career Management, Career Development Association of Alberta, Nova Scotia Career Development Association, and the US-based National Career Development Association.

READ MORE
2021

Graduate students apply by March 31 to compete for GSEP Award

March 1, 2021By

If you are a full-time graduate student whose academic focus is career development or a faculty member working with full-time grad students in career counselling or a related field, then you want to know about the CERIC Graduate Student Engagement Program (GSEP). Applications for 2021 are due by Wednesday, March 31.

CERIC encourages engagement of Canada’s full-time graduate students (Master or PhD level) whose academic research is in career development or a related field. Research areas such as Education, Sociology, Social Work, Counselling Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Business with a focus on Human Resources or Organizational Behaviour are strongly encouraged to apply.

Through this program, graduate students will be introduced to CERIC and invited to:

Interested in getting involved? Complete and submit this quick GSEP application form. If you are also interested in competing for the GSEP Award, please submit a one-page article on a career development-related topic of your choice to gsep@ceric.ca by the same March 31 deadline. To support you in sharing this opportunity with students and colleagues, GSEP information can be found at ceric.ca/grad_program and this printable GSEP handout.

READ MORE
2021

First virtual Cannexus conference reimagines role of career development in society, economy

February 17, 2021By

More than 2,000 career development professionals from across Canada and around the world came together for the first-ever virtual Cannexus conference to convene, share and learn over four days in late January and early February. With a theme of “Career Development for Public Good,” the conference explored how to re-imagine career services as a gateway to social and economic justice in the wake of the global pandemic.

A few of the many conference highlights included four transformative keynotes:

  • Executive Advisor Zabeen Hirji made the case for a human-centred approach to the future of work;
  • Professor Kris Magnusson explained the powerful role of emotions in helping clients navigate career processes;
  • Olympian Perdita Felicien told her powerful story of growth from failure and not letting one moment in life define you; and
  • The Hon. Ethel Blondin-Andrew talked about the opportunities for Indigenous peoples in the conservation economy.

The conference featured several timely streams, including Pandemic Recovery, Around the World and Workforce Development. With the virtual conference, many renowned international presenters were able to participate such as Jim Bright, Tristram Hooley and Nancy Arthur. Among the 150 different education sessions, there was strong interest in topics around:

  • Advocacy and rethinking how we organize and value work
  • Engaging with uncertainty and embracing the chaos of current times
  • Building resilience in youth to navigate their futures
  • Impact of COVID-19 on the labour market and reskilling
  • Blended delivery models for career services
  • Self-care for career professionals and emotional well-being

Other components of the conference focused on making connections and peer-to-peer networking with Cannexus21 offering exhibitor booths, “Hallway meetings,” a virtual cocktail party, a student meet-up and interactive chats.

CERIC showcased some of its recent and forthcoming projects at the conference including:

Additionally, though the Etta St. John Wileman Award for Lifetime Achievement in Career Development was not given out this year, the conference brought attention to the work of this lifelong social justice activist through profiling past award recipients and asked delegates to consider who they might nominate. The nomination deadline is June 30, 2021.

In a post-conference survey, 92% of delegates rated the virtual conference as good to excellent with 94% indicating that over time, they would incorporate what they learned into their work. Delegates cited enjoying the convenience of attending Cannexus remotely, the high-calibre sessions and the value in being able to access all the session recordings. However, many noted missing in-person connections and the energy of gathering face-to-face.

Comments included:

I was blown away by the virtual experience that Cannexus21 provided! The speakers, the sessions, the passion, the knowledge, the expertise and the insight that was shared was outstanding! I’ve learned, I’ve reflected, and I’ve pondered all that I heard looking for moments when I can put into practice all the takeaways!”
– Rhonda Taylor, CEO, Career Trek, MB

“After 11 months of scrambling to serve our clients to the best of our abilities in an ever-changing, complex environment, Cannenxus21 was such a blessing. I have been feeling disconnected while working remotely…the chance to convene with like-minded professionals was like adding air to a deflating balloon. I feel validated and renewed. If there was one year to attend, this was it!”
– Kimberlie Ladell, Employment Counsellor, Fanshawe Career and Employment Services, ON

“Brilliant, engaging world-leading conference. Powerful keynotes, targeted and outstanding seminars that allowed me and my staff to engage in rich topical discussions even in lockdown. Thank you for offering this fantastic conference so the world could experience the advancements that Canada has made in career development for all its citizens.”
– Bernadette Gigliotti, CEO, Australian Centre for Career Education

Cannexus21 was presented by CERIC and supported by The Counselling Foundation of Canada with a broad network of 40 supporting organizations and partners.

The Call for Presenters and information about dates and format for Cannexus22 will be available in the coming months. In the meantime, all registered Cannexus21 delegates continue to be able to access the conference recordings for a full year.

READ MORE
2021

CJCD Winter 2021: Remote work during COVID, risk management in co-op programs and more

January 22, 2021By

The newest edition of the Canadian Journal of Career Development (CJCD) has just been published, with five articles that range from ethical risk management in co-op programs to work-life wellness during COVID to youth career engagement and more.

Articles include:

CJCD has also launched a new, modern and accessible website: cjcd-rcdc.ceric.ca. For readers, articles now have abstracts that are simple to scan or search, and responsive pages mean you can read CJCD on any device. For authors, submissions are now conveniently managed through the website and your articles will be more easily found and cited.

The Canadian Journal of Career Development is a partnership project between CERIC and Memorial University of Newfoundland with the support of The Counselling Foundation of Canada. It is Canada’s only peer-reviewed publication of multi-sectoral career-related academic research and best practices from this country and around the world.

CJCD is published twice a year. It is free to subscribe to the digital editions and all issues of the journal dating back to 2002 are available to access online.

Journal Associate Editor Diana Boyd will be hosting a panel of authors at the Cannexus21 virtual conference on Jan. 27: Publishing Your Work & Research in 2021. This panel will provide information to faculty, graduate students, and practitioners on how to go about publishing your research and work.

READ MORE
2021

OneLife Tools to lead CERIC project on career development impacts of experiential learning

January 21, 2021By

CERIC has awarded its project on Unlocking the Career Development Value within Experiential Learning to OneLife Tools, co-founded by Rich Feller and Mark Franklin. The project, which includes collaboration with career development leaders from both Canada and the U.S., will develop an easily accessible digital guide to optimize the interaction among experiential learning (EL), reflective practice and career development. Program developers, educators and career specialists will be able to use this resource – expected to be available this fall – across settings.

There has been a surge of interest in experiential learning – from co-ops and internships to campus incubators, volunteer opportunities and land-based learning – as a way to bridge the gap between the classroom and the world of work. The promise of the experiential learning model has been to immerse the learner in an experience and then encourage reflection about the experience to develop new skills, attitudes or ways of thinking. But it has not always been clear how programs are connecting experiences to career management skills.

CERIC’s interest in issuing the Request for Proposals (RFP) is to provide direction on what elements of reflective practice are key to career development success for the benefit of learners, schools, post-secondary institutions, employers and communities alike. The purpose of this national initiative is to:

  • gain a better understanding of the intersections between career development and experiential learning;
  • determine how and where gaps can be best filled;
  • develop an easily accessible resource that supports building reflective practice into an experiential learning program and facilitating (greater) awareness of using such practices to enhance EL for the career management of program participants; and
  • highlight the beneficial value of reflective practice inherent in career development, how this can enhance the intrinsic value of experiential learning – regardless of setting – and how this can be incorporated into current programs.

Development of the resource will entail identifying and describing the range of experiential learning programs offered in Canada, targeting secondary and post-secondary education as well as lifelong adult learning. Describing and categorizing the promising practices these programs take toward a documented range of career outcomes, and analyzing the reflective techniques used, will be a core component of the work. Impacts will also be assessed to determine what program elements best support career development.

Findings that emerge from the analysis will be used to create a new, practical digital resource. The resource will guide EL program developers to address distortions and improve the balance between reflective practice, experiential learning and career development. Language, different abilities and culturally appropriate communication methods will be taken into consideration in the creation of the tool. Ultimately, this project will assist learners to make meaning from their experiences and education as they explore their career options.

READ MORE
2021

Winter 2021 issue of Careering focuses on social justice

January 20, 2021By

This digital-only issue of Careering, on the theme of Social Justice, highlights the importance of understanding the context in which people pursue education and work – or are prevented from doing so to their full potential. It also reminds us that career development can be a powerful tool to challenge inequities and to advance the public good.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the longstanding inequities affecting individuals’ career development options and outcomes. While high-profile activism and a precarious employment landscape raised public consciousness of these challenges in 2020, these issues – and the work being done to challenge them – are certainly not new.

Articles in this issue:

And much more:

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

The Spring-Summer 2021 issue of Careering magazine will be on the theme of “Career Pivots.” 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 January 29.

READ MORE
2021

Early signs of stabilization in career services sector while mental health a growing concern: CERIC Pulse Recovery Survey

January 18, 2021By

Moving into 2021, some early signs of stabilization are showing within Canada’s career services sector while mental health and burnout are growing concerns, according to the latest CERIC Pulse Recovery Survey. The online surveys have been tracking how career and employment professionals across the country are adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic and reimagining career services. The most recent survey was in the field from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 and generated 771 responses with earlier surveys done in June and September 2020. Survey findings underscore the public good that career development offers in this period of massive workforce upheaval and highlights the value of a career mindset.

In terms of how career services operations have changed over the past year, many workplaces dealt with issues such as reduced hours for staff, layoffs, reduced funding, and reduced or closed programs or services. However, some positives can also be seen. In the September and November surveys, respondents noted a significant uptick from June in the hiring of new staff to meet increased demand as well as in developing new partnerships/services. In November, a new response option was added that shows 55.5% of workplaces restructured to meet new realities.

The November survey further explored how demand for career services/supports changed. For respondents who noted an increase in demand, the top three responses were:

  • more 1-1 virtual meetings with clients or students;
  • more email correspondence with clients or students; and
  • more prospective clients or students reaching out proactively to learn more or get support.

For those who noted a decrease in demand, the top three responses were:

  • fewer prospective clients or students reaching out proactively to learn more or get support;
  • fewer clients or students looking to access specific services or programs; and
  • fewer clients or students attending or participating in online webinars or tutorials.

Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, a high percentage of respondents across all three surveys indicated that they would be able to continue to operate, albeit with slight changes to services or programming.

In November, CERIC asked which changes put in place during the pandemic that workplaces planned to keep going forward. The top three responses were:

  • continued or increased use of video meeting technology or teleconferencing to hold meetings;
  • continued or increased services or programs that are offered online instead of in-person; and
  • more flexible work arrangements.

Reflecting the toll of the ongoing pandemic, survey respondents in September and November observed major challenges in the mental health of their students or clients. Also, in November, 54.2% respondents stated their own mental health had declined as compared to 38.1% in September. When it comes to burnout, November respondents were more significantly concerned about burning out themselves as well as their senior leaders burning out compared to September.

Throughout the three surveys, CERIC asked questions about how respondents were dealing with different kinds of challenges. In November, the top two challenges of the pandemic for workplaces related to wellness and productivity. Challenges named in the September survey included:

  • the ongoing uncertainty of COVID-19 and what it will mean for how work is done,
  • the loss of direct connections with colleagues, volunteers, clients or students,
  • changes in the labour market that could affect employment opportunities for clients or students, and
  • maintaining work-life balance.

The single greatest challenge that career and employment professionals reported in November that they foresee is keeping their clients or students motivated over the coming months, which was identified by 37.7% of respondents.

Thinking ahead to 2021, in November, a majority of respondents felt that they were moderately or highly equipped to do the following three things:

  1. promote the value of career development to their clients or students;
  2. support their clients or students to be ready for the changing labour market; and
  3. to engage with employers to support career development for their clients or students.

Overall, survey responses paint a picture of a field finding innovative ways to navigate new realities with their operations, staff and clients. Many career services professionals were called on to work differently, whether that meant learning new technologies, adjusting programs or services, working from home, or dealing with ongoing uncertainty and stress. The story of COVID-19’s affect on the sector is still unfolding as we continue to look towards pandemic recovery. There will be new challenges and opportunities that arise as well as more examples of resilience and adaptation.

Join us at the Cannexus21 virtual conference for a panel on Feb. 1 that will reflect on the CERIC Pulse Recovery Survey findings and peer ahead to what’s on the horizon: Looking back: How COVID-19 affected career and employment services in 2020.

READ MORE