Screenshot of the CERIC 2022 Annual Report webpage. There is a concept image of an individual walking from a dark room shaded by 2 large walls, towards a bright outdoor landscape.2023

CERIC 2022 Annual Report documents transition for organization, sector in catalyzing change

June 22, 2023By

The latest CERIC Annual Report describes 2022 as a year that was unlike anything that preceded it or that we may see again in the future. With a theme of “Embracing Transition, Catalyzing Change,” this Annual Report chronicles a series of transitions for CERIC as an organization as well as for the broader career development communities we serve. It highlights CERIC’s activities, impacts and reflections as we worked to promote career development for public good and to build career development knowledge and mindsets. 

In their Leadership Message, Board Chair Dr. Candy Ho and outgoing Executive Director Riz Ibrahim discuss the experience of needing to pivot in the face of ongoing challenges with COVID to offer our flagship Cannexus conference as an all-virtual gathering for the second time. But with more than 1,700 delegates in attendance, it was evident that the learning at Cannexus and broader access of a virtual event held strong appeal. These were notable factors as we worked to plan the first hybrid Cannexus for 2023.  

The year was a busy one, filled with new and continuing research and learning projects: 

This past year was also one to build on existing partnerships and forge new relationships: 

Meanwhile, during 2022, CERIC continued to invest in its core programming. The Canadian Journal of Career Development celebrated 20 years of publishing as the country’s only peer-reviewed academic journal in the field. Our CareerWise and OrientAction sites continued to empower career practitioners with insights and resources. CERIC’s Graduate Student Engagement Program was paused for relaunch in 2023 and is being retooled to best support the next generation of career development researchers in Canada. 

In early 2022, CERIC started to engage in organizational work around equity-centred leadership. This work would immediately start to redefine our Board and Committee composition, increase the focus on equity and access to our learning offerings, and give us an opportunity to explore how the Etta St. John Wileman Award could become a more inclusive, accessible recognition of outstanding achievement in career development in Canada. This was envisioned as just the start of many changes to come in the years ahead. 

A major transition for CERIC saw Executive Director Riz Ibrahim announcing that he would be moving on to the role of President and CEO of CERIC’s funder, The Counselling Foundation of Canada, in spring 2023. After a national search, we ended the year with a new incoming Executive Director, Kay Castelle. Castelle would join CERIC at the end of February 2023, ushering in a new era for the organization. 

In addition to these highlights of transition and change, the CERIC 2022 Annual Report includes the organization’s financial statements and an acknowledgement all those who have contributed to the promise of even deeper impacts in the years ahead. A special thanks went to CERIC staff for their resilience, to Board and Advisory Committee volunteers for their guidance and to The Counselling Foundation of Canada for its ongoing commitment to the work of CERIC.   

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2023

CERIC awards Career Development 2040 project to Creative Futures

May 8, 2023By

Toronto-based consultancy Creative Futures Studio will lead a new research project for CERIC that examines how the changing nature of work will impact the concept of careers and the role and identity of career developers. Their unique approach will focus on applying strategic foresight and participatory research to identify future-focused recommendations for the career development ecosystem in Canada. The research will look forward to 2040 to anticipate: What might be the role of career developers? Will “careers” as they are currently conceptualized exist or how might they evolve given current macro-level changes impacting jobs and the way we work?  

Canada has a rich ecosystem of career development professionals helping people to understand their career options, get the right skills and training, find work and grow in their roles. Many also help people address life issues that prevent them from reaching their career goals. A deep analysis into the broader shifts related to the future of work will help diverse career developers as well as policymakers to be prepared for the future. Prior to COVID-19, a host of broad social, technological, economic, environmental, political and values-based changes were disrupting Canada’s labour market. The pandemic accelerated many of these changes, while introducing new disruptions further complicating the landscape for career development.  

With that backdrop, CERIC’s aim is for this future-focused research to examine: 

  1. What are the macro factors redefining the changing workplace and career paths? 
  2. What is the future role and identity of career developers? 
  3. What career-oriented services and supports will people need in the future, and how will current services need to adapt to meet these needs? 

For Phase 1 of the project, Creative Futures will use a strategic foresight method called horizon scanning to identify a range of changes impacting the future of career development. The research will also involve interviews with career developers across Canada as well as with users of career services. This resulting trends analysis will be used in Phase 2 to develop four possible future scenarios that explore different versions of work in 2040. These scenarios will form the basis of a participatory workshop with career developers to explore how their profession might evolve and how current services must change to support their clients’ future needs. Phase 3 will see the release of these research findings by April 2024. 

Creative Futures helps public, non-profit and socially minded leaders plan and prepare for their future. Using applied futures research, they work with organizations to navigate complexity and embrace uncertainty, arming them with the tools to think beyond present-day issues and imagine, prepare for, and navigate multiple potential futures. Creative Futures brings extensive experience researching the future of work, including have led the Brookfield Institute’s multi-year Employment in 2030 initiatives.  

The awarding of the project comes in response to a Request for Proposals that CERIC issued last fall.  The purpose is to identify factors that define and conversely limit identity making of career developers, as well as the roles they see themselves playing through this identity and through the interplay of macro socio-economic external factors. CERIC is interested in understanding how these factors are going to drive the evolution of role and identity within the career development field, in addition to the skillsets and competencies that will be needed to navigate these changes.

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Graphic for the Free information Session for the Etta St. John WIleman Award2023

Free info session on Apr. 24 to outline changes to Wileman Award 

April 12, 2023By

As CERIC announced earlier this year, the career development community’s flagship award is evolving to become more inclusive and accessible. A free information session on Monday, April 24 will discuss changes to the Etta St John Wileman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Career Development, how to nominate a colleague and provide time to answer any questions.

Join two members of the Wileman Award Selection Committee to find out everything you need to know to nominate a deserving candidate by the June 30 deadline. Cathy Keates (Queen’s University) and Yvonne Rodney (Inner Change Consulting/JVS Toronto) will share:

  • Why the Wileman award is transforming to ensure we are recognizing the full spectrum of professionals making a meaningful difference in career development in Canada AND the committee consultation that led to the changes
  • How the award’s focus has shifted from “lifetime” to “outstanding achievement”; how the definition of leadership has expanded; and how new criteria related to justice, equity, diversity & inclusion have been added
  • What you and your organization can do to nominate an individual among your colleagues and networks who has made a significant impact to enhancing the field of career development, regardless of role or position

Plus, there will be ample time for questions to ask anything you’d like to know about the changes to the award or about the nomination process.

This is your chance to learn how you can honour those blazing trails within career development through outstanding service, community engagement or other forms of impact and leadership.

Register now for the info session. Be sure to sign up even if you can’t attend live and you’ll receive a copy of the recording.

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2023

Cannexus24 Call for Presenters now open; deadline is June 2

April 5, 2023By

CERIC has issued its Call for Presenters to be part of the next hybrid Cannexus, the largest bilingual Career Development Conference in Canada. The call is open to anyone who wants to help the career development community to reflect, celebrate and dig into new trends. Speakers can present in-person in Ottawa, Canada, or virtually at the conference to be held Jan. 29-31, 2024. Cannexus welcomes presentations in either English or French. 

Presenting at Cannexus provides an unmatched opportunity to exchange information and explore unique and effective approaches in the areas of career counselling and career and workforce development. The last conference brought together more than 2,000 people across Canada and the world. Presenters inspire others thanks to their knowledge and gain experience as well as a new level of networking. 

Cannexus speakers are researchers and practitioners from universities, schools, community agencies, governments, private practices and corporations. We strongly encourage proposals from individuals from equity-deserving groups, including Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+ and people with disabilities. Speakers and attendees are professionals in career and workforce development and related fields who are forward-thinkers with fresh and impactful ideas and projects to convey. 

More than 30 themes have been identified to help presenters develop their submissions. Areas of interest range from Effective Coaching Techniques to Advocacy and Social Justice, and from Job Search Strategies to the Future of Work and Workplaces. There is also interest in sessions on Management and HR Issues geared to directors of career and employment centres. Additionally, international presenters are also welcome to present global perspectives on career development research and practice. 

The submission deadline is Friday, June 2, 2023. Please review the terms and guidelines of presenting prior to submitting a proposal. Learn more about Cannexus in this recap of Cannexus23 along with reviews from past delegates. 

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

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2023

Updated for 2023! Toolkit showcases 10 ways that employers can partner with career professionals to address talent needs

March 23, 2023By

CERIC has updated its popular toolkit that highlights 10 ways career development professionals (CDPs) can partner with employers to meet their recruitment, retention and training needs. The 2023 edition includes additional insights from more CDPs across the country who work with employers every day within their communities. At a time when job vacancies in Canada remain at an all-time high despite an ongoing threat of recession, the toolkit offers fresh and practical approaches to attract and maintain talent in what continues to be a tight labour market.

The toolkit is a compilation that now reflects input from almost 200 CDPs with advice for helping to mobilize local labour markets. This resource is the result of Virtual Community Roundtables with career development professionals held throughout the second half of 2022. Organized by CERIC, the roundtables were hosted in partnership with four provincial career development associations, Career Development Association of Alberta, Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d’orientation du Québec (OCCOQ), ASPECT BC and the Ontario Association of Career Management.

Download the free toolkit and a one-page infographic summary:

During these roundtables, CDPs discussed with their peers the results of CERIC’s Environics National Business Survey of 500 Canadian employers released last year. Discussions focused on five themes: Challenges for Canadian Businesses, Recruitment, Skills Gap, Soft Skills and Professional / Career Development. The recurring message was that today new approaches as well as flexibility are required to find and grow talent given shifting jobseeker and employee expectations.

The toolkit that emerged from these roundtables is intended to be a concise resource that conveys the most impactful approaches for CDPs to work with employers. Some of the 10 ways to partner range from #4 Find Untapped Talent Through Non-Traditional Hiring to #9 Focus on Employee Retention, Engagement and Wellness. CDPs can use this document to identify new or enhanced ways to support employers or can share it directly with employers.

The goal is to provide ideas and a tool to raise employer awareness of the value of career development and the role and services of career development professionals. The National Business Survey showed that while 53% of employers are aware of CDPs, only 12% have worked with one in the past.

Recognizing that the role and services vary by type of CDP, organization and sector (e.g., post-secondary institution vs. community agency vs. private practice), this document aims to be as inclusive and flexible as possible. Anyone is welcome to use or modify the content as part of their communications materials.

Building on this work, CERIC partners will be presenting at a virtual HRPA micro-conference on April 13. This presentation to human resources professionals will feature the toolkit and will further the important conversation on employer engagement and the contribution of CDPs to workforce and workplace strategies.

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2023

Introducing ‘How to Get the Media to Feature Your Organization’: A CERIC Media Relations Training Program

March 22, 2023By

CERIC will be launching a Media Relations Training Program later this spring to prepare and empower career development professionals to share their stories with the media and increase the visibility of the field. Offered in the form of an online course coupled with a peer-support community, the free program will be led by one of Canada’s foremost media authorities Keka DasGupta. 

This program is intended for any career development or related professional in Canada who wants to advance their career development messages and build profile in the media. This can include adding a career development perspective to employment and workforce issues in the headlines or gaining coverage for your program, project or organization. Additionally, the training will support the competency development of career professionals as they gain media relations skills. 

This program features two components: 

  1. Online “on-demand” training course: The custom course includes video lessons from DasGupta, email pitch templates and examples of real-life pitches that have landed people in the news, all with a focused lens on career development. This course takes approximately 3 hours to complete. 
  2. Live bi-monthly “Office Hours” Q&A sessions: To provide ongoing support, DasGupta will be hosting 1-hour Q&A sessions via Zoom every other month. In these value-added sessions, participants can ask questions and practice what they’ve learned as part of a peer community.  

DasGupta has worked in public relations for 24 years, with world-renowned brands such as IKEA, Nike and Disney as well as with numerous charities, not-for-profits, small businesses and independent experts. She takes the potential intimidation and overwhelm away from pitching the media to inspire and motivate participants to take immediate and sustaining action. 

This training is specifically designed to teach career development professionals how to: 

  • Identify newsworthy media opportunities – understanding when and how the media may be interested in interviewing you on conversations related to career development 
  • Successfully pitch the media with your career development story ideas and insights to “land” the news interview  
  • Follow up to help establish longer-lasting relationships with media, so they continue to call you back for insightful commentary 

CERIC is offering this program to facilitate and advance conversations on career development across Canada in the news and editorial spaces. With this training, more voices in the career community will be enabled to promote the value of career development – both for individual Canadians as well as for the economy and society more broadly. 

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2023

Announcing Spring Webinars in May 2023: Trauma-Informed Practice, Neurodiverse Clients and more

March 8, 2023By

This spring, CERIC will offer three webinar series to help career professionals in their professional development. The first webinar series will give CDPs a roadmap to support neurodiverse clients effectively. The second series will guide them to establish a trauma-informed practice. Lastly, the third one will help career development practitioners to have an inclusive approach regarding antisemitism.

Recent statistics indicate that approximately one in seven people in North America are wired to think differently under the umbrella of neurodiversity. Unfortunately, because of the invisible nature of these differences, many of the characteristics inherent to a neurodiverse diagnosis may appear to be an attitude or behavioural problem. Developing competency serving people who are wired differently is a critical skill for employment professionals all over the world.

This series will provide participants the tools and systems to not only better understand the spectrum of neurodiversity but also to work effectively with people who think differently. For leaders experiencing workforce challenges, CDPs serving diverse clients and career counsellors needing a fresh perspective, this series is not to be missed.

This webinar series will be presented in English with the option of French subtitles (available in the recordings).

Career practitioners are working with various clients, including those who might come to career services with a history of trauma – from clients who have grown up with abuse, homelessness, war or experienced psychological or physical shocks to those who experienced a job restructuring experience. This 3-part webinar series will follow a continuum of trauma-informed foundations from theory to practice and help career practitioners create a trauma-informed practice in their service-delivering settings.

The webinar series will allow career practitioners to learn and reflect on their current and future practice. Together, through shared experience and knowledge, participants will learn strategies on how to develop safe spaces that support and empower their clients. In addition, as it is equally as important to turn the lens inward to consider how the trauma stories of others could impact CDPs, participants will also learn how to respond and recognize signs of secondary traumatic stress so that they can continue their work in a sustainable way.

Paid webinars will be recorded and individual certificates of attendance will be provided to all registered participants who attend the webinars live.

Reports from Statistics Canada demonstrate an increase in hate crimes in 2021 (27%), with more hate crimes targeting religion (+67%). Although the national Jewish community constitutes only 1% of the total population, hate crimes against the Jewish community remain the second most common hate crimes reported by police after the Black population. Tragically, this type of hate continues to thrive. Yet discussions about antisemitism are often left out of diversity, equity and inclusion training.

This free series will lead conversations about antisemitism to better equip career development practitioners to work toward countering this hate and build allyship between communities. By the end of the series, career development practitioners will better understand the historical roots of antisemitism and the forms in which it takes place in their day-to-day realities and will be able to apply inclusive approaches in their practice to better support their clients and students.

CERIC’s paid webinars are now hosted via the Zoom events platform to provide more interactive learning and networking opportunities. Participants will have access to a lobby where they can interact with other participants before, between and after the sessions, as well as many interaction options during the live webinars. An FAQ answers any technical questions.

CERIC partners with associations and organizations across Canada and beyond to present webinars that offer affordable professional development. Previously, CERIC has also worked with the Association of Service Providers for Employability and Career Training BC, Association québécoise des professionnels du développement de carrière, BC Career Development Association, Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers, Career Development Association of Alberta, Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada, Experiential and Work-Integrated Learning Ontario, First Work, Labour Market Information Council, New Brunswick Career Development Association, Nova Scotia Career Development Association, Ontario Association of Career Management, Ontario School Counsellors’ Association, Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d’orientation du Québec, Vocational Rehabilitation Association (Canada), and the US-based National Career Development Association.

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2023

Etta St. John Wileman Award evolves with focus on Outstanding Achievement

February 13, 2023By

CERIC’s flagship award is evolving to celebrate those who have made a significant impact in enhancing the field of career development, regardless of role or position within an organization. Now called the Etta St. John Wileman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Career Development, the changes seek to build on the award’s proud history while evolving it to become more inclusive and accessible.

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2023

Curious, hopeful, empowered: Recapping Cannexus23, Canada’s Career Development Conference

February 7, 2023By

More than 2,000 career development professionals from across Canada and around the world joined together for the first hybrid Cannexus conference from Jan. 23-25, 2023. Whether attending in-person in Ottawa or virtually, delegates expanded their knowledge, built strong networks and felt proud of the meaningful work they do. They learned about emerging trends and issues from transitioning to a net zero economy to trauma-informed counselling and left curious, hopeful and empowered.

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