News

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:

• Ethical Risk Management in Co-Operative Education Programs, Christine Dodds, Craig Cameron, Cynthia Maclean

• Ethnolinguistic Identity and Vocational Readiness as Non-Cognitive Factors Related to College Adaptation and Satisfaction with Life Among Franco-Ontarian Post-Secondary Students Living in an Anglo-Dominant Context, André Samson, Alexander R Maisonneuve, Zacharie Saint-Georges

• Does Work Have to Make Sense? Work Engagement in a Group of Micro-Entrepreneurs. The Mediating Role of Coherence at Work, Arkadiusz Mirosław Jasiński, Marcin M. Ociepa

• An Exploration of Work-Life Wellness and Remote Work During and Beyond COVID-19, Rebecca Como, Laura Hambley, José Domene
• Engaging Youth in Their Careers, Hoda Kilani

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.

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.

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:

• Equitable, affordable child care key to ‘she-cession’ recovery, by Carmina Ravanera
• Career development as a social justice imperative, by Tracey Lloyd
• Applying universal design as a pathway to inclusive career education, by Tricia Berry

And much more:

• Developing trans-inclusive career resources for students
• Keeping hope alive for clients in the criminal justice system
• Working with employers to support non-traditional hiring
• Helping international students ‘find their voice’ through identity exploration
• Client Side: I’ve become the career strategist I wish I had when launching my career
• Equipping international students to navigate culture difference in job search
• Why we need to share our ideas about connecting career development to social justice
• 1: Allyship in career development: An honour, privilege and responsibility
• 2: Allyship terms, tips and tools to support career development work 
• Working with Muslim clients: Adopting multicultural and social justice counselling competencies
• Improving access to career supports is essential to Canadian sector’s maturity
• Current approaches to career education risk impeding students’ exploration
• Case Study: Bridging the digital-literacy gap for mature workers
• Hiring a Chief Diversity Officer isn’t enough to make workplaces safer for racialized employees
• Evaluating the impact of career programming on youth choices
• Anti-racism from the inside out: Challenging white supremacy in the workplace
• To help others reach their career goals, use your privilege for good
• 10 Questions with Zabeen Hirji, Future of Work Executive Advisor at Deloitte
• Diversity in corporate sponsorship critical to help talent rise

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.

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.

• 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.

Cannexus is Canada’s largest bilingual National Career Development Conference and will take place on January 25 & 27 and February 1 & 3, 2021 online. This year the conference will bring together more than 2,000+ professionals from across the country and around the world to reimagine career development, refresh skills and renew hope in 2021.

Registration will close on Friday, January 22 at 5:00 pm ET.

10 reasons why this is your year to attend Cannexus:

1. Great rates are still available. Regular registration is $375. You can save 25% for Groups of 5 or more (a very popular option this year for team-building) or if you are a member of one of 40 supporting organizations. Full-time students pay only $50
2. Participate in big-picture conversations about the role of career development in the pandemic recovery and in social justice movements for equality, decent work and climate sustainability
3. Your registration provides 100+ hours of learning where you’ll gain practical skills and understand current LMI to help you adapt and serve your clients
4. Learn directly from leading researchers and practitioners nationally and globally: Jim Bright, Nancy Arthur, Jim Stanford, Tristram Hooley, Spencer Niles, Norman Amundson, Gray Poehnell, Roberta Borgen (Neault), Rich Feller, Mark Franklin, Sareena Hopkins, Lisa Taylor and so many more
5. Access all the recordings for a full year, providing 12 months of continuing professional development on-demand
6. Connect with your peers and expand your network through our virtual networking activities including a unique online cocktail party
7. A flexible and relaxed conference schedule – up to five hours of sessions each day over four days – where you can customize your experience
8. “Find your flock,” as past attendees have described joining together in a community of like-minded professionals making a meaningful difference in people’s lives
9. Discover empowerment and motivation at a time of tremendous flux
10. Without travel, hotel and time away from work, attending the virtual Cannexus conference will be much more convenient and cost-effective than ever before and allow you to experience Canada’s largest bilingual career development conference

If you already registered for Cannexus21, here is some helpful information:

All registered delegates who have paid their registration fees received an email on January 4 with login details. The sender is from “Cannexus21” with email no-reply@pathable.com. If you have not seen this email in your inbox, please check your spam. If the email is not in your spam folder, contact registration@ceric.ca.

• Virtual conference FAQs
• Navigating the virtual conference platform (instruction guide)
• Virtual conference FAQs

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

CERIC’s Career Theories and Models at Work: Ideas for Practice will be breaking new ground this year, with plans to translate the popular book into Japanese, Latvian and Estonian. Once published, career service professionals around the world will be able to access the book in five languages, with a previously announced French edition slated for release in spring 2021.

The original English publication was released in 2019 and was edited by Nancy Arthur (University of South Australia), Roberta Borgen (Neault) (Life Strategies) and Mary McMahon (University of Queensland). It includes 43 chapters on the theories and models that define the practice of career development today, with contributors from four continents and nine countries.

A desire to equip career professionals with the latest counselling theories helped drive the translation project in Japan, which is being co-ordinated by the non-profit Institute for Japan Career Counseling.

“We have found that career theories introduced in the book, such as social constructivist theories including narrative, life design, systems theory and sociodynamic approaches, are practical and useful to career counselling in Japan,” says Shujiro Mizuno, Licensed Career Consultant, who is editing the translation.

The Institute for Japan Career Counseling plans to organize study sessions for career consultants to learn more about Career Theories and Models at Work. It also hopes to digitize the book, to increase accessibility for Japan’s more than 40,000 licensed career consultants.

In Latvia, plans to translate the publication came about through “a story of networking and co-operation,” says Ilze Jansone, Euroguidance Programme Manager for the Career Information and Guidance Department of the Euroguidance Network. Through the IAEVG (International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance), Jansone learned that some of Euroguidance Network’s members had participated in the development of Career Theories and Models at Work.

“Bringing theory and practice together in educational and vocational guidance is an approach that the IAEVG is championing, and the book published by CERIC is a great tool in this respect,” Jansone says.

Career counsellors and career counselling students in Latvia will receive the book for free.

In Estonia, 300 copies of the translated Career Theories and Models at Work book will be distributed free to career specialists working for the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, which is co-ordinating translation and distribution, as well as to career professionals working with partners such as the Association of Estonian Career Counsellors.

“In order to serve clients and develop career services, it is necessary for career specialists to be familiar with the most important and latest theories and models in the field,” says Lana Randaru, Methodology Consultant of Career Services, Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund. “The collection provides a comprehensive overview of the theoretical approaches currently underlying career services and provides examples of their use in practice.”

Since the release of the English version of Career Theories and Models at Work in 2019 at the annual Cannexus National Career Development Conference in Ottawa, the book has been adopted in career counselling courses and used by practitioners globally. To further disseminate knowledge, CERIC has hosted free webinars with authors from the book over the past two years. CERIC will be offering another free webinar series starting March 29 with author Judi Miller, University of Canterbury New Zealand, presenting in English on the Solution-Focused approach, and authors Patricia Dionne and Audrey Dupuis of l’Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec delivering a French webinar on Cultural-Historical Activity Theory.

Visit ceric.ca/theories for information about how to purchase the publication in English.