6-WEEK CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
An Intersectional Approach
to Supporting Career
Development
Gain deep insights into the employment
challenges of BIPOC-D jobseekers
Moving Towards Equity and Empowerment
Intersectionality impacts every client’s career journey. Yet, traditional career development often overlooks how race, disability and systemic barriers intersect.
This course provides the practical tools career professionals need to offer truly equitable, strengths-based career support. Go beyond theory—gain actionable strategies to dismantle systemic barriers and empower every client to thrive. Career practitioners trained in intersectional career development are in demand—stand out as a leader in inclusive employment strategies.
Overview
The strength of the Canadian workforce lies in its diversity. Each jobseeker holds unique social identities, experiences and strengths. Recognizing and understanding this diversity is important for career and employment professionals, particularly when considering those within the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour communities who experience disability (BIPOC-D). Highlighted in CASE’s Diversity Works research report, racialized Canadians facing disabilities often find themselves in precarious work environments, despite possessing the skills and education necessary for meaningful employment. With 14.3% of Canadians aged 15 years and older living with a disability belonging to visible minority groups (Statistics Canada, 2020), career and employment professionals should adopt an intersectional approach to effectively assist them in their employment journey.
Why Career and Employment Professionals Should Enrol
In this 6-week certificate program, you’ll gain deep insights into the employment challenges of BIPOC-D jobseekers—and the practical skills to support them through equitable career strategies. This awareness will allow you to individualize your support and assist clients to advance in their chosen careers. At the end of the program, participants will be better equipped to deliver equitable and effective services and to form meaningful partnerships with BIPOC-D jobseekers and employers.
The program content, discussions, practical assignments and live webinars explore key concepts like anti-racism and anti-ableism to grow your awareness and commitment to allyship and advocacy. You will learn research-based strategies to practice an intersectional and trauma-informed approach to career support. Upon completion, learners will receive a micro-credential that verifies their participation in the program and outlines the targeted knowledge, skills and/or competencies addressed.
Who Will Benefit from This Program?
Career Development Practitioners
Enhance your ability to support clients with intersectional identities.
Employment Counsellors & Coaches
Gain actionable strategies for inclusive, strengths-based career guidance.
HR & Workforce Development Professionals
Create equitable hiring and workplace inclusion practices.
Managers & Organizational Leaders
Build an inclusive career growth framework within your organization.
If you work with jobseekers who are Black, Indigenous, Persons of Colour and/or experience disabilities, this course will provide the insights and tools you need to create meaningful career opportunities.
Key Highlights
This program encourages participants to critically reflect on their own privilege and biases to understand how they shape the services they provide to racialized, Indigenous and Black individuals with disabilities. Through this process, they will deepen their awareness of diverse social identities, their intersections in career development and learn actionable strategies to challenge systemic oppression in their daily practice.
By the end of the course, you will:
- Identify & Address Workplace Barriers: Understand how race, disability and other identities intersect to create challenges in employment.
- Advocate for Equity in Hiring & Career Support: Confidently engage employers and policymakers in inclusive hiring and workplace practices.
- Apply Strengths-Based Career Development: Empower clients by recognizing their unique skills, experiences and aspirations.
- Navigate Difficult Conversations: Learn strategies to discuss racism, ableism and bias in professional settings.
Program Delivery
This 6-week facilitated online program offers a blend of both asynchronous (independent) and synchronous (scheduled) learning activities. The asynchronous learning activities include reviewing learning modules, posting in discussion forums and completing weekly assignments. Synchronous activities include participating in weekly webinars and open–hour discussions.
The weekly live webinars, held on Tuesdays from 12 – 1:15 p.m. Eastern Time, present additional content. The class size is kept small to facilitate engagement and networking among learners. Both the webinar and the discussion forums offer opportunities for collaboration and feedback from your instructor and cohort (learning group).
The program requires a total of 30 hours to complete, with a recommended 5 hours per week—including one hour allocated to the weekly live webinar.
The program content, learning aids and PowerPoints are available in English and French. The program is currently facilitated in English only.
For more details on the course and its requirements, check out the FAQ section down the page.
"We all possess unique skill sets and challenges based on our position of power and privilege dynamics, which are very real in everyday situations. When we understand the roles that trauma and racism play in clients’ lived experiences and abilities and how that differs from our own, we’re closer to reaching equity and true inclusion and belonging."
Training Sessions in 2025
- January 20 – February 2 (completed)
- September 15 – October 26 (registration is open)
- November 3 – December 14 (registration is open)
This Intersectional Approach to Supporting Career Development certificate program has been developed by the Canadian Association for Supported Employment (CASE) in partnership with CERIC.
For more information on prerequisites, cancellation policy, accommodations, technical requirements and FAQs, consult the CASE website.
What Participants Are Saying
Invest in your career with this training, gaining in-demand skills that increase your value to employers, organizations and clients while empowering you to drive meaningful change.