Certified Employment Strategist (CES) Credential

This program is open to all employment consultants, job search coaches, career coaches, and other career transition practitioners who serve the Canadian labour market. If you provide clients with strategic employment, job search, or career transition advice, you are a potential candidate for the Certified Employment Strategist (CES) credential.

We are a welcoming and inclusive community. If you are starting out in the profession and would like to earn your CES, start with the Employment Consulting Course.

Once you attain your CES you can add the credential next to your name. You can include the CES logo on your résumé, business card, website, and anywhere you want to gain additional visibility as an expert and specialist in the field.

You can use your CES to:

• Advertise your expertise and market your services.
• Show additional value to employers and clients.
• Feature your credentials on your own résumé.

Watch our CPC Certification Information Session video to learn more about attaining your designations.

The CES is the only Canadian standard for validating the expertise of employment consultants and other career professionals providing employment, job search, and career transition advice. The CES certification was designed by Career Professionals of Canada and validated by an independent group of industry leaders in academia and providers of career services.

• The CES is recognized by Canadian career service providers in government, academic, not-for-profit, outplacement, and private business.
• Employment services feature the CES logo on their website and marketing material to give clients confidence that they are working with a credentialed practitioner.

In order to apply for and attain your Certified Employment Strategist (CES), you must be a registered professional member of Career Professionals of Canada. If you are not already a member, you can join membership and register for your certification at the same time.

To obtain your Certified Employment Strategist (CES) designation you must have a minimum of 1 year full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid qualifying work experience in employment consulting. The process is straightforward:

1. Join CPC Membership.
2. Register and pay the certification application fee.
3. Study the material in the eGuide or take an approved course.
4. Submit your application within 12 months of applying for certification. Include your résumé and either a fictionalized case study, or, if you have passed an approved course with a minimum grade of 80%, your transcript/certificate of completion.
5. Pass an assessment of your submission.

To keep your certification, you need to maintain a current membership with Career Professionals of Canada.

To prepare for your certification, you will be given a comprehensive Certification Study Guide (The Canadian Employment Strategist e-book).

This guide is a valuable resource. It thoroughly discusses current concepts and strategies to empower you to work effectively with your clients. By following this guide, you will learn how and when to apply various techniques to enable your clients to succeed in their employment careers.

The knowledge you will acquire by studying this guide will be an asset throughout your career.

Our 3-week online Employment Consulting Course (CDP-104) will help you learn to strategically support your clients through the execution of their work search. You will update your competency in the labour market, legislation, career branding, and social networking.

If you have completed CPC’s Employment Consulting Program (CDP-104) or if you have attained a certificate or diploma in an approved course (45 hours minimum), you may be granted your CES recognition through the Course-Based Process.

You may be eligible for the CES if you have completed training in the area of Employment Consulting. You must have a minimum of one year's experience in employment consulting and have successfully completed an approved certificate or diploma course (45 hours minimum).

To obtain and maintain your Certified Employment Strategist (CES) designation, you must:

• Register for membership and pay the Certified Employment Strategist (CES) application fee.
• Have a minimum of 1 year full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid qualifying work experience in employment consulting.
• Submit a copy of your course transcript or certificate of completion, along with a copy of your résumé.

After completing your self-assessment, if you have determined that you may be eligible for certification, you may request pre-approval of your eligibility for the course-based process. Email a copy of your course transcript and/or certificate of completion, along with a copy of your résumé directly to Certification@CareerProCanada.ca.

The Master Certified Employment Strategist (MCES) credential is the exclusive standard reserved only for the top strategists in our industry.

Once you have attained your Certified Employment Strategist (CES), you can work towards your Master Level (M-Level).

In order to apply for and attain your certification, you must be a registered professional member of Career Professionals of Canada.

To start the CES process, all you need to do is:

• Register for CPC Membership
• Apply for your CES Certification

If you are joining CPC as a new member, you can apply for membership and register for your certification at the same time through the CPC Application Form. If you are already a member, just email us to apply for your CES Certification.