New CDP Competencies Coming to CDP-101, Career Development Foundations Course!

August was a monumental month for the career development field! The Canadian Career Development Foundation (CCDF) has released The National Competency Profile for Career Development Professionals. The National Profile modernizes our occupational definition and its associated skills profile to reflect the growth and advancement of our profession over the last decade. CPC is preparing to integrate the new CDP competencies into CDP-101, our Career Development Foundations course.
Through funding from Employment and Social Development Canada, and after nearly three years and countless volunteer hours to solicit and gather input from stakeholders across Canada, career development professionals now have a robust and detailed description of our work and the competencies required for the proficient delivery of our services.
Here’s an overview of some of what’s included in The National Competency Profile for Career Development Professionals:
Professional Practice
- Professional Responsibility
- Ethics and Regulations
- Client-Practitioner Relationship
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Professional Development
- Health and Wellness
- Communication
- Digital Literacy
CDP Characteristics
- Foundational Knowledge and Applied Theories
- Service Delivery Process
- Learning and Job Readiness
- Awareness of Diverse World Views
- Career Resources
- Client Work Search Strategies
- Referrals to Professional Services
The competencies contained in the National Profile — a comprehensive list of skills, knowledge, and understanding that reflect what Career Development Professionals across Canada are expected to know and do, as well as the industry standards to which we are expected to perform — cover most work contexts and address the vast range of clients assisted and services delivered. This phase of the CCDF project will be finalized in September with the release of the updated Code of Ethics, which further clarify the ethical obligations CDPs seek to uphold in our work.
Future of the Project
Future phases of the CCDF project will commence once external funding decisions are made. These phases include mobilizing the competencies in collaboration with industry partners and creating a national credentialing body to oversee CCDP certification across Canada. While CCDF awaits funding approval, volunteers continue work on a wide range of projects.
CPC’s Commitment
At Career Professionals of Canada, we’re committed to supporting our members and students achieve mastery in the National Profile’s competencies and the Code of Ethics that underpin our daily work. Once CCDF has officially released the new Code, CPC’s Career Foundations Course (CDP-101) will be refreshed and launched with updated curriculum that includes these important updates to our field. We are preparing our learners for the present and future of career development practice in Canada!
Gabrielle LeClair is a Master-Certified Career Strategist of Métis and Dutch ancestry. Founder and Principal Consultant of GDL Consulting, a boutique consulting firm, she specializes in the confluence of career development and adult education. In online and in-person classrooms, Gabrielle supports and mentors professionals in all stages of their career to increase their impact with clients. As senior advisor, standards manager, and certification chair of Career Professionals of Canada, Gabrielle has developed course curriculum and supports career practitioners in expanding their professional competencies.