- 5 required courses +
- 1 elective
- 5 years to complete
The Certificate of Professional and Leadership Studies for Career Practitioners has been designed in partnership with the Nova Scotia Career Development Association (NSCDA). The certificate provides an opportunity for both new and experienced practitioners to deepen and refresh their knowledge, in line with the Career Development Professional (CDP) Canadian Competency Framework (2021) from the Canadian Career Development Foundation (CCDF). Participants emerge with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage effective employment services for a wide range of clients and employers.
Subject Area/Industry Relevance
The field of career development is driven by today’s changing economy and world of work. It is an industry that is rapidly evolving and expanding. It is imperative for those involved – from job coaches to HR professionals – to keep pace with the changing landscape so that they may best serve their clients.
What Will You Learn?
- Historical and emerging theories of career development, and their practical applications when working with clients.
- The emotional responses and behavioural implications associated with career transitions, and how to assist clients as they navigate these experiences.
- How to coach clients through the experience of job loss, search, application, and interviewing.
- Strategies for working with diverse clients with a variety of backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and needs.
Who Should Take This Certificate?
- Individuals working in the field of career development or career service
- Individuals interested in expanding their skills around career services (i.e. those in counselling, HR, community organizations, and more)
How Will You Benefit?
The Certificate of Professional and Leadership Studies in Career Development can help you:
- Establish a framework and context for working with clients and inform career service practice.
- Gain an understanding of various relevant career development theories: Maslow’s Theory of Human Motivation, Super’s Lifespan/Lifespace Model, Parson’s Trait and Factor Theory, Holland’s Theory of Career Choice, and more modern theories such as Social Cognitive Career Theory and Constructivist Models.
- Recognize the stages of job loss grief, and support clients through the emotions and challenges of transition.
- Apply the techniques of active listening to your career development/service practice.
- Explore the concepts of diversity and inclusion (D&I), reflecting on your own unique lived experience, to draw connections between D&I and successful employment situations.
- Build a toolbox of resources including intake forms, digital branding guidelines, SMART goal setting approaches, etc.
Enrolling in any of the five (5) required courses will automatically enrol you in the certificate, Complete all five (5) required courses plus one (1) elective to receive the Certificate of Professional and Leadership Studies in Career Development.
Courses are $795 each. NSCDA members receive a $200 discount for each course.
For assistance or more information, please contact openlearning@dal.ca.
Do you have prior learning or experience relevant to this certificate?
It may be possible to receive advanced standing in this certificate based on your prior learning from work or life experience. We provide two types of recognition of prior learning:
- Prior Certified Learning: Assessment of prior coursework or training through a provider, that is neither a university or college, for the purpose of advanced standing. Examples of certified learning may include military courses, accredited certificates, workplace training programs, etc.
- Prior Experiential Learning: Assessment of previous work and life learning that may be equivalent to learning outcomes of university courses / programs, for the purpose of advanced standing. Relevant prior learning may come from work or volunteer experience, participation on committees or boards, independent study, etc.
To discuss how to use your prior learning to apply for advanced standing, please contact rpl@dal.ca.
Success Story
In the fall of 2021, we teamed up with the Nova Scotia Career Development Association (NSCDA) to award a special bursary to applicants from African Nova Scotia, Indigenous and new-to-Canada communities.
Ten recipients of the bursary were given the opportunity to complete this certificate.
One of the recipients, Templeton Sawyer, is embracing the opportunity and making a difference.
Please click here to read the full story from Atlantic Business.