Career Development Practitioner Program (Postgraduate) (C406)
Program Description
Leadership Claims
Career Development Practitioner is the only Career Development graduate certificate program in the Toronto area.
Program Overview
The Career Development Practitioner (Postgraduate) one-year program will prepare you to provide guidance related to career exploration, skill acquisition and job search and maintenance to a variety of clients. Apply to this program if you want to help others make professional and life decisions and have an impact in your daily work.
Full Description
The one-year Career Development Practitioner (C406) graduate certificate program prepares you to work in the career development sector, which includes non-profit/community-based, government, post-secondary and private/corporate organizations. This program may also appeal to you if you are a practitioner already working in the field who wants to gain additional formal training and job-coaching experience. This profession’s key objective is to assist clients to be self-sufficient in career exploration, skill acquisition and job search and maintenance. Career development practitioners coach and counsel others on the following:
- job search
- career planning
- career choice and change
- academic and training advising
- identifying and meeting staffing needs
As a Career development practitioner, you may work with specialized and diverse groups, including youth, women, people with disabilities, immigrants and refugees.
This program has been designed to meet the changing needs of the sector and will help meet the demand for trained career development practitioners in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and beyond. The curriculum is designed to meet the Canadian Standards and Guidelines for Career Development Practitioners.
What can you expect from the Career Development Practitioner program?
This program combines in-class experiential training in counselling and coaching, theory and practice. Courses may also be conducted online or in a blended format.
The use of technology will enable you to participate in exciting ways that will build on previous knowledge and skills.
The final semester is dedicated to a supervised field education opportunity to ensure that upon graduation, you will have practical experience recognized by employers.
To provide you with a rich learning experience, we offer a variety of teaching methods, such as seminars, lectures, online learning, small group work, guest speakers and field visits.
What Career Development Practitioner key skills and knowledge will you gain?
- emerging trends and techniques in job search and career exploration
- individual and group facilitation/counselling
- job development and employer engagement
- ethics and professional practice
- career development theory
- diversity, accessibility, equity and inclusion
- use of technology and social media
- career and employment information resources
- employment legislation and programs
Who are our Career Development Practitioner students?
Our students have completed a college diploma or a university degree.
Due to the varied nature of the work and workplaces of career development practitioners, it is expected that graduates may come from a wide variety of programs of study, including:
- psychology
- sociology
- education
- social and community services
- business
- marketing
- human resources
We recommend this field of study if you are interested in people and their development, are excited about the opportunity to assist others in professional and life decisions, and want to help them be self-sufficient in job search and retention.
Career development practitioners play an important role in the lives of others as they contribute to the emotional and financial well-being of their clients and their families, their communities and the economy.
Your Field Education Options
As a student in this program, you will complete almost 300 hours of unpaid field education in semester 3 and will be supported in developing relationships with our community partners to obtain an unpaid placement opportunity in settings in the GTA.
Unpaid placements will be chosen by you based on your learning goals, environments sought, clientele, location and other factors and will be approved by the program co-ordinator.
George Brown College has extensive connections with employers in all parts of the sector including community-based organizations, college and university career centres, internal corporate career services and career-management firms.
Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities
Courses
Required Courses
Semester 1
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| CDPR 4000 | Trends in Career Development |
| CDPR 4001 | Needs Assessment |
| CDPR 4004 | Theories of Career Development |
| CDPR 4005 | Work Search |
| CDPR 4006 | Human Rights, Diversity and Equity |
| CDPR 4018 | Professional Practice and Ethics |
Semester 2
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| CDPR 4007 | Group Facilitation |
| CDPR 4009 | Career and Employment Resources |
| CDPR 4010 | Accessibility in the Workplace |
| CDPR 4011 | Individual Counselling and Coaching |
| CDPR 4013 | Informal Assessment Tools |
| CDPR 4016 | Employer Engagement |
| CDRP 4017 | Digital Literacy in Career Development |
Semester 3
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| CDPR 4014 | Work-Integrated Learning Seminar |
| CDPR 4015 | Practicum |
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Apply evidence-based career development practices in advising diverse client groups.
- Utilize self-reflective and critical thinking skills to enhance counselling, teaching and learning strategies with groups and individuals.
- Develop a commitment to ongoing professional development to actively respond to changing labour market and professional requirements.
- Integrate appropriate career information resources and tools with career and employment strategies to enable clients to meet their employment goals.
- Perform needs assessments and develop subsequent interventions using techniques and skills that enable diverse ranges of clients to meet employment goals.
- Design consulting, advising and teaching strategies that incorporate trends and issues of the changing labour market to assist clients in job search and career transitions.
- Integrate emergent technologies into the full spectrum of Career Development processes and applications to maximize service delivery to clients navigating changing labour market requirements.
- Adhere to relevant legislation and social policy to plan programs, interventions and referrals for client groups.
- Use current work search tools and strategies to facilitate successful client job search.
Tuition & Fees
Domestic Tuition
International Tuition
Additional Costs
* Amounts listed are the estimated total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first three semesters of programs starting in Fall 2024. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2025 and at later dates. This fee does not include books, which are to be purchased by the student separately.
** Amounts listed are the estimated total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first three semesters of programs starting in Fall 2025. Tuition fees are subject to board approval. Material, student service and ancillary fees are estimated based on prior years. All fees are subject to change without notice. This fee does not include books, which are to be purchased by the student separately.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Financial Assistance
This program is approved for OSAP funding, provided the applicant meets OSAP eligibility criteria.
Each year we award over $2 million dollars in scholarships, awards and bursaries to first-year students. Check out our financial aid web pages for ways to pay for college and the full list of available scholarships, awards and bursaries.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is subject to change without notice. It should not be viewed as a representation, offer or warranty. Students are responsible for verifying George Brown College fee requirements.
Admission Requirements
- a two- or three-year diploma or a bachelor's degree
English Language Proficiency
Applicants with international transcripts must provide English language proficiency test results or complete the George Brown College English assessment to provide evidence of their English language proficiency. For more information please visit our English Proficiency Chart.
International Students
Visit the International Admissions page for more information regarding country specific admission requirements.
How to Apply
Domestic students should apply through Ontario Colleges.
International Students
Visit the How to Apply page for more information on how and when to apply.
International students should apply through the George Brown College Online Application System.
Contact Us
School of Social & Community Services
Email: communityservices@georgebrown.ca
Career Development Practitioner Program Coordinator: Thanh Dinh
Email: thanhthi.dinh@georgebrown.ca
For more information about George Brown College:
Contact George Brown College.
Contact one of our international recruitment representatives specializing by country of origin by either booking a virtual meeting or submitting an inquiry. For more information visit the International Contact Us page
Career Development Practitioner Program (Postgraduate) (C406)
Program Description
Leadership Claims
Career Development Practitioner is the only Career Development graduate certificate program in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Program Overview
Do you want to help others with professional and life decisions? The one-year Career Development Practitioner (Postgraduate) program will prepare you to provide guidance related to career exploration, skill acquisition, and job search and maintenance to a variety of clients.
Full Description
The one-year Career Development Practitioner (C406) graduate certificate program prepares you to work in the career development sector, which includes nonprofit/community-based, government, post-secondary and private/corporate organizations. This program may also appeal to you if you are a practitioner already working in the field who wants to gain additional formal training and job-coaching experience. This profession’s key objective is to assist clients to be self-sufficient in career exploration, skill acquisition, and job search and maintenance. Career development practitioners coach and counsel others on the following:
- job search
- career planning
- career choice and change
- academic and training advising
- identifying and meeting staffing needs
Career development practitioners may work with specialized and diverse groups, including youth, women, people with disabilities, immigrants and refugees.
This program has been designed to meet the changing needs of the sector and will help meet the demand for trained career development practitioners in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and beyond. The curriculum is designed to meet the Canadian Standards and Guidelines for Career Development Practitioners.
What can you expect from the Career Development Practitioner program?
This program combines in-class experiential training in counselling and coaching, theory and practice. Courses may also be conducted online or in a blended format.
The use of technology will enable you to participate in exciting ways that will build on previous knowledge and skills.
The final semester is dedicated to a supervised field education opportunity to ensure that upon graduation, you will have practical experience recognized by employers.
To provide you with a rich learning experience, we offer a variety of teaching methods, such as seminars, lectures, online learning, small group work, guest speakers, and field visits.
What Career Development Practitioner key skills and knowledge will you gain?
- emerging trends and techniques in job search and career exploration
- individual and group facilitation/counselling
- job development and employer engagement
- ethics and professional practice
- career development theory
- diversity, accessibility, equity and inclusion
- use of technology and social media
- career and employment information resources
- employment legislation and programs
Who are our Career Development Practitioner students?
Our students have completed a college diploma or a university degree.
Due to the varied nature of the work and workplaces of career development practitioners, it is expected that graduates may come from a wide variety of programs of study, including:
- psychology
- sociology
- education
- social and community services
- business
- marketing
- human resources
We recommend this field of study if you are interested in people and their development, are excited about the opportunity to assist others in professional and life decisions, and want to help them be self-sufficient in job search and retention.
Career development practitioners play an important role in the lives of others as they contribute to the emotional and financial well-being of their clients and their families, their communities, and the economy.
Your Field Education Options
Students will complete almost 300 hours of field education in semester 3 and will be supported in developing relationships with our community partners to obtain a placement opportunity in settings in the GTA.
Placements will be chosen by students based on their learning goals, environments sought, clientele, location, and other factors and will be approved by the program co-ordinator.
George Brown College has extensive connections with employers in all parts of the sector including community-based organizations, college and university career centres, internal corporate career services, and career-management firms.
Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities
Courses
Required Courses
SEMESTER 1
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| CDPR 4000 | Trends in Career Development |
| CDPR 4001 | Needs Assessment |
| CDPR 4004 | Theories of Career Development |
| CDPR 4005 | Work Search |
| CDPR 4006 | Human Rights, Diversity and Equity |
| CDPR 4018 | Professional Practice and Ethics |
SEMESTER 2
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| CDPR 4007 | Group Facilitation |
| CDPR 4009 | Career and Employment Resources |
| CDPR 4010 | Accessibility in the Workplace |
| CDPR 4011 | Individual Counselling and Coaching |
| CDPR 4013 | Informal Assessment Tools |
| CDPR 4016 | Employer Engagement |
| CDRP 4017 | Digital Literacy in Career Development |
SEMESTER 3
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| CDPR 4014 | Work-Integrated Learning Seminar |
| CDPR 4015 | Practicum |
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Apply evidence-based career development practices in advising diverse client groups.
- Utilize self-reflective and critical thinking skills to enhance counselling, teaching and learning strategies with groups and individuals.
- Develop a commitment to ongoing professional development to actively respond to changing labour market and professional requirements.
- Integrate appropriate career information resources and tools with career and employment strategies to enable clients to meet their employment goals.
- Perform needs assessments and develop subsequent interventions using techniques and skills that enable diverse ranges of clients to meet employment goals.
- Design consulting, advising and teaching strategies that incorporate trends and issues of the changing labour market to assist clients in job search and career transitions.
- Integrate emergent technologies into the full spectrum of Career Development processes and applications to maximize service delivery to clients navigating changing labour market requirements.
- Adhere to relevant legislation and social policy to plan programs, interventions and referrals for client groups.
- Use current work search tools and strategies to facilitate successful client job search.
Tuition & Fees
Domestic Tuition
International Tuition
Additional Costs
* Amounts listed are the estimated total of tuition, materials, student service, and ancillary fees for the first three semesters of programs starting in Fall 2023. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2024 and at later dates. This fee does not include books, which are to be purchased by the student separately.
** Amounts listed are the estimated total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first three semesters of programs starting in Fall 2024. Tuition fees are subject to board approval. Material, student service and ancillary fees are estimated based on prior years. All fees are subject to change without notice. This fee does not include books, which are to be purchased by the student separately.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Financial Assistance
This program is approved for OSAP funding, provided the applicant meets OSAP eligibility criteria.
Each year we award over $2 million dollars in scholarships, awards and bursaries to first-year students. Check out our financial aid webpages for ways to pay for college and the full list of available scholarships, awards and bursaries.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is subject to change without notice. It should not be viewed as a representation, offer or warranty. Students are responsible for verifying George Brown College fee requirements.
Admission Requirements
- a two- or three-year diploma or a bachelor's degree from a college or university
English Language Proficiency
Applicants with international transcripts must provide English language proficiency test results or complete the George Brown College English assessment to provide evidence of their English language proficiency. For more information please visit our English Proficiency Chart.
International Students
Visit the International Admissions page for more information regarding country specific admission requirements.
How to Apply
Domestic students should apply through Ontario Colleges.
International Students
Visit the How to Apply page for more information on how and when to apply.
International students should apply through the George Brown College Online Application System.
Contact Us
School of Social & Community Services
Email: communityservices@georgebrown.ca
Career Development Practitioner Program Co-ordinator: Thanh Dinh
Email: thanhthi.dinh@georgebrown.ca
For more information about George Brown College:
Contact George Brown College | George Brown College
Contact one of our international recruitment representatives specializing by country of origin by either booking a virtual meeting or submitting an inquiry. For more information visit the International Contact Us page
