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).

Graduation from the program provides the full academic component and partial fulfillment of work experience hours for certification by the Career Development Practitioners' Certification Board of Ontario (CDPCBO).

Program Overview

George Brown College's Career Development Practitioner (C406) program will prepare students to provide advice and guidance related to career exploration, skill acquisition, job search and maintenance. This one-year post-diploma certificate program provides training to enter and/or advance in the field of career development.

Full Description

George Brown College's Career Development Practitioner (C406) is a three-semester (one-year) graduate certificate program that prepares graduates to enter the career development sector. The program may also appeal to practitioners working in the field who want to gain additional formal training and job-coaching experience. The career development sector includes nonprofit/community-based, government, post-secondary and private/corporate organizations.

The key objective of the field is to assist clients to be self-sufficient in career exploration, skill acquisition, job search and maintenance. Career Development Practitioners coach and counsel others on:

  • 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 such as:

  • 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 demand for trained Career Development Practitioners in the GTA and beyond.

The curriculum is designed to meet the Canadian Standards and Guidelines for Career Development Practitioners.

Graduation from the program provides the full academic component and partial fulfillment of work experience hours for certification by the Career Development Practitioners' Certification Board of Ontario (CDPCBO).

What can you expect from the Career Development Practitioner program?

The program will combine 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 students to participate in exciting ways that will build on previous knowledge and skills.

The final semester is dedicated to a supervised field education opportunity that ensures graduates leave with practical experience that will be recognized by employers.

To provide students with a rich learning experience, we offer a variety of teaching methods such as:

  • seminars
  • lectures
  • online learning
  • small group work
  • guest speakers
  • 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

People who are interested in others, are excited about the opportunity to assist others in professional and life decisions and to help them to be self-sufficient in job search and job retention will be attracted to this field of study.

Practitioners contribute to the emotional and financial well-being of their clients and their families, their communities and the economy.

Your Field Education Options

Students are required to complete approximately 300 hours of field education in semester three and will be supported in developing relationships with our community partners to obtain a placement opportunity in the GTA setting and further afield.

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 coordinator.

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

Career Options

Career Development Practitioner (C406) graduates may hold a variety of job titles within the field of Career Development including:

  • employment consultant/counsellor
  • career consultant/counsellor/coach
  • employment information specialist
  • job developer/employment placement specialist/employment marketing consultant
  • workshop facilitator
  • academic advisor
  • career education specialist
  • career coach/career management professional
  • outreach specialist/worker
  • recruitment advisor
  • employee assistance counsellor

These positions may be held in the community-based, post-secondary and private sector as well as labour organizations, vocational rehabilitation programs and government departments.

Graduates of the program will have completed the two mandatory courses (Ethics and Career Development Theory) for certification by CDPCBO as a Certified Career Development Practitioner (CCDP). In addition, their field education/practicum hours will be counted toward the work experience requirement. Graduates will need to gain additional work experience before being able to apply for certification.

George Brown College is well-connected to the Career Development sector. Hundreds of practitioners that graduated from the former Career and Work Counsellor (CWC) diploma program are now working in the GTA and beyond in both leadership/managerial and front-line positions, providing opportunities for networking and career development.

The alumni committee of the CWC program is actively involved in providing professional development and mentoring opportunities.

"I have started working as an Employment Consultant with ACCES Employment in Toronto. Specifically, I am working with the Entrepreneurship Connections Pre-arrival program. I will always remember and be grateful for my wonderful experience with George Brown College, not only as a student in the Career Development Practitioner program, but also as a peer tutor/peer leader with the Tutoring and Learning Centre. I am very thankful for having been part of the educational program and student services at GBC. Thank you for the team at GBC who were part of this career journey!"

Natalie Treboute
Ontario College Graduate Certificate

Visit and discover life in our campus

Book campus tour

Get answers to your questions

Book info session

Sign up to receive tailored resources to make your application, your way.

Sign up and learn more about your options, our programs, and life at George Brown.