A CCDP™ (Certified Career Development Practitioner) designation demonstrates that you have met the industry standard and possess critical skills for competent practice; it shows your commitment to ethical standards and continued professional growth.

A CCDP designation formally recognizes your skills, knowledge, and experience as a career practitioner. It builds public trust, providing assurance that you meet a recognized standard of practice. Certification benefits a CCDP, too: going through the process and achieving the designation helps us to recognize our own skills and knowledge. It strengthens our belief in our own competence and helps us to identify areas for further growth. Having the designation makes it easier to communicate our expertise to clients as well as prospective employers.

The NSCDA Certification Process
The Nova Scotia Career Development Association (NSCDA) has been certifying career development practitioners since 2015. Our trademarked process for the Certification program is based on the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and is designed for career practitioners currently working in the field of career development.  To be eligible for the CCDP designation, practitioners will have acquired a minimum of three years’ paid work experience in the field.  A practitioner may follow two routes to obtain the CCDP designation; practitioners have the option to follow the Assessment route when they enter the Certification program having met the minimum of three years’ experience requirement; or to follow the Career Pathways route by working towards this requirement.

Assessing Your Skills
Candidates are assessed in relation to the competencies of the Nova Scotia Career Development Practitioners Core Competency Profile (also known as the NS Profile). Upon successful completion, practitioners earn the right to use the designation CCDP™.