You cannot fully separate your career from your personal life.
Career Development considers the whole person and all aspects of life and work.

Career Development Practitioners (CDPs) are the go-to experts who help people make work and life choices. CDPs help people explore their options and make work and life decisions. Their professional expertise aid people in accesses relevant learning opportunities, and seeking and maintaining employment.

Career Development Practitioners (CDPs) are the go-to experts who help people make work and life choices. CDPs help people explore their options and make work and life decisions. Their professional expertise aid people in accesses relevant learning opportunities, and seeking and maintaining employment.

Career development practitioners adhere to ethical principles, values and codes which guide professional behaviour and inform decision-making. Identifying and solving ethical dilemmas requires sensitivity, sincerity, understanding, and commitment. Working through ethical conflicts is part of what career development practitioners encounter daily. Ethical practice is non-negotiable – it is foundational.

A new and expanded Code of Ethics for Career Development Professionals in Canada has recently been developed and launched. It can be found here (awaiting publishing of this document).

Engaging a CCDP A Certified Career Development Practitioner has demonstrated that they possess the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for competent practice. CCDPs work in a variety of settings – in Nova Scotia Works Centres and other not-for-profit organizations; in schools and post-secondary institutions; in private companies or in private practice. You can access a list of current CCDPs here.

What is a Certified Career Development Practitioner (CCDP)?

A CCDP™ (Certified Career Development Practitioner) designation demonstrates that a Career Development Practitioner has met the industry standard and possesses critical skills for competent practice; it shows your commitment to ethical standards and continued professional growth. Certification Regulatory Body The Nova Scotia Career Development Association is the regulatory body for career development practice in Nova Scotia and oversees the certification and recertification of CCDPs. While certification is not required by law, it is mandated for specific roles (i.e. Case Manager) within Nova Scotia Works Centres. Recognition of the CCDP designation is growing, and, increasingly, it is listed as a requirement in job postings within the career development field.

How to Become a CCDP

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. LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A CCDP

Engaging a CCDP

A Certified Career Development Practitioner has demonstrated that they possess the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for competent practice. CCDPs work in a variety of settings: in Nova Scotia Works centres and other not-for-profit organizations; in schools and post-secondary institutions; in private companies or in private practice. You can access a list of current CCDPs here.