Kicking off career development month

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This article was published 29/10/2024 (368 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Career and Workforce Development Month.

That’s what the Manitoba Association for Career Development has dubbed November — and it is planning events to get Manitobans thinking about their personal and professional goals.

“Many people conflate (their) career with a job or an occupation, but career is actually from cradle to grave,” said Deanna England, vice-chair of MACD. “Your hobbies, your schooling, your volunteering, any paid work you do — even retirement is a piece of your career journey.”

The association is hosting its annual Let’s Get to Work conference Nov. 1.

Held at the Victoria Inn, the day-long event in Winnipeg will offer career development professionals and employers the chance to hear from speakers, participate in workshops and network. Approximately 150 people are expected to attend.

Career development is a big field, England said, and it includes everyone from people in academia who work with students to human resources professionals to people who help newcomers get established.

“One of the best things about the conference is the opportunity for all these different folks who are working in career development to recognize the work that they’re doing,” England said. “Having the opportunity to connect with different kinds of sectors and industries is really useful.”

Connie Korchak attends the conference every year and appreciates the chance to compare notes with peers.

“Sometimes, things can be a little isolating and it’s nice to talk to people about programs they’re running (and) resources they’re using,” said Korchak, who works at the University of Manitoba’s Career, Community and Experiential Learning Centre.

Attending the conference has helped Korchak better understand Indigenous reconciliation, as well as equity, diversity and inclusion frameworks.

“Career development is extremely important, and we add value to society by helping people make informed decisions and find employment that suits their needs and preferences,” she said.

Conferences like Let’s Get to Work are incredible opportunities for practitioners to learn from each other, according to Deirdre Pickerell, program director at the Canadian Career Development Foundation.

“Those working in the field within career development need to continually develop and adapt their skills to meet the needs of employers and job seekers,” she said. “Events like this help them do that.”

MACD’s Career and Workforce Development Month continues Nov. 4 with an event at the Delta Hotel on St. Mary Avenue. A number of speakers, including ice cream entrepreneur Joseph Chaeban, will explore the theme, “Why work in Manitoba?”

MACD is adding other events to its website (macd-mb.org). The website also includes career development resources that anyone can access, England added.

“What we’re working on is really, in a broad sense, trying to shift folks’ mindsets into being really mindful and intentional about their careers,” she said.

According to Pickerell, career development is a lifelong process. Every decision is a career decision.

“For the average person, they’re in control of their career even when they don’t feel like they are,” she said. “We have to be the drivers of our career and recognize that.”

Taking time to reflect on how much one is or isn’t enjoying work can go a long way, Pickerell added. “We manage our health, we manage our finances and we should be managing our career in the same way.”

Korchak agreed.

“The overall message of career development is that it affects everyone and it will happen whether people are active participants or not,” she said. “So taking control and making informed decisions helps everyone to have a more fulfilled life.”

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca