Current, connected, committed Alberta Career Development Conference reflects on 2020 and hopes for a better 2021 By Cindy Chan
T
he Career Development Association of Alberta (CDAA), like many other organizations, had an unexpected year due to COVID-19, but the past several months have taught them to pivot, adapt and
they can provide quality supports to the clients they serve,” Wischoff Yerama says. “We do that through a voluntary certification program, our annual conference and professional development opportunities, and we do our best to keep them
thrive unlike ever before.
connected to what’s going on in the field in general.”
The CDAA has been incorporated since 1997 as a grassroots
The Alberta Career Development Conference (ACDC) has
organization established by career development practitioners
been around for many years, but it was recently reimagined in
with the goal of getting together, sharing best practices and learning and growing together, according to Paula Wischoff Yerama, executive director for the CDAA.
2014, alternating between Edmonton and Calgary each year, according to Wischoff Yerama. It typically follows a traditional conference format with keynote speakers, concurrent sessions,
The CDAA currently boasts about 300 members across Alberta,
an exhibitor fair and networking events; however, COVID-19 has
as well as outside of Alberta’s borders, primarily consisting of
changed that entirely.
individuals working in not-for-profit career and employment services, as well as in post-secondary career centres, secondary schools, vocational rehabilitation settings, organizations and private practice.
“We weren’t able to go ahead with the conference last year, but it has been rescheduled for May 4 and 5, 2021. We had hoped to be able to hold the conference in person; however, given the ongoing uncertainty regarding in-person gatherings,
“Our goal as an association is to support our members to be
we have opted to move forward with a virtual conference,”
the best career development practitioners they can be so
Wischoff Yerama says.
10 Alberta School Counsellor / Spring 2021
