Member Recognition

Remembering Richard (Dick) Knowdell

Dick Knowdell was a founding member of APCDA and his wisdom guides us today.  His influence on our association was profound and his contributions were many, earning him the status of Lifetime Legacy Partner.  Please see his bio on the Legacy Partner page.  He attended every in-person conference APCDA has held, representing his company Career Development Network.  His life was long, active, and full of important accomplishments.  He passed away in his sleep on December 13, 2021. 

Please send your memories of Dick Knowdell to Info@AsiaPacificCDA.org by Friday, Dec 24 and we will publish them in next week’s news blog and send them to the Dick Knowdell Memorial Book. Below is the remembrance written by Dr. Rich Feller.

Dick Knowdell, International Career Leader, Card Sort and JCTC Coach Certificate Developer Passes December 13

By Rich Feller

Recipient of NCDA’s Centennial Award, APCDA’s and the California CDA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, author and trainer, Richard (Dick) Knowdell has passed. He impacted millions within the career development field as a career coaching innovator. Known for his Card Sorts (Motivated Skills, Career Values, Leisure/Retirement, Occupational Interests, and Career Development & Job Search Profile), the Career Planning Network, and JOURNAL of Career Planning and Adult Development he was recognized for creating easy to use products and practitioner training worldwide.

Born November 12, 1934 in San Francisco, CA he is survived by wife Barbara Knowdell, and nephew Chris Knowdell of Sacramento. A dedicated mentor, and generous international colleague he was a dear friend and training partner with Bobbi Floyd and Rich Feller. Tim Hsi and Amy Lew, Michael Robinson (recently purchased Dick’s Career Research and Testing Company), Amhed Mostafa, Ashraf Jamie, and Vera Chapman were a few of his 8000+ Job and Career Transition Certificated Career Coaches.

Dick lived in Woodside, CA through high school and served as a US Air Force medic transporting the wounded during the Korean War. Relieved from active duty in 1964 he retired from the Air Force Reserves in 1984 as Chief Master Sergeant.

Dick was very proud of having worked in more than forty jobs during his lifetime (including plumber’s helper, cigarette salesman, post office worker, and HP employee). Attending San Jose Community College on the GI Bill, a counselor convinced him he was “college material.” He earned a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at San Jose State University. His education and work experience provided a lens which championed all work as dignified and honoring of each trade and worker. He pioneered the idea of a Job and Career Transition Coach, and Job and Career Development Coach Certification in 1979. That training is available virtually across the world.

Employed in several Silicon Valley company employee assistance departments, Dick was very proud of his influence over several years at Lawrence Livermore Labs. He started a private counseling practice while there and transitioned to full-time private practice and consulting. He is acknowledged as one of the first full-time career development entrepreneurs, career coaches, and career conference developers. His International Career Conferences were some the largest in the world for many years. Appointed by President Clinton to the Board of Examiners for the US Foreign Service, he authored six books.

Dick died peacefully in his sleep at home. He always said he wanted to go to sleep and not wake up. He got his wish. There will be no service of any kind per his wish. He will be cremated and his ashes scattered at sea by the Neptune Society. His family asks that friends "do a kindness for someone in memory of Dick since he was always trying to help and support others.”

View an interview with Dick about his major contributions to career development here.

Remembrances

I am sad to hear about his passing away. Mr. Dick Knowdell and his cards of Career Motivation, Career Values have driven me into many meaningful activities. I would like to express my thankfulness to him.

Doris Nhung, Working Place: Industry Relations, Academic and Career Development, Van Lang University, Viet Nam

I remember vividly when I first met Dick in his JCTC course in Hong Kong. He was full of energy, doing what he was passionate about. At that moment, I thought “I wish I’d have the same rigor and passion when I’m at his age.” He was a pioneer and willing to help out the younger generation. He was approachable, witty, and fun to be with. I always looked forward to seeing his smiling faces whenever I attended APCDA conferences. I’ll miss him always.

Dr. Elvo Sou, Head of Student Counselling Section. Student Affairs Office, University of Macau, Macau

Ken Kreis, Marcie Bolles, Dick Bolles, Dick Knowdell

I have personally known Richard for over 30 years and he was CRG’s longest standing Associate/Partner. He included CRG’s Personal Style Indicator (and others) assessment in his career develop certification for over 3 decades. We met in person and hung out at career development conferences - many times arranging our booths to be side by side so we could watch each other’s booth when on breaks. We would also attend each others presentations as moral support. I loved Richard’s independent spirit and “tell it the way I see it” attitude. He was not a conformist and never let the popular or being politically correct sway his opinions – that is one of the reasons he was so respected in our profession. Yet, at the same time Richard was generous and kind. I can’t even track the how many times he invited myself, my wife Brenda or the CRG Team member

to the executive level at his hotel for dinner or snacks. I fondly recall at the NCDA Conference in Orlando where we had our booths side by side – his endearment towards my 20 year old daughter Stephanie who was helping at our booth. He personally took her through his card decks and proceeded to coach her for her future career possibilities. Richard pulled me aside and only as Richard could -  said “Ken your daughter is much smart than you are!”

Richard generosity - lead him to introduce dozens of career development professionals to myself to consider CRG’s assessments and/or build relationships with his global network. This included but limited to Rich Feller, Bobbi Floyd, Tim Hsi, Amy Lew, Michael Robinson, Amhed Mostafa and many more.

Finally, a very special memory was from a few years ago while working with a client in California - Richard Knowdell arranged a dinner with he and Richard Bolles and his wife Marci – which ended up with drinks at Dick Bolles residence.

Richard, I appreciated your friendship and being your colleague. Thank you for all that you have done for others – you have left a legacy.

Dr. Ken Keis, President & CEO, Consulting Resource Group International, Inc., USA and Canada

When I first met Dick Knowdell fifty years ago, he was working with scientists at Lawrence Livermore Laboratories to assist them in finding career satisfaction, and I was a high school counselor.  When I started working for EUREKA, the California Career Information System, I was responsible for organizing an annual member meeting for people in California who used our computerized career planning system. To make this meeting more valuable, I added sharing and training sessions on career development and called it a conference.  Dick Knowdell approached me to expand my conference to include his Career Development Network and the California Career Development Association.  That sounded like a winning combination – the best career development experts added to my little annual event – who could resist.  And he promised to take care of collecting the registration fees.  The International Career Conference was born. 

I learned that Dick Knowdell was a brilliant businessman, a reliable partner, and a source of excellent advice.  When Soonhoon Ahn and I started the Asia Pacific Career Development Association conferences, Dick joined us again and we continued where we had left off.  We all miss you, Dick.  We will always be grateful that you got us started on a good path.

Dr. Marilyn E. Maze, Financial Administrator, Asia Pacific Career Development Association, USA

We first me in 1977 at a career development conference, likely delivered by one of his fellow giants, Richard Bolles. We bonded instantly and had a lively correspondence for a while across the USA, Dick on the West Coast and me on the East Coast. So many years later, we reunited at an early APCDA annual conference and every subsequent one, joining with another senior colleague in doing a kind of old geezers of career development presentation in either Taipei or Tokyo.

Dick was bigger than life. His kind generosity and compassionate spirit bathed all around him and one of the greatest highlights of each APCDA annual conferences was spending time with him and his lovely wife, Bobbi. He was the perpetual wise old owl dispensing wisdom, delightful stories and good humor at every event and, to me, was the living example of the spirit of career development that I hoped to emulate. He was delightfully honest and direct and was a man any of us could and did trust. Dick knew well the inevitable foibles of what it is to be human but, in his powerful presence, one could feel accepted and appreciated for who each of us was. He will be sorely missed but I am so happy he passed peacefully into his sleep and feel well assured that his spirit will live on in the best of all those many whose lives he has touched. Goodbye my dear Dick Knowdell. You embodied the best of our profession.

Dr. Brian A. Schwartz, Founder, Suzhou Success Partners Management Consulting Company, Ltd., Suzhou, China

It was shocking to hear this very sad news; I kept reading the e-mail several time hoping that I miss something, and what I understood is wrong, but the reality is he is gone. Richard Knowdell gone with his buddy what he will remain in our mind and heart.

I knew Dick early 2009 when I attended his JCTC/JCDC workshop in San Jose, and I remember that part of my career plan I came-up with out of this program is to work with him. 2010 we had the chance to have him in Egypt, 2011 I developed the Arabic version of his Card Sort, 2012 I became his assistant and did the first workshop with him in April, since that time he was my Boss, Mentor, and my great supporter. I still can digest the idea that I’m not going to work with him again, or not going to travel with him again. It is hard for me to accept this reality, but all what I can do is to keep what I have learned from him and to extend his mission t everywhere I go. I owe him a lot, and it is the time to pay him back all the good things he did for me.

Please see the attached pictures, it is the wonderful moments we had in Egypt and also the lats picture I had with him June 2019 ”the last Face-to-face NCDA conference.”

Ahmed Mostafa, International Career Development Advisor, GROWAT Cofounder – KSA, Kingdom of Saudi Arabian

I first knew about Dick while attended the Master of Counseling program at Santa Clara University. Back then, our class was introduced to Dick’s Motivated Skills Cards in our Career Development Emphasis course.

A couple of years later, while consulting a career development project with the two provinces in Vietnam, I sent Dick an email asking for his support. He instantly and generously gave me his advice and the permission to use his tools for free with the teachers in the two provinces. We continued to use his tools for free until it was officially produced and sold by Phi&P - HR & Leadership Training Company.

Contacting Dick via email for a long time, I finally got to meet him in person at the first Asia Pacific Career Conference in Seoul, Korea, in the summer of 2013. To me, Dick was the bridge between me and APCDA, where I no longer felt isolated in my career development practice. In 2019, during one visit to Vietnam, we sat down for dinner and Dick shared with me his career journey story, which was colorful and meaningful. I still vividly remembered that dinner, the table we sat at, the meals we ordered, and the call we made to Bobby who couldn’t make it due to her last-minute cold. We promised to see each other in person at Dick’s home during my next vacation, which did not happen due to COVID-19.

My teacher has ended his mission on earth. And I missed him dearly. Dick’s greatest lessons to me included generosity towards people and dedication to the career development profession.

Phoenix Ho, Founder, Sông An Career Development Social Enterprise, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

First of all, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to his family and beloved friends.

I first met Dick in 2011 at the NCDA conference in San Jose and had communicated since then at the NCDA and APCDA conferences.  I’ve known him as a businessman at first, but got to know his generosity and passion towards people and career development profession through non-profit organization.

Dick is a very special person who loved working.  In 2012, I invited him to Korea to offer Job & Career Coach, Job and Career Development Coach Certificate program.  Even though I wish him to experience Korean culture by visiting selective places, however, he wanted to work only.

When we co-sponsored the first APCDA conference in Korea in 2013, I came to know that Dick sponsored a lot to invite Dick Bolles as a keynote speaker. 

He was pure and modest professional.  And he was trying to help and support others.  I was especially grateful to learn from him about the American career legend in career development history after the World War II.

Thanking him for his great contribution to all the people concerned with career,

I wish him to stay peaceful in another world.

Eunmee Hwang, Founder and President of Career Consultant Forum, Founder and Representative of EM Consulting, Korea

When I think of Dick Knowdell, the first word that comes to mind is "generosity." In my first interaction with Dick, I asked him for permission to cite his Career Values Card Sort in my graduate project. Dick said, "absolutely" and then added, "can I send you some free card sorts to get you started with this workshop?" I was blown away! He was already a "great" in the field and truth be told, I was nervous to even ask for permission to cite his resource. When he responded not only graciously but with such generosity, I was startled in the best possible way. From then on, I recognized him as the professional I would like to strive to be. He will be sincerely missed for all the good he's done for our profession. But it may be the little conversations like this that burn brightest in the minds of the individuals he so positively impacted. A huge loss to the field of Career Development to be sure!

My husband, Alrien Berg, who completed his Job and Career Transition Coach Certification program, had this to say:

I attended Dick Knowdell's Job and Career Transition Coach Certification program some years ago. It was a smaller group with maybe a dozen of us in attendance. He was incredibly professional and I knew he was a pioneer in his field. But what I didn't expect, is how personable, friendly and willing to share any/all knowledge he had with us. He was so approachable! I never felt I was bothering him. In fact, he always encouraged us to approach him and made himself available for meals outside of the training so that he could help in a more personal way. He was constantly other-focused including providing free materials if needed to get us started. He inspired me to put others first in my work and life. 

Wendy Berg, M.S., Moorpark College, General and International Student Counselor, Academic Counselor/Career Counselor/Professor, USA

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Lifetime Member Interview with Dr. Linda Pardy

By Lisa Raufman

Dr. Linda Pardy recently became a lifetime member of APCDA because she wants to provide better career development support for the growing number of international students studying at the University of Fraser (UFV).  Dr. Pardy holds a BA in Adult Education from UFV, as well as a Master of Education in Community and Workplace Learning and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Calgary. Over her career she has supported 1000s of students in becoming workplace ready.

She is the Associate Dean of Students, in the College of Arts, as well as an Associate Professor, Communications at UFV where she encourages and supports faculty and students to recognize the embedded work/life career development that is fostered by a Humanities and Social Science education. Her research agenda is committed to ensuring Liberal Arts grads know they are equipped to tackle today's challenges and numerous career opportunities.

Prior to coming to UFV, she held a variety of leadership positions in student affairs, career, and community and corporate education with Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and the British Columbia (BC) Council on Admissions and Transfer. She is one of two original creators of the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer’s (BCCAT) premier planning resource, EducationPlannerBC.ca (EPBC), and has provided research, systems development, consulting services and project management to the Ministry of Advanced Education and BCCAT over the past 20 years.

Her most recent project is the creation of a new student Career Mapping resource. Career Mapping will be officially launched this summer and is an education/career planning tool built on a mindset of expansion. It is designed to help students navigate the multiple education and/or employment transitions of their careers. 

Her entire career has been focused on building student capacity towards life beyond university. As a UFV Teaching Excellence Award winner, her integrated approach to student success is recognized for improving inclusion, knowledge transfer, and experiential learning so that all students are prepared to meet their future work/life challenges. Her research and publications focus on transformative learning, workplace learning and career development, student development, Indigenization, internationalization, and teaching and learning practices that enable multiple student populations to experience success and flourish.

Awards:

• University of Fraser Valley Teaching Excellence Award 2013

Related Publications and Presentations

• Pardy, L., & Ho, C. (2021). Sustainable Work-integrated Learning for Liberals Arts & Indigenous Students. BC ACE-WIL Symposium. Virtual.
• Pardy, L., & Ellingham, S. (2021). Where are voices from the field? Advising research: Underrepresented in Canadian Higher Education. United Kingdom Advising & Tutoring (UKAT) Virtual Conference.
• Browne, J., Ho, C., Pardy, B., & Karim, A. (2021). Taking the career development ninja challenge 2.0. Cannexus, Live Session, Virtual.
• Pardy, L., & Pardy, B. (2020). Decolonizing non-Indigenous faculty and students: Beyond comfortable diversity. In. S. Cote-Meek & T. Moeke-Pickering (Ed). Decolonizing the academy. Canada Scholars’   Press.
• Pardy, L., Ho, C., Browne, J., & Karim, A. (2020). Taking the career development ninja challenge. Cannexus Mega-session panelist. Ottawa, ON.
• Pardy, L., Ho, C., Williams, J., Wiggers, R., Dashur, F., & Carey, T. (2019). Developing innovation-enabled graduates in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education. Vancouver, BC.
• Pardy, L. Doan, MA., Atake, R., (2019). Internationalized: Planning Beyond Recruitment. BC Council International Education Conference. Whistler BC.
• Pardy, L. (2018). Student wellness through experiential learning & career mapping. Festival of Learning 2018. Vancouver, BC.
• Pardy, L. (2017). White Racial Literacy, Adult Education, and Student Development: Indigenous Learner Success and Faculty Renewal. Society for the Study of Teaching and Learning. Halifax, NS.
• Pardy, L., Carey, T., Arnold, C., Wiggers, R., & Penny-Light, T. (2017). Challenges in Practitioner Research on Developing Graduate Capability for Emerging Knowledge Practices. Canadian Association for the Study of  Adult Education. Toronto. ON.
• Pardy, L. (2016).  Academic advising in British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer.

Influencers and their important publications

• Mentor/Influencer    Dr. Janet Groen, University of Calgary.
• Margaret Wheatley – author of:
  • Who Do We Choose to Be?
  • Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time
  • A Simpler Way
• Richard Keeling & Richard Hersh: authors of -  We’re Losing our Minds: Rethinking American Higher Education
• Kevin Gannon:  author of Radical Hope: a Teaching Manifesto
• Sarah Ahmed:  author of On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life

And still two long-time favorites:

• Norman Amundson - Active Engagement: Enhancing the Career Counselling Process
• Nel Noddings: - Happiness and Education

Contact Information

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/linda-pardy
Twitter: @linda_pardy

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Lifetime Member Interview with
Elvis Sio, Education and Career Counselling Manager, Ministry of Education, Singapore

by Dr. Lisa Raufman

What made you decide to become a lifetime APCDA member?

As the first class in Singapore to be trained as Education and Career Guidance Counsellor by MOE, I was exposed to various career development associations globally such as APCDA, NCDA, CDAA and CICA as part of my professional development in career counselling.

APCDA was closest to my heart as it was the first association that I was exposed to and have attended many of their webinars, conferences and seminars all of which helped in my professional growth.

As APCDA fosters inclusion with multicultural diversity, I have benefitted and learnt a lot from my fellow practitioners throughout the Asia Pacific region.

It’s a natural choice that follows to become a lifetime APCDA member.

Education/Certifications

Education:

• MSc in Professional Counselling with Advanced Training in Systemic Family Counselling from Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
• BSc, Honors in Computing from University of Portsmouth, UK
• Specialist Diploma in Career Counselling from Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

Certifications:

• Certified Career Counsellor, NCDA, USA
• Certified School Career Development Advisor, NCDA, USA
• Facilitating Career Development Instructor, NCDA, USA
• Global Career Development Facilitator, CCE, USA
• Certified Career Practitioner, Workforce Singapore

Professional Influences

Dr. Ricky Tang - A Senior Lecturer at Republic Polytechnic, Singapore. Dr Tang heads the Specialist Diploma in Career Counseling program and facilitates its career counseling practicum. He was also my trainer when I was pursuing my Specialist Diploma in Career Counselling. Dr. Tang has been a great mentor in my career development journey.

Dr. Constance J. Pritchard - Well known for her work in leadership, business consulting and career development, Dr Pritchard was my trainer for NCDA FCD instructor course. During my training, Dr Pritchard brought the knowledge of my career development to the next level. I credit her patience and encouragement towards me as booster for my completion of the FCD instructor course.

Work Experience

I obtained my Master in Professional Counselling with Advanced Training in Systemic Family Therapy at Swinburne University of Technology. I am  currently an Education and Career Guidance (ECG) Counselling Manager with the Ministry of Education, Singapore. By participating in the first class of ECG Counsellor training, I accumulated vast working experience in helping K12 and tertiary students with their education and career planning.

I am currently in-charge of a group of ECG counsellors and mentor them as part of their professional development. I have also been appointed as Section Head and a Lead ECG Counsellor in a polytechnic Career Centre. Additionally, during my time with the National Trade Union Congress, I was a Principal Employability Coach and a Specialist who dealt with workforce and industry development. My work experiences include organizational development, programme management and workforce training, job re-design and re-creation. Furthermore, I have rendered service in an employee assistance programme to help displaced workers as well as underemployed workers. I am also a trained engineer and special needs educator. During my off days, I volunteer my expertise to help disadvantaged individuals and family.

Specializations

Business & Workforce Development, Career Guidance for K-12, At-Risk Students and Higher Education

Awards

• May Day Model Partnership Award, Institutional Group (2012 – 2014), NTUC
• MOE Service Excellence Award, Silver (2020), MOE
• MOE Innovation Award (2020), MOE
• Other Professional Associations
• National Career Development Association (NCDA)
• Career Development Association of Singapore (CDAS)
• Singapore Association of Counselling (SAC)

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Lifetime Member interview with
Dr. Jon Woodend, PhD, Lecturer at James Cook University, Australia

by Dr. Lisa Raufman

What made you decide to become a lifetime APCDA member?

I was involved with the APCDA as a student member when I was completing my doctoral degree and I served as the Canada Country Representative during that time. Through my experience in that role, I appreciated the diverse perspectives from the representatives from the different member countries, particularly learning about key developments and challenges faced by career development practitioners in the Asia Pacific region.  After relocating from Canada to Australia for a lecturer role in career development, I thought that a lifetime membership would be an important step in maintaining my connection to this community of practice. I look forward to continuing my involvement with APCDA, including presenting with Professor Nancy Arthur at the 2021 conference.

Education -degrees, certificates, and where you studied

• PhD in Counselling Psychology from the University of Calgary, Werklund School of Education
• MSc in Counselling Psychology from the University of Calgary, Werklund School of Education
• BSc. Honours in Psychology from Mount Allison University with a double minor in Japanese and Hispanic Studies

Professional influences-where you have worked; professors and writers who have influenced you

I am currently a lecturer in the College of Arts, Society and Education at James Cook University in North Queensland, Australia. I coordinate the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) endorsed Graduate Certificate of Career Development as well as teach in the Master of Guidance and Counselling program, working with students across Australia to prepare them to provide contemporary career counselling across sectors. My research program focuses on the international career transitions of newcomers (i.e. immigrant workers, international students and their accompanying partners) in order to understand the barriers they face in securing employment, as well as the innovative solutions they use to overcome those barriers. I also investigate how to support graduate students in the publication process and overcome barriers to their research dissemination efforts.

Prior to joining JCU, I was a sessional instructor for Athabasca University, the University of Calgary, and Ambrose University and was a predoctoral intern in the University of British Columbia Counselling Services CPA accredited counselling psychology program where I worked with students on personal, academic and career concerns. My interest in counselling, and in particular career development, came

from my early career work at a Japanese high school, where I had the opportunity to support students in preparing for their post-study employment.

The main influence to my approach and understanding of career development has been through my training as a master’s, then doctoral, student in the research lab of Professor Nancy Arthur (currently Dean, Research for Business at the University of South Australia and formerly Associate Dean – Research at the University of Calgary). Professor Arthur co-founded the Culture-Infused (Career) Counselling model and is an expert in international career transitions of newcomers. Professor Arthur and I continue to collaborate and are currently exploring the post-study experiences of international students.     

Mary McMahon and Wendy Patton’s Systems Theory Framework has also influenced my work because it supports a complex and living appreciation of clients’ career development journeys. This is particularly important in my work with newcomers, who have different professional and personal contexts influencing their career and work decisions. It also fits personally as it helps me make sense of my career in a non-linear way and contextualizes how certain influences that were salient at a particular time brought me to where I am today.

Your specialties, publications, contributions, awards

• 2020: JCU Inclusive Teaching Award
• 2015 – 2018: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canadian Graduate Scholarship
• 2015: Canadian Psychology Association (CPA) Outstanding Thesis Award

Upcoming and recent presentations:

Woodend, J., & Arthur, N. (2021). Looking down the track: International student graduates and employment experiences [Conference presentation]. 2021 Asia Pacific Career Development Association (APCDA) Conference. Online.

Woodend, J. (2020). Making sense of career transitions through the theory of work adjustment [Webinar]. CERIC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h7MIpZw02E

Woodend, J., & Arthur, N. (2019). Understanding international students' acculturation experience through university-to-work transitions in Canada [Conference presentation]. Canadian Psychology Association (CPA) 2019 Annual Conference, Halifax, Canada.

Recent publications:

Syeda, M. M., Woodend, J., Liu, J., & Roy, S. (2020). Ready to leave the nest? Education Graduate Students’ Voice on Publishing. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 32(1). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1259528.pdf

Woodend, J. (2019). The theory of work adjustment: Seeking and maintaining satisfaction and satisfactoriness. In N. Arthur, R. Neault, & M. McMahon (Eds.), Career theories and models at work: Ideas for practice (pp. 453-462). CERIC.

Woodend, J. (2018). Context and practices of university student services for international students’ workforce integration: Research-in-brief. Canadian Journal of Career Development, 17(2), 113-116. http://cjcdonline.ca/download/context-practices-university-student-services-international-students-workforce-integration-research-brief/

Professional Associations

• APCDA - Life-time Member
• Canadian Psychology Association - Early Career Member
• College of Alberta Psychologists – Registered Provisional Psychologist

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Gerald Tan Lifetime Member Interview

By Lisa Raufman

Gerald Tan:  Senior Partner - Hatch Consulting Asia and Projects Director | Lead Career Developer - Avodah People Solutions

"What made you decide to become an APCDA lifetime member?" 

I started being involved with APCDA in 2015 by contributing to the association newsletter before attending the annual conferences in Beijing and Vietnam and now supporting the Program Committee. The people in APCDA never cease to amaze me – from the hardworking and passionate committee members who selflessly volunteer their time, to the APCDA members who share interesting and impactful studies, projects and research.

Throughout these experiences and encounters in APCDA, I realized the importance of affiliation with the APCDA community and gleaning learnings from journals, conferences and meet ups. It made me realize the importance of a professional community in supporting my own professional identity and practice. Hence I decided to invest in a lifetime membership as a commitment to my practice and to remember to contribute back to the community in whatever ways possible.

Professional influences

As I look back at the development of my professional identity, I am thankful to have been influenced and inspired by professionals in the field of Career Development. There were so many! If I had to pick a few, I would point to these people.

Ms. Wong Sing Chee – a pioneer in Singapore who brought the knowledge of career development into Singapore and also my trainer who equipped me with my basic knowledge of career development.

Moving into APCDA allowed me to meet and be inspired by Dr. Roberta Borgen (Neault) and Dr. Norm Amundson through their innovative and client centric models, methods and research, reminding me to be brave and be creative in my practice.

Last but not least, I have been very amazed by the Career Construction Theory by Prof. Mark Savickas and I have been blessed so much by Prof. Kevin Glavin – someone who impressed me professionally and personally, being generous and focused on imparting his knowledge of narrative career techniques.

Education/Certifications

• NCDA Certified Career Service Provider, Master of Career Services
• CCPC Certified Solutions Focused Coach
• Bachelors of Science in Information Systems Management

Specializations

• Career Service Policy Design and Development
  Career service policy design and development involves a good understanding of clients, designing effective interventions and services so as to meet business goals while balancing manpower and financial resources. I had done this at a national level and now from a private sector perspective, studying different segments of the unemployed workforce, designing help policies and translating policies into operational resources, services for our clients.
• Career Guidance and Coaching
  I work with organizations, groups and individuals undergoing mid-career, school to work and golden year transitions by helping them develop a transition narrative and skills to move them in the direction of purpose and meaning in their work.

Experiences

• Spent a decade in Singapore public service in the area of workforce development, public employment service policy and operations, public engagement and advocacy.
• Setup and operate a private Career Service provider – AVODAH People Solutions to provide career services to mid-career, school to work and golden career individuals and organizations.
• Partner with a regional talent solutions firm – HATCH Asia Consulting to build and provide career transition services for organizations and their human resources.

Other Professional Associations

• Career Development Association of Singapore (CDAS)
• People and Career Development Association Singapore (PCDA)

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Joseph Chan, Hong Kong Country Director, Lifetime Member Interview

by Lisa Raufman

Why I am a Life Member of APCDA:

I was born into a rural family that migrated to Hong Kong and experienced the mutual help of living in a crowded little flat with seven families sharing one small communal toilet and kitchen. “To give and to serve” have ever since been my natural inclination as a personal life goal at a very young age.  At the same time two questions have influenced my life purpose related to helping people around me:   1.) help people on what and 2.) how to do it best.

Early Career:

I started my career through social service in a rehabilitation home, an orphanage, serving in student associations in both high school and university all of which influenced me to choose social work as my post-graduate studies. My first job was a social worker in a residential vocational training centre for the physically and mentally handicapped students; job placement in the world of work was the ultimate goal. That was my initiation to career development as a profession. Helping people to find a job that matches their aptitude, personality and vision, thus leading to a satisfying life is indeed a very meaningful vocation. Subsequently, I continued with this mission in the commercial sector as a human resource manager (HRM) and then in the tertiary education sector as a career counsellor and student development educator. Career development as a speciality and profession has helped me to find the meaning of my life, I  share this with aspiring young career practitioners in this part of the world; I have been fortunate to help people to find meaning in life through the world of work.

Educational Background:

Happily retired, in my seventies now, I am still actively engaged in professional career development work. I had the good fortune of joining the first discussion on the formation of APCDA in a National Career Development Association’s (NCDA) Annual Conference in San Francisco and have witnessed its encouraging growth. The liberal education which I have had the privilege to enjoy in post-war years both in high school and university has shaped my outlook on life and subsequently my approach to career development as a profession.

 I did my history and social work at the University of Hong Kong, MEd at Chinese University of Hong Kong, and MBA at University of Strathclyde, UK.   I firmly believe in Whole Person/Life Development and have fervently applied this in my three career domains, rehabilitation, commerce, and education. I studied four subjects in the university. History as my first degree gave me a perspective on how world has become what it is today.  Social Work in graduate school prepared me for my career in vocational rehabilitation. As I moved to HRM function in business sector, I completed an MBA and another MEd majoring in counselling and guidance.

Then I joined the higher education sector where I have tried to introduce the whole-person-development approach to traditional student services through collaboration with student associations and academic colleagues. I have promoted career counselling training in the secondary and tertiary in Hong Kong and China since the 1990s, in well over sixty universities in major cities all over China.

My Career Development Philosophy:

“Whole-person-development” as an education and life-style philosophy has four key success factors.

1. Firstly, the key components that constitute the “self-concept, “ from spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional, vocational, aesthetic, to physical development, with related concept, skills and support services.
2. Secondly the concept is promoted comprehensively in all traditional student services in a comprehensive university, from sports team to student leadership training. The ideas of lifelong career development and relation between career success and personal maturity are naturally built-in, making these ideas part of the campus culture.
3. Thirdly, the emphasis is on the meaning of life, work and learning and their life-long relevance to a university student. Career is conceived as life-long and life-wide project covering the whole life.
4. The final pedagogical component of this whole-person/life-development approach to career is “expansive education”, embracing a multi-disciplinary approach to literally all career interventions. Self-understanding as foundation of career development involves personal growth activities normally found in psychological counselling activities. Internship training involves business administration concepts plus leadership and life skills. This multi-disciplinary, wholistic integrative approach is extremely inspiring and interesting to both students and staff.

I am now working on a Three Minutes Brief CareerChat Approach to make all brief personal encounters between any staff and their students a further step towards career maturity, as my retirement project!

My Intellectual/Spiritual Foundation

Poems:

• If by Rudyard Kipling
• All the World’s a Stage.

World View:

• Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu
• Analects, Great Learning, and Doctrine of the Mean by Confucius

Management and Leadership:

• John Adair’s Effective Leadership
• Peter Drucker’s The Effective Executive 
• Ohmae Kenichi’s The Mind of the Strategist

Education: 

• A.N.Whitehead’s The Aims of Education 
• Parker J. Palmer’s To Know as We Are Known
• Little Boxes, by folk singer Peter Seeger

Humanities

• Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving
• Mortimer Adler’s How to Think about Great Ideas.

Career

• Mark Savickas’ post-modern approach 

Psychological/Higher Education Philosophy

• Erickson’s Eight Stages of Man
• Maslow’s Self-actualisation
• Chickering’s Seven Vectors of Student Development 
• John Gardner’s First Year Experience
• William Perry’s Ethical and Intellectual Development theory. 

Finally, I would like to appeal to more career practitioners to become Life Members to join hands to advance the contribution of APCDA to the well-being of our region.

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Lifetime Member: Dr. Candy Ho

Assistant Professor, Integrative Career & Capstone Learning, University of the Fraser Valley

By Dr. Lisa Raufman

What made you decide to become a lifetime APCDA member?

The short answer: The people in APCDA are my people! While I’m proud to call Canada my home, Asia and Hong Kong – where I was born – remains a special place for me. This was reinforced when I attended my first APCDA conference in Vietnam when I learned all about the extraordinary career development initiatives in Hong Kong, and connected with the friendliest colleagues across the globe (I’ve got a great happenstance story about meeting three amazing colleagues from Australia at the back of the conference bus!) By the end of the conference I knew I needed to stay engaged with APCDA long-term, hence registering to become a lifetime member.

Education – degrees, certificates and where you studied

Degrees

• EdD, Educational Leadership in Post-Secondary Contexts, Simon Fraser University (SFU)
• MEd, Educational Leadership, Student Affairs and Services, SFU
• Associate Certificate (Honours), Leadership Studies, British Columbia Institute of Technology      
• Bachelor, Arts and Social Sciences (Co-operative Education), SFU

Certificates

• Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator, Centre for Appreciative Inquiry
• StrengthsFinder Certified Coach, Gallup
• Instructional Skills Workshop Facilitator, Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) Network
• Fierce Conversations® Workshop Facilitator, Fierce Inc.
• Career Development Practitioner Certificate, SFU

Professional influences – where you have worked

Prior to becoming a faculty member, I have worked extensively in university student affairs in areas such as first year experience and student transition, campus and residence life, career and volunteer services, co-operative education, academic advising, and university advancement. These collective professional experiences to date have culminated in my EdD dissertation investigating the conceptions of post-secondary career influencers in student career success, and I readily share my expertise locally, nationally, and globally. Finally, I am currently proudly serving as the Vice Chair of CERIC, a Canadian charitable organization that advances education and research in career counselling and career development, in order to increase the economic and social well-being of Canadians.

Professors of Influence:

Dr. Krumboltz would definitely be one at the top of my list.  English is my additional language and the first time I read Krumboltz I was inspired, elated, and relieved at not only his theoretical components, but also how clear and matter of fact his writing was. In my work with post-secondary students, I have also found that the planned happenstance theory, the notions of luck, chance, and learning from failure put students at ease; they don't have to have everything figured out...nobody does! I was extremely fortunate to have shook his hand and tell him in person how much he's changed my life and the lives of people I work with at NCDA 2018 because as we know, he left us too soon the following summer.

Another key individual would definitely be my doctoral supervisor and "academic parent", Kris Magnusson. I embarrassed him in my SFU Education alumni profile:

Who is a faculty member you have enjoyed working with and why? 

Without the brilliant guidance and support of Dr. Kris Magnusson, I wouldn’t be answering these questions as an alumna! A seasoned, relationship-focused academic supervisor, he worked with me to explore the curiosities I had for my research; there were many and he effectively helped me channelled them into my final dissertation on post-secondary professionals as career influencers. Kris provided timely support and insights, while positively challenging me every step of the way. Finally, Kris is widely recognized and respected as an international expert and scholar in career counselling and education, and I feel extremely fortunate to have been his doctoral student and now a lifelong protégé. 

What do you miss most about your graduate studies in the Faculty of Education? 

The regular meetings with my committee members, Drs. Kris Magnusson and Cindy Xin. Committee meetings with these two amazing mentors are a combination of inspiring keynotes and uplifting pep talks; I always leave our conversations feeling motivated to keep going.

Full link in case of interest: https://www.sfu.ca/education/gs/profiles/ed-leader/ed-leadership-edd/candy-ho.html

Your current job, your specialties, publications, contributions/awards

Current roles

• Assistant Professor, Integrative Career & Capstone Learning, University of the Fraser Valley
• Faculty, Career Development Practitioner Program, Douglas College
• Faculty, Educational Studies, Faculty of Arts, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Specialties

Career Development, Career Education, Work-Integrated Learning, Teaching and Learning, Instructional and Facilitation Skills, Student Success, Student Services and Student Affairs, Post-Secondary Educational Professionals, and Career Influencers

Publications

• Ho, C., & Aisake, T. (2020). The KPU Diploma in General Studies student experience project (Evaluative report prepared for KPU Office of the Vice President, Academic and Dean, Faculty of Arts). Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey, BC.
• Ho, C. (2019). Professionals in post-secondary education: Conceptions of career influence. (Doctoral dissertation, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, Canada). Retrieved from http://summit.sfu.ca/item/18827
• Ho, C. (2017). Professionals in post-secondary education: Conceptions of career influence. Canadian Journal of Career Development, 16(2), 58-62.
• Ho, C. (2016). Understanding the FCAT graduate student experience. (Evaluative report prepared for SFU Office of the Dean, Faculty of Communication, Art, and Technology). Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC.
• Ho, C. (2013). Engaging students to engage the campus community: A student ambassador programme. In R. Clark, J. Andrews, L. Thomas, & R. Aggarwal. (Eds.), Compendium of effective practice in higher education: Volume 2 (pp. 143-146). United Kingdom: Higher Education Academy. Retrieved from https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/compendium-effective-practice-higher-education-volume-2
• Ho, C. (2012). To be or not to be: Mandatory orientation at SFU? (Unpublished master’s thesis). Simon Fraser University, Surrey, Canada.

Contributions/Awards

• KPU United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Open Pedagogy Fellowship
• Co-operative Education Research Grant, Canadian Association for Co-operative Education
• Graduate Student Engagement Award, CERIC
• Staff Achievement Award – Humanitarian Category, SFU

Associations

• Vice Chair, Board of Directors, CERIC (Canada’s national career development association)
• Member, Asia-Pacific Career Development Association Western Region Committee
• Member, EducationPlannerBC Parents as Education and Career Coaches Advisory Committee

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Maximizing Career: Guidance & Development

by Raza Abbas

Is a new global initiative that Mr. Raza Abbas -- Global Career practitioner & Lifetime APCDA member has taken for the career’s profession. The objective is to provide valuable perspectives on careers from leading careers influencers around the globe to raise awareness on the significance of career guidance and career development especially in the times of Covid-19 pandemic. The 1st Conversation is with Dr. Seth Hayden-President NCDA an eminent career development association and Associate Professor at Wake Forest University-USA.

As Anthony Mann from the OECD says ‘Never before in human history has career guidance been so important’. These inspirational words provide us with real hope and remind us that as professionals we have a collective responsibility to serve and inspire the diverse communities that we live in. Don't forget to share Dr. Seth’s interview in your professional communities, associations. Kindly subscribe to my Youtube channel to remain engaged: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFvujWp7C78&t=7s

A description of the work of Mr. Abbas was just published on the Career Guidance for Social Justice website:

https://careerguidancesocialjustice.wordpress.com/2020/10/16/igniting-humanity-with-hope-based-career-development-in-vuca-times/

Maximizing Career: Guidance & Development is an ongoing digital initiative that career professionals from other countries can emulate. Collective advocacy is key for our profession. Let’s keep the career conversations flowing .

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Lifetime Member: Felicity Brown Career Coach and Facilitator, Vietnam By Lisa Raufman Why I Became a Lifetime Member: Phoenix Ho, now Vietnam Country Director, told me about APCDA in 2016.  When I first moved into the career development field back in 2011 and based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I had become a member of CDAA (Career Development Association of Australia) thinking it was the nearest professional association.  I really had no idea that APCDA existed and regularly travelled to Australia for conferences to network and learn from others in the field.  So to hear that APCDA existed was a revelation!  I soon joined up and attended my first APCDA conference in Manila in 2017.  I didn't know a soul (except for Marilyn Maze via email) when I went to the Manila conference and it didn't take long til I realised I'd found my people.  I'll never forget the warm greeting that I received when I met Marilyn again 6 months later at the NAGCAS conference in Sydney in late 2017 - in her race to embrace me (it was pre-COVID days after all) she dropped her drinking glass!   Professional Background: I originally joined APCDA as an Organization Member for a couple of years before deciding to invest in this wonderful association as a Lifetime member.  In addition to working at an international university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I run my own Career Coaching and Facilitation business, Maia Careers & Training.  I started this business in KL in 2014 which specializes in professional women in career transition - whether they be changing careers due to expatriation, migration, redundancy or choice.  I came to Careers work in my mid-forties after a long career in the Australian Government and prior to that in HR in banking.  Truthfully, I have been interested in Careers since my high school days and had considered Career Counsellor as a career choice each time I found myself in between careers.   Career Development Training: Finally, the timing was right and by 2011 there were Masters programs in Career Development offered in Australia for individuals who weren't teachers.  From 2011-2014, I completed a Masters of Career Development at Edith Cowan University (in Perth Western Australia) while living in Kuala Lumpur.  It had been 30 years since I left school and 25 years since I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics!  In February 2018, I achieved my ACC (Associate Certified Coach) level with the International Coaching Federation.  Very recently, I have become an Instructor for NCDA's Facilitating Career Development training course.  From what I can determine, I am the first FCD instructor in Vietnam and I am excited by the opportunity to train the next generation of career development practitioners here. APCDA Contributions: In 2019, I became Co-Chair of the APCDA Program Committee and this is one of the ways that I can give back to this great organization.  I've delivered a presentation at every APCDA conference that I've attended (Manila 2017, Beijing 2018 and Ho Chi Minh City 2019) and I was a proud host/organizer of the conference in 2019.  I look forward to many more years as a Career Coach and Facilitator and staying part of APCDA even when I return to live in Australia in 2022.

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APCDA Lifetime Member:  Dr. Xiaolu Hu

Professor, Department of Counselor Education, San Jose State University, CA, USA
By Dr. Lisa Raufman

Why I am a Lifetime APCDA Member?

I am currently a Professor at the Department of Counselor Education, College of Education, San Jose State University in San Jose California. I joined APCDA as a lifetime member as an adjunct for teaching graduate career counseling classes over the past thirty years with a desire to bring the concepts of career counseling to Chinese Higher Education. I have a strong interest in the development of career counseling in Asia including the Pacific Rim. Due to administrative and grant duties and responsibilities, I have had little opportunity to participate in conferences and participate in international activities. Now semi-retired, I hope to be more active in the career field.

Early Years and Career Development Training

I was born and raised in Beijing. I worked as a teacher in elementary and middle school prior to receiving my graduate degrees in China. I received an MA in Comparative Education from Beijing Normal University in 1982, and thereafter became faculty at the university. In 1985, I came to US as an visiting professor and received an MA in School Counseling (1986) and a Ph.D in Counseling and Human Development from Kent State University (1990) in Kent, Ohio. Being a student learning career counseling from the esteemed Dr. Mark Savickas, my career journey in this field motivated me to bring career counseling theories and services to China at a time when there was no counseling in China! 

Career Achievements

I coordinated the first career counseling training workshop in China with Professor Richang Zheng of Beijing Normal University, systematically introducing career counseling to China with Dr. Sunny Hansen, Professor, University of Minnesota and Dr. John Krumboltz, Professor, Stanford University.

During my 30 years at SJSU, I was promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor to Professor. I served as division and department Chair for thirteen years. I received a Fulbright Hays Grant in 1998 bringing 20 teachers and counselors from Silicon Valley to China to learn about Chinese Culture. In 1999, I was awarded a US Department of Education grant – GEAR UP ($4.3 million for six years) supporting students from low socioeconomic schools to go to college. In 2008, I co-directed another GEAR UP grant working with Dr. Andrew Hughey - a $14 million six-year grant. That grant provided us the opportunity to train Counselor Education students with career counseling and educational planning developing strategies and systematic support for achievement of underrepresented students.

During the past decade I took students three times to China for study abroad (Two study abroad classes and one at the behest of the San Francisco Chinese Consulate’s Education Office) and a delegation of interdisciplinary students from all colleges of SJSU.

I have presented often at colleges throughout China, met with national education ministers in China, and have hosted numerous delegations of Chinese education professionals visiting the United States. Following the Sichuan Earthquake of 2008, I was invited to China to provide training on crisis counseling also providing crisis counseling to affected education administrators in the region.

I joined and presented at APCDA conference in China in 2018. I hope to contribute and participate in more APCDA events in future.

APCDA Lifetime Member Bory You

Interview by Lisa Raufman

Bory You, APCDA Cambodia Country Representative
President of Talent Excellence Development Partner Co, LTD which provides Human Resources Consulting, Career and Performance Coaching services and supports SME (Subject Matter Expert) in Human Resources restructuring. She is a Certified Behavioral and Career Consultant, Instructor of Job Career Transition Coach and Certified Trainer for Women Entrepreneur Program by ILO.  Ms. You has held leadership positions in JCI Cambodia, Young Entrepreneur Association of Cambodia and Cambodia Women Entrepreneur Association.

What made you decide to become a lifetime APCDA member?

In 2018, she attended her first APCDA Conference in Manila, Philippines. The senior APCDA members were friendly, warm, and sharing, which inspired her to become involved. She found the senior APCDA members all expressing to her that they share the same value:  They like to share their knowledge and experience with all career practitioners.

She thought that the APCDA Conference provided her with many career tools, tips, and ideas. She continues to build an international network with career professionals by serving on the APCDA Board.  She loves her profession as Career Coach because she helps others in achieving their career goals.   

As a Lifetime member, she feels that she can look forward to sharing with more career professionals and that she will ultimately be able to provide more support to APCDA members.

Career Development Influences:

Mr. Richard L. Knowdell, MS, NCC, NCCC, GCDFI, who has been the President of Career Research & Testing, Inc., author of six books, many training materials and who trained her in Job Career Transition Coaching (JCTC) and Dr. Timothy Hsi, Founder of Abundanz Consulting and Master Trainer of the Singapore Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) program

Work Experience:

She has over 16 years’ experience in the banking industry, working in human resource and talent management for Canadia Bank PLC. Her best achievement in the Banking industry was successfully creating a performance management program on the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) in 2010. Currently, she is the President of the Talent Excellence Development Partner Co, LTD.

Education and Training:

• Master’s degree in Financial Management and bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the National University of Management, Phnom Penh
• Certified Behavioral and Career Consultant, Advance Behavioral Consultant by Lifeskills/PeopleKey
• Certified Job Career Development Coach by Career Network
• Certified Trainer for Women Entrepreneur Leadership Program by ILO.
• Certified KPI Professional by The KPI Institute

Specialties:

• Key Performance Indicator (KPI) and Performance Management Specialist
• Career Development Coach
• Human Resources Strategist

Volunteer Positions

• Board Member, Federation of Education Services in Cambodia 2020-22 Board Member, Cambodia Women Entrepreneur Association for 2018-20
• Vice President, Young Entrepreneur Association of Cambodia 2018-2021
• Chapter President of JCI Phnom Penh-Cambodia in 2015
• APCDA Cambodia Representative, 2017 - present

Youth programs founded by Ms. You:

Young Leader Program (YLP) for JCI Phnom Penh-Cambodia: started in 2015, this program has become a flagship program.  So far it has inspired around 500 young volunteers to become involved in leadership positions and in the SME sector.

Junior Entrepreneur Program (JEP) for Young Entrepreneur Association of Cambodia. This new program empowers young people to be involved in new creative initiatives and dare to take the lead in building more networks which will create opportunities for trainees to start their Entrepreneurship Journey.

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Andrew Remington — Lifetime Member Interview

Interview by Lisa Raufman

I became involved with APCDA when it was being formed through attendance at the National Career Development Association (NCDA) Conferences in the US and later by attending APCDA Conferences.  As a member of the Executive of the Career Development Association of Australia (CDAA) from 2010 to 2017, I hosting Rich Feller, Marilyn Maze, Cheri Butler and Dick Knowdell in Australia and met many other key APCDA members at APCDA and NCDA conferences and while serving as Treasurer of APCDA for several years.

I have admired the contributions of APCDA leadership to establish and ensure that this crucially important initiative in the region was vibrant, ongoing and sustainable. In renewing my APCDA membership this year I was able to join as a Legacy Lifetime member and in a small way contribute to the ongoing legacy established with those of vision, care and concern for professionals working within the field of career development and for those they serve in the Asia Pacific region.

Education -degrees, and certificates

• ADVANCED DIPLOMA OF MANAGEMENT – Swinburne University
• CERTIFICATE IV WORKPLACE TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT – Victoria University
• TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (INTRODUCTION) – Total Quality Management Institute
• MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID CERTIFICATE
• Job and Career Transition Coach | Job and Career Development Coach – Career Planning and Adult Network, USA
• QUALIFIED ISO 9000 AUDITOR, ISO 9000 Lead Assessor Certificate – IQA International Register of Certificated Auditors (P.E. Batalas)
• Assessor Training, Quality Management, Quality Assurance Services
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator | Strong Interest Inventory (Australian Psychological Press, Melbourne)
• Team Management Systems
• Australian Interest Measure, Short Form
• Perform Vocational Assessment and Outplacement for WorkCover & TAC Clients – Transport Accident Commission ACER Tests (Non-Psych Registered)

Professional influences

My early career in Commonwealth Employment Service (CES), beginning in the early 1970’s, afforded me the opportunity to work in employment advice, guidance and counselling. At that time there was an influx of refugees from Vietnam and the Middle East and the government introduced wage subsidies and training programs.  We developed specialist counselling services for people with disabilities, indigenous, ex-prisoners, youth, and the long-term unemployed.  We also did school visits to discuss career options.  My work in rehabilitation counselling in the prison system and various psychiatric hospitals afforded me a rare insight into those most vulnerable in society as they endeavoured to transition into mainstream society.

I have always been conscious of those facing significant difficulty in their lives and in particular have been passionate about Australia’s youth as they also transition into mainstream employment. I had the great fortune as a Regional Manager to implement and introduce the Australian Traineeship system to complement the Trade training system in Australian from mid-1980’s until 1990 when I moved into Executive Management. I joined the Victorian Chamber of Commerce in 2003, which enabled me to contribute nationally through the Australian Chamber of Commerce and was actively involved in contributing in writing and developing proposals that went to the Australian Government. This resulted in the funding and implementation of initiatives such as the Career Advice Australia network, the Employer Broker Scheme.

Your specialties, publications, contributions, awards (selected)

• Certified Career Coach and Contract Service Provider Coach with extensive experience in the Employment Services and Vocational Education and Training sectors.
• Accredited in behavioural psycho-metric personality instruments, and experienced, accredited rehabilitation counsellor for Workers Compensation and TAC – internationally
• Recognised for professionalism and expertise in the career development space.
• Contributions acknowledged through: ‘State Service Improvement Award’, Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs, and ‘Work For Australia’ Outstanding Achievement Certificate.
• Recognised for career development policy and professional contribution in the Asia-Pacific region through the National Career Development Association (NCDA-USA) International Practitioner Award for 2017.
• Institute of Managers & Leaders, Fellow, Bendigo regional Committee member
• Career Development Association of Australia, Life Member, Incumbent Immediate Past National President and Ethics Committee Chair

Current Activities

I retired from the Chamber in 2015.   When I stepped down as National President of CDAA in 2017, I was awarded a Certificate in recognition of Outstanding Service and have since Chaired the Ethics Committee. I was awarded Life Membership of CDAA in 2019 in recognition of my contribution at State and National level over a 20-year period. I received Life Memberships at CDAA last September.

I am currently semi-retired and moved back to a rural location in Central Victoria at Bendigo where we raised our family of 4 children through the 1980’s & 1990’s. I have since moved into consulting across the VET, Higher Education and Career Transition space. I stay active in our field through sub-contracts with Outplacement Australia and also Randstad RiseSmart. I have enjoyed my journey and I hope it continues for some time yet.

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Dr. Brian Hutchison — Lifetime Member Interview

Interview by Lisa Raufman

Growing up, books were my only contact with the world outside of the rural Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania. My working-class family had lived in my area for more than 220 years all as laborers, farm hands, and tradespersons before me. Much of my search for meaning as an adult has been to understand how I am the first Hutchison to go to college, build a white-collar career, and enter the upper middle class.

APCDA represents the fulfillment of two lifelong dreams. It represents my expanding scope of practice as a global career services professional and scholar. It also represents my interest and commitment to global citizenship. This is why I became a lifetime member of APCDA. It represents the best life I could have ever imagined for myself as a young person and so much more.

Educational Credentials

My bachelor’s degree is in social science education with a focus on middle and high school aged students. At the age of 35, I earned my Master’s in College Counseling with an emphasis in career and a certification in school counseling. At 38 I earned a Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision with an emphasis in career and a research agenda focused on poverty and education/ career development.

Today, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (mental health), Certified Career Counselor Educator (NCDA), and creator of the Advanced Career Facilitation for the 21st Century (ACF21) certification program. ACF21 training is recognized by the American Counseling Association, National Career Development Association, and International Coach Federation for Continuing Education Units.

Professional Experience

Currently, I am a Core Faculty in the Clinical Mental Health Program at Walden University after recently leaving my position of Department Chair at New Jersey City University. Prior to that, I held an academic appointment at University of Missouri – St. Louis.

I have been in private practice for 11 years. My focus has always been career counseling and coaching, although I did also see mental health clients during my first 3 years. Additionally, I have worked as a university career, community-based, and school counselor.

We all stand on the shoulders of others when we reflect on our career journey. More than anyone my grandmother, Rebecca “Grace” Gillam showed me the value of education and work. In fact, she graduated from high school the same year that I graduated from college which stands as a testament to lifelong career development in the truest sense of the word.  My earliest memory of work was going with her as she cleaned other people’s homes when I was only 4 or 5 years old.

In the Career Development field, Dr. Spencer “Skip” Niles is the one who saw something in me that I never saw in myself. Unasked, he nominated me for a prestigious fellowship award that allowed (some might say forced) me to study under him at Penn State University for my Ph.D. It is amazing to me that he went to such great lengths to help me know that a doctorate was something I deserved to pursue.

There are countless other influences that I don’t have space to name. I do believe that the aggregate of the 10,000+ clients and students I have worked with through the years deserve more credit for the professional I am than any individual person. If any of them read this, thank you.

Specialties, Awards, and Contributions

My scholarship focuses on career development as it impacts mental health, wellness, and school engagement. My practice is to influence the quality of career interventions that impact these three important factors with as many practitioners in as many places as I possibly can. I do this through teaching as a professor, training through the ACF21, keynote speeches, webinars, podcasts, and anything else that helps me positively impact career service professionals.

I am writing my second book and preparing a proposal for a third. My scholarly contributions include more than 30 journal articles and textbook chapters as well as dozens of columns, blogs, and professional articles. I also facilitate scholarship as Founding Editor of the Asia Pacific Career Development Journal which is published twice per year.

I have served as President of APCDA and MoCDA (Missouri), Treasurer of NCDA, and on various boards around the world. My work has been recognized with the Association of Humanistic Counseling Social Justice and Advocacy Award in 2015 and NCDA’s Merit Award this year (2020).

My desire is to strengthen the career development professional community so that we support, care for, and encourage one another to grow in our practice and service to clients. APCDA is the most exciting place for this to happen and for that I am eternally (or at least for this lifetime ;-) grateful.

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