Optimizing Career Services
Resources for Post-Secondary Career Professionals
Français • March 27, 2025
Finding a job is tough. Building a career is tougher.
Career development professionals (CDPs) play an important role in preparing post-secondary students for the workforce. To do this effectively, they need access to high-quality, easy-to-use resources and labour market information.
Signal49 Research, on behalf of the Future Skills Centre, is leading a new initiative to develop tailored resources for CDPs working in post-secondary education.
In this project we will:
- Identify what works: Explore current resources and best practices that support students’ career success.
- Explore CDP needs: Develop a clear picture of the resources CDPs need to better support Canadian post-secondary students transitioning into the workforce.
- Develop tailored solutions: Create tools and resources that will address CDPs’ needs and enhance their work.
Navigating a dynamic job market
CDPs are more than just advisors; they are strategic guides, providing students with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed decisions about their futures.
However, they face growing challenges:
- Staying current: CDPs must keep up with today’s fast-paced world of technological advancements, shifting skill requirements, emerging industries, and new labour market trends.
- Navigating information overload: CDPs need to sift through vast amounts of fluctuating labour market information and translate it into clear guidance that students can understand and apply.
- Optimizing resources: CDPs need to find innovative ways to expand their reach and deliver effective programs to a diverse and growing student population, all while navigating budget constraints.
Enhancing career services
By providing CDPs with the resources they need, we can make career guidance more accessible and effective for all students, especially those facing employment barriers.
To better understand the resources needed, we will speak with 40 CDPs from colleges and universities across Canada. These conversations will focus on:
- the challenges they face in their work
- the resources they need to better serve a diverse student population
- the best formats and delivery methods for new resources
Investing in Canada’s future
Empowering CDPs with the right tools can help students unlock their full potential and connect their skills to meaningful opportunities.
The benefits go beyond improving individual outcomes. High-quality career guidance can help build a more skilled and diverse workforce, address skills gaps, and meet evolving labour market demands.
Learn more
Want to learn more about this project or participate in an interview?
Please contact Jane Hutchison, Senior Manager, Future Skills Research, Education and Skills ([email protected]).
Check out our existing free labour market tools:
- OpportuNext—A career tool that matches skills with viable career paths.
- The Employability Skills Toolkit—A step-by-step guide to building the skills needed to adapt and succeed in the world of work.
FSC partners
The responsibility for the findings and conclusions of this research rests entirely with Signal49 Research.