Why Join the CDAA?

Vision
Expanding the horizons and professional impact of career development practice.

Mission
To nurture and stimulate the professional excellence of our members and champion the value of career development.

Management:

The CDAA is managed by a National Executive Committee (NEC) comprised of elected Professional Members.

• The Administrative and secretarial roles and responsibilities of this national professional Association, are managed by an Executive Officer.
• Each Division elects a management committee annually and co-ordinates a professional development program.

Role and Defining Characteristics: The Career Development Association is recognised by the following defining characteristics:

• Advocating and supporting the highest professional standards for practitioners;
• Acknowledging and rewarding excellence in professional practice;
• Developing new frontiers of knowledge and research in career development;
• Promoting the personal, economic and social value of career development; and
• Articulating an expert national voice on career development policy and practice.

Professional Standards:

It is an important goal of the CDAA to support the development of National Standards for Australia, standards which will enhance the professionalism of the career development industry. Through its membership with the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA), the Career Development Association of Australia has collaborated in the National Standards and Accreditation of Career Practitioners Project since June 2004.

Click here to download the Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners.

Professional Indemnity Insurance:

If your application as a professional or associate member is successful, automatic insurance cover is provided. As a member, you will be forwarded details of this insurance package through the Career Development Association of Australia's broker.

Please note that the Insurer requires all members to complete claims questions.

Click here to download the Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy (2006).

Automatic subscription to Australian Career Practitioner and National e-bulletin:

All CDAA members receive the quarterly magazine, Australian Career Practitioner (ACP). Members are encouraged to submit articles/papers for publication. The magazine provides informative articles on division, national and international issues as well as offering a very competitive advertising scheme. Click here for further information regarding the ACP publication.

In addition, CDAA members receive the national e-bulletin each fortnight, which contains information about current news, events and opportunities for members.

Conferences and Professional Development Workshops:

The CDAA holds an annual conference that rotates around the Divisions. These conferences and workshops provide presenters both nationally and internationally recognised in their field. These conferences and workshops are aimed at helping members with their ongoing professional development and at maintaining currency in the field. Members have access to discounted rates.

Should you have any further questions please contact:

CDAA National Office
Level 1, 182 Fullarton Road DULWICH SA 5065
Telephone:1800 222 390
Fax:08 8341 1635
e-mail: via this contact form

 

 

Information for New Applicants

MEMBERSHIP

Membership is established by application and payment of an annual fee. The continuation of CDAA membership status is encouraged through active professional development and participation in CDAA management.

Members are attracted from a variety of backgrounds, including public, private and community service organisations, education, employment services, rehabilitation, outplacement and career development consultancies, and human resource agencies where career management, development or counselling are central to their work.

Members may possess a variety of key skills in areas such as career counselling, career planning, development and management, career coaching, vocational education, labour market analysis, job search skills training and the administration of career assessment instruments and psychological tests. They may also have an interest in career-related services and research.

Membership to a Division in your State or Territory:

Membership to the Division in your State or Territory is automatic when your application has been recommended and ratified by the Registration Board. It is expected that members will participate when possible in ongoing professional development either through their Division, the Career Development Association of Australia National Conference, professional development sessions being conducted by other Divisions or other alternative appropriate sources. One of the roles of the Divisions is to provide members with a venue to meet for Professional Development and dialogue on industry issues. A fee may be charged by each Division for attendance at professional development sessions.

Divisions have annual elections for Division Management Committees. The Division President is by virtue of election at Division level, a member of the National Executive Committee. Through the Division, divisional presidents inform the National Executive Committee of any State or Territory issues that need addressing.

All members are requested to support their Division and maintain their currency by being pro-active to ensure  Career Development Association of Australia members are recognised for their professionalism in the community and at the highest levels of private and government organisations.

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The  Career Development Association of Australia has introduced a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program that conforms to the requirements of the Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners. The program was trialled in 2007 and implemented in 2008. The Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners have been adopted by the Career Industry Council of Australia Inc. (CICA) and its member associations, one of which is the CDAA. A copy of the CDAA CPD Policy is available to download here.

CDAA Continuing Professional Development Program - Vision and Objectives

Vision:

To provide Continuing Professional Development (CPD) which enables all members to provide the most effective career development facilitation for their clients. The purpose is to safeguard the client, the profession and our professionalism as practitioners.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is:

• Mapped against the Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners (the Standards), i.e. the Standards provide the framework for each member to make a professional decision, based on their own personal context, as to what CPD to undertake in order to maintain professionalism;
• Accessible to all CDAA members, i.e. there will be different types of CPD delivery that offer a range of qualifying activities that make it easier for members to comply and
• Flexible and meets the range of practitioner needs, i.e. the program allows practitioners to determine their own CPD needs relative to their clients, work context and own personal professional development needs.

Objectives:

• To enhance practitioners' ability to understand, acquire, develop and maintain the competencies of the Standards
• To provide CPD that aims for the following balances:
  • Caters for both new and experienced members
  • Provides both on-line/distance and face-to-face delivery
  • Offers CPD provided at the National level and the Division level
  • Allows for CPD provided by both CDAA/CICA associations and external providers
  • Includes both formal and informal CPD opportunities and work based learning.

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATIONS

To enable the CDAA to keep its members informed about national and international developments in the career industry, the CDAA is affiliated with the following Associations: Career Practitioners Association of New Zealand (CPANZ) and Elite Performers Lifeskill Advisers Association (EPLAA).

PRIVACY STATEMENT - Purpose of Collection of Information

The Privacy Act 1988 (as amended) requires us to inform you that the  Career Development Association of Australia collects information (this is information or an opinion about an individual whose identity is apparent or can reasonably be ascertained and which relates to a natural living person) for the purposes of: providing, administering and managing the services to you through membership of the CDAA including evaluation of your application for registration as a member or application for insurance through the CDAA following acceptance of your application for membership.

The personal information collected will not be used or disclosed by the CDAA for a secondary purpose other than those purposes listed above, unless you have agreed or would reasonably expect us to use or disclose the information for the secondary purpose. However, any sensitive information must be directly related to the purposes listed above.

Should you have any further questions please contact:

CDAA National Office
Westpac Bldg, Suite 35, 24 Flr, 90 King William Street Adelaide SA 5000
Telephone:1800 222 390 / 08 87129 8256 / 08 87129 8257

e-mail: via this contact form

Member Benefits

Professional Development	Business tools	Information & Networks	Extras
Access to quality Professional Development	Professional Indemnity Insurance*	Up to date global industry information	10% discount on the Australian Journal of Career Development
Discounted Member rates to the annual National Conference and CICA Association events	Use of the CDAA Career Development Professional endorsement logo#	Subscription to the quarterly ‘Australian Career Practitioner’ Magazine	Access to CDAA badged online Yellow Pages listing
Access to Mentoring Support	Listing in the ‘Find a Practitioner Online Directory’# – income potential	Fortnightly CDAA National e-bulletin	Access to a range of annual awards
Online Professional Development Resources	Low-cost public liability insurance*	Access to the Members’ Section of the CDAA website
Online system for recording Continuing Professional Develop	Job and contract opportunities	Networking opportunities – local, national, global
	Access to CDAA branded business cards#

* Associate, Professional, and Fellow Members only # Professional and Fellow Members only

Changes to Membership Requirements

Changes to Membership Requirements for New Members

CDAA, as a member of the Career Industry Council of Australia, is required to implement the Professional Standards for Career Development Practitioners by January, 2012. CDAA fully supports the professional standards and will commence implementation of changes to requirements for new members from next year.

It is particularly important for you to note that as an existing member you will continue to retain your current membership after 2012, provided you meet continuing professional development requirements and, of course, work in accordance with CDAA’s Code of Ethics.

Professional Membership Changes (for new members)

	Requirements
2010-2011	Bachelor degree qualification in a discipline relevant to career development* and significant career development experience (not less than two years full-time equivalent in the five-year period preceding the date of application)
From 2012	Hold a Graduate Certificate or Vocational Graduate Certificate endorsed by CICA, be currently working as a career development practitioner, and have at least one year's experience working in the field; or meet the requirements of the alternative pathway to Professional Membership.

Associate Membership Changes (for new members)

	2010 - 2011
2010-2011	Currently work in the career development field
From 2012	Hold a Certificate IV endorsed by CICA; or meet the requirements of the alternative pathway to Associate Membership.

* Relevant qualifications can include professional disciplines in psychology, counselling, education, human resources, rehabilitation, and social work.

ALTERNATE PATHWAYS

That applicants for membership under an alternate pathway must provide evidence, to the satisfaction of the CDAA Registration Board, that they meet a minimum level of acceptability in each of the Core Competencies under the CICA Standards, through a combination of the following:

1. Qualifications;
2. Experience; and
3. Continuing Professional Development .

Further information on the Professional Standards and the Alternative Pathways can be found in the following CICA (Career Industry Council of Australia) documents:

• Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners
• Guidelines for alternative pathway to Associate status
• Guidelines for alternative pathway to Professional status

Apply for Membership

New Memberships:

If you are interested in becoming a member of the CDAA, you are invited to complete the relevant application form.

To begin your application, please download a hard-copy application form for the relevant membership category via the following links:

	Student Applicants in this category are required to be studying either part-time or full-time towards a recognised career-specific qualification. Apply online
	Associate Available to people who are currently working in the career development field.
	Professional Available to people with a bachelor degree qualification in a discipline relevant to career development (Relevant qualifications can include professional disciplines in psychology, counselling, education, human resources, rehabilitation, and social work.) and significant career development experience (not less than two years full-time equivalent in the five-year period preceding the date of application)
	Membership Upgrade Upgrade your membership status to Associate or Professional.