The 2011 National Career Development Week (NCDW) campaign week of celebrations will be held from 16 to 22 May 2011. NCDW emphasises the importance and benefits for all Australians to develop the skills to manage their life, learning and work across the lifespan. Although NCDW Celebration Week is held in May each year, the NCDW campaign includes and supports careers events held throughout the campaign year.

What is NCDW? It’s an initiative of the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) and is funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).

Through the website www.ncdw.com.au NCDW provides:

• An opportunity to register careers events on our national database;
• “How to” information about organising an event;
• Event Ideas and resources;
• Career Factsheets and videos for use in career development activities;
• Merchandise to support events.

The NCDW website is a dynamic and regularly updated career development resource which, along with the largest careers events database in Australia, contains Career Factsheets, Must-Have Career Resources, video and audio career development resources, Event Stories, Event Templates, Campaign News, Careers in the News, and a range of other helpful and inspiring career development content and links to resources all year round.

Over two million Australians of all ages and career stages attended the 849 NCDW registered careers events held between July 2009 and June 2010 across Australia hosted by hundreds of organisations, both large and small - in communities, schools, TAFE, university, industry, small business, government departments and a wide range of other organisations. Many of these organisations hosted a whole week of different activities.

“Lifelong learning coupled with career development has the potential to empower people and communities to take greater responsibility in managing their requirements in relation to all learning, training and skills building,” says Lou Sbalchiero, Community Development Officer, Yarra Shire Ranges, Victoria.

The NCDW campaign is supported by some inspiring Australian ambassadors who represent a range of ages and career stages and encourage all Australians to get excited about their own careers.  NCDW Ambassador and widely respected broadcast journalist, Steve Liebmann, hosted the 2010 NCDW campaign launch, where he was “really inspired ” after hearing community stories of those “who in spite of extraordinary hardship and adversity had carved out a career for themselves and now wanted to help our young people do the same thing.”

NCDW Ambassador Mark Furze, a young actor and musician, spoke during NCDW 2010 Celebration Week from his current base in Los Angeles.

“The one bit of advice I would give other young Australians is just stick at it, be prepared to put the work in and the good things will come,” said Furze.

NCDW Ambassador and television entertainment reporter, Angela Bishop, also spoke during NCDW 2010 Celebration Week of her own experiences and insights from more than two decades as a journalist.

“I knew I wanted to be a journalist. I decided to do a degree even though journalism was thought to be learnt on the job in those days. I did a double major in political science and drama, thinking the political science was going to be the most important for a career in journalism and it turns out the drama has been just as crucial! It’s when preparation meets opportunity that you get results,” said Bishop.

In an Australian first, Furze and Bishop present the latest new career development video resource from the NCDW campaign - The NCDW Video Series – the High Five messages of career development. The DVD consisting of six stylish and motivational videos was forwarded to all 2010 registered event organisers. NCDW videos can be viewed on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/auscareerweek and regular NCDW career tips are posted on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Career_talking

For more information and to register your careers event go to www.ncdw.com.au or contact Karen Penrose (NCDW Project Director) on (07) 5530-8990 or email karen.penrose@cica.org.au