Conference Schedule
April 9 & 10, 2025
TCU PLACE | SASKATOON, SK
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
10:30 - 12:30 PM
REGISTRATION OPEN
11:45 - 12:30 PM
LUNCH
12:30 - 1:00 PM
WELCOME ADDRESS
KEYNOTE SESSION
BUILDING WORK ETHIC IN THE AI AGE: 5 STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SOFT SKILLS
Artificial Intelligence is and will continue to change the workplace as we know it. Millions of jobs are being lost as others have been radically transformed. While technical skills are still important, the biggest concern employers have is the diminishing work ethic of the emerging workforce. Nearly 9 out of 10 hiring managers in North America report that the lack of these soft skills are THE most important factor in their hiring, and yet less than 20% of today’s employees demonstrate these crucial work behaviors on a consistent basis. Even more alarming is that most, if not all, of an employee’s on-the-job training is focused on their technical skills. But there is a viable solution to the growing skills gap that can improve the employment outcomes for students, job seekers, and event existing employees. Learn how to become intentional about developing these critical skills and preparing our workforce with the high-touch skills they need in the coming high-tech, AI Age!
2:00 - 2:30 PM
NETWORKING & NUTRITION BREAK
KEYNOTE SESSION
BEYOND RESILIENCE: BUILDING YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ARMOUR OF WELLNESS
Resilience is a valuable trait, but in today’s demanding world, it’s not enough to merely bounce back from setbacks. To truly thrive in the face of challenges, you need more than resilience; you need a robust wellness armor.
This workshop is all about being intentional in building that armor. It’s about preparing for the inevitable challenges, rather than merely reacting to them. By proactively fortifying your wellness, you can effectively sidestep burnout during difficult times and ensure you’re well-equipped to face any adversity that comes your way.
Our ‘Beyond Resilience’ workshop is designed to empower you with the tools and insights to construct a personal and professional wellness armor that’s as solid as it is flexible. We don’t just help you recover from adversity; we equip you to prevent burnout and anxiety proactively.
Don’t wait for burnout to strike or anxiety to overwhelm you. Take charge of your wellness and equip yourself with the protection you need. Our ‘Beyond Resilience’ workshop is your key to greater strength, balance, and confidence in the face of life’s trials. Don’t just survive; thrive. Join us and become your best, most resilient self.
3:30 - 4:30 PM
NETWORKING & TRADESHOW
THURSDAY, APRIL 10
7:30 - 8:30 AM
BREAKFAST
8:30 - 9:00 AM
WELCOME & DAY 1 RECAP
KEYNOTE SESSION
MAPPING OUR OWN FUTURE
Did you know that there are as many career development professionals as there are pharmacists in Canada? We all know what a pharmacist does and are grateful when they’re accessible to us in our communities. Yet, do our funders and the public have a similar view of our profession? There are Career Development Professionals all over Canada and around the world. We have an incredible amount of evidence that our work matters – that it transforms lives, improves people’s health and happiness, increases hope and prosperity, and strengthens our communities. So why do we remain so hidden from the public and so undervalued by funders? It’s time to put career development on the map and map a future for ourselves where we are seen, understood, and valued.
10:00 - 10:30 AM
NETWORKING & NUTRITION BREAK
10:30 - 11:45 AM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS (5)
SESSION #1
LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION SESSION
The session aims to share pertinent information about the Saskatchewan labour market and resources available through SaskJobs and the National Job Bank to support career development.
SESSION #2
Indigenous Career Education
Indigenous Career Education provides an opportunity to deliver meaningful, culturally responsive, and inclusive programming to address the systemic barriers that have historically impacted Indigenous students’ degree completion and employment outcomes.
The University of Saskatchewan Career Services offers two programs designed to support the career success of Indigenous students. These programs focus on four key elements: community building, Traditional and Land-Based teachings, pathways to employment, and responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. These elements align with the Medicine Wheel’s four quadrants, representing a holistic approach to well-being based on Indigenous principles.
In this session, the presenters will explore how these four elements are essential in creating spaces where Indigenous students can build community while identifying, developing, and expressing their employment-related skills. They will also explain why it is important for institutions and employers to invest in Indigenous Career Education opportunities.
SESSION #3
THE FUTURE OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN CANADA: RESULTS FROM CERIC'S 2024 SURVEY OF CAREER SERVICE PROFESSIONALS
Over 1,000 career service professionals across Canada have shared their experiences, challenges, and professional development needs, providing a valuable look into the evolving landscape of career services. This session will delve into critical insights, including the ways AI is reshaping career development practices, revealing how professionals are adapting to technological advancements. Through these perspectives, we’ll capture a comprehensive view of the current and future state of the field, exploring strategies to meet emerging demands. Join us to gain a deeper understanding of these trends and learn how to support evolving needs within the career services sector.
SESSION #4
BUILDING CONNECTIONS: COLLABORATIVE LEARNING WITH LEGO
Join Andrea Fruhling and Norm Amundson in this interactive session that explores a unique approach to group work using LEGO. Gain hands-on experience with tactile metaphors to support engaging and memorable conversations. Learn how interactive play can inspire creative thinking and foster collaboration within groups. This session will provide practical tools and strategies to enhance your work with clients, creating delightful experiences in career wayfinding. Whether you’re new to group facilitation or looking to bring more delight to your work, this session will offer valuable insights and inspiration for your career development or human resources practice.
SESSION #5
EQUITY DURING RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION: MOVING BEYOND DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION TO TRULY INCLUSIVE DESIGN
For job candidates with disabilities, accommodations, while essential, are often reactive measures to address existing barriers. What if recruitment and selection practices were designed with fewer barriers? Inclusive design seeks to create environments that are inherently accessible, reducing the need for accommodations. Although traditionally applied in architectural and engineering contexts, inclusive design principles are equally relevant to organizational policies and HR management practices. Dr. Breward will discuss how these principles can be used to proactively minimize barriers in recruitment and selection processes. The focus will be on creating policies and practices that are truly inclusive, with additional insights on onboarding.
11:45 - 12:30 PM
LUNCH BREAK & EXHIBITOR BOOTHS
12:30 - 1:30 pm
BREAKOUT SESSIONS (5)
SESSION #1
BUILDING A CULTURE OF SAFETY FOR NEW WORKERS
Workplace safety is influenced more by experience and assertiveness than by age. Key factors contributing to safety risks include being new to an industry or role, limited experience, and challenges in speaking up about unsafe situations.
Leaders, management teams, and HR professionals play a critical role in fostering a culture of safety and inclusion. New employees—whether young workers or newcomers to Saskatchewan workplaces—often face similar challenges, such as varying levels of work experience and difficulty voicing safety concerns.
This session will explore the factors that increase vulnerability to workplace injuries and provide actionable strategies for leaders at all levels to address these risks, support their teams, and promote safer, more inclusive work environments.
SESSION #2
CHALLENGES TO CONNECTIONS: INTERCULTURAL INTEGRATION
This interactive session is designed for employers and Indigenous organization representatives, offering practical strategies to enhance intercultural integration. Learn how to foster inclusive workplaces, leverage community resources, and build meaningful partnerships with settlement agencies. Discover how these collaborations can streamline recruitment, provide cultural competency training, and empower newcomers to thrive in your organization.
SESSION #3
SASK DLC - EXPANDING STUDENT CHOICE IN EXPLORING CAREER PATHS
Sask DLC offers over 120 high school courses to students across the province, including 40 Practical and Applied Arts (PAA) courses where students can:
– explore creative arts like Interior Design and Drafting,
– try their hand at a trade like Mechanics & Automotives or Welding,
– expand their learning on their farm operations through Field Crop or Cow-Calf Production,
– experience Saskatchewan’s growing industry sectors, such as precision agriculture, oil and gas, and tourism.
Several PAA Courses offer work placements coordinated by Sask DLC. Come learn how we work with your school to make these opportunities available to students.
SESSION #4
CAREER WAYFINDING WITH GROUPS
Norm Amundson and Andrea Fruhling will describe and demonstrate some of the ways in which they use groups to facilitate “Career Wayfinding”. Groups provide an excellent vehicle for collaboration, meaning-making, and support – all essential ingredients for effective career planning, goal setting and implementation. Learning to use groups effectively requires both facilitation skills and engaging group activities. Come prepared to share your experiences with groups and to be involved in the session as both an active participant and a learner. The activities used in this session can be incorporated into a wide range of settings with people of all ages.
SESSION #5
PANEL DISCUSSION: BUILDING A MAGNETIC WORKPLACE: EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR ATTRACTING AND RETAINING TOP TALENT
Join Ashlee Langlois from Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) Saskatchewan as she moderates an insightful panel of Human Resources experts. Together, they will delve into innovative strategies and share practical approaches for attracting and retaining top talent in today’s rapidly evolving workplace. Whether you are an employer, HR professional, or simply curious about navigating the challenges of employee engagement, this session promises actionable ideas to strengthen your workforce.
1:30 - 1:45 PM
NETWORKING BREAK
1:45 - 2:45 PM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS (5)
SESSION #1
LEADING THE RISE: MICRO-CREDENTIALS
Micro-credentials are essential in meeting learners where they are in their educational journey and providing competency-based learning that fills gaps in knowledge and provides the necessary upskilling or re-skilling to meet industry demands.
In this presentation, we will cover topics such as completing an environmental scan, assessing our learner profiles, utilizing skilled instructional designers, consulting and relying on subject matter expertise, and integrating assessments. Our micro-credentials at Saskatchewan Polytechnic provide the content to learners on a when-needed basis in a format that is targeted to them.
SESSION #2
BREAKING BOUNDARIES: DISMANTLING GENDER ROLES FOR AN INCLUSIVE FUTURE
Women Building Futures proposes an engaging, interactive presentation focused on dismantling gender roles. This session will explore how gender roles are constructed and perpetuated in our everyday lives, and more importantly, what we can do to challenge them. Participants of all genders will gain insights into the societal norms that shape gender expectations and learn practical strategies to counteract these roles. This presentation aims to foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for all, particularly women entering fields where they are traditionally underrepresented, encouraging everyone to actively participate in breaking down these barriers. Join us in fostering a more inclusive and equitable future.
SESSION #3
CHATCDP: REFLECT, RECOGNIZE, REVITALIZE WITH REFLECTIVE PRACTICE FOR CDPS
In 2024 the Career Development Professional Centre launched ChatCDP, with a goal of providing the opportunity for CDPs to meaningfully connect with others working within career development and employment services, from coast-to-coast-to-coast. With a focus on connection, ChatCDP is about embracing the power of collaboration and the beauty of coming together to lean on, and learn from, each other, and experience the power of career development. Join us for a dynamic session focused on reflection, conversation, connection, and celebration. Together, we’ll celebrate our successes, acknowledge challenges, and foster deeper connections within our CDP community.
SESSION #4
NEURODIVERSITY MATTERS
Recent statistics indicate that approximately one in five people are wired to think differently. ADHD, Autism, Verbal learning disorder, and Asperger syndrome are all diagnoses that fall under the umbrella of neurodiversity. Unfortunately, because of the invisible nature of these differences, many of the characteristics inherent to a neurodiverse diagnosis may appear to be an attitude or behavioural problem. Is it possible that Sally, the client who never stays on topic, is not just being ‘annoying’? or that Ralph, the unemployed Computer Engineer who won’t consider a job outside of an 8 km radius, is not just ‘difficult’? Developing competency in serving people who are wired differently is a critical skill for employment professionals all over the world. This session will provide participants with the tools and systems to not only better understand the spectrum of neurodiversity but also to work effectively with people who think differently. Participants will be encouraged to explore mindsets around diversity, inclusion and invisible differences. For leaders experiencing workforce challenges, CDPs serving diverse clients and Career Counsellors needing a fresh perspective, this session is not to be missed.
SESSION #5
BRIDGING ERAS: INSIGHTS FROM INDUSTRY LEADERS
Moderated by Jaimie Malmgren from the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training, this session explores the evolution of Saskatchewan’s industries and the career opportunities emerging for the future. Participants will connect with industry associations and organizations to gain valuable insights into career pathways, employment trends, and the skills shaping tomorrow’s workforce. Celebrate the progress of our province’s industries and be inspired to play a role in their continued growth.
2:45 - 3:00 PM
NETWORKING & NUTRITION BREAK
KEYNOTE SESSION
BUBBLING UP: EMPOWERING INDIGENOUS YOUTH THROUGH ‘RADICAL ADVOCACY’
In this keynote presentation, Dr. Sean Lessard reflects on his work alongside Indigenous youth both in and outside of schools. His approach to working alongside youth on the margins is based on the Pedagogy of the Heart and what he loosely coins “radical advocacy.” Sean has worked across North America with youth and is especially known for his design of graduation coach models, transition/career planning and “school at any place and at any time” approaches. He has most recently turned his attention to the youth from his home community and has worked toward designing alongside them a land-based and wellness hub for healing. Through speaking, Sean has specifically purchased over 1,000 pairs of shoes for elders and youth and over 300 bikes so each child might have an opportunity “to bike to places within their imaginations.”