The Asia Pacific Career Development Conference

In the last few days I have had the opportunity to present some of my ideas as part of the Asia Pacific Career Development Association conference in Beijing, China. It has been an interesting and energizing experience. I have had the chance to learn from others and also to explore and share with them the various facets of Active Engagement.  Being an effective career counsellor or career coach is based on ‘Being’ as well as ‘Doing’.  There are key concepts like Mattering that help to define the importance of the relationship that serve as a foundation for any career development that happens. There is also the call for Creativity and Courage to take these ideas forward. It is not just a matter of following a script; career development professionals need to be willing to take risks, to be imaginative, curious, and collaborative in working with others.

It has been interesting being a part of this family of career counselling professionals in the Asian region. There is a hunger here for new ideas and a willingness to step out and try some new approaches. The potential for growth and development is incredible and this surge forward will come from many different sources. I encourage people to learn more about what is happening in Asia and to become a part of this movement. Joining APCDA is a great place to start. There are many webinars being offered, a newsletter, a new journal and an annual conference to be considered.

Many of you are aware that I will be leaving UBC at the end of this year – RETIRING. However, maybe that is the wrong word.  Perhaps it should be REFIRING (engaging in new challenges). There are new projects ahead that will call on me to engage with mattering, to take risks and to move forward with creativity and courage. The “Asian Surge” is one such initiative that pulls me forward in search of new adventures. If you are interested, come and join me.