From the Field by the NSCDA

In this episode of From the Field, NSCDA’s Lindsay Guitard sits down with Taruna Goel, Senior Consultant at North Pacific Metrics and a leading expert in competency development and assessment. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience, Taruna breaks down what competencies are (and aren’t), why context matters so deeply, and how competencies help make learning and performance visible in a rapidly changing labour market.

Together, Lindsay and Taruna explore the value of national competencies for Career Development Practitioners, how competency frameworks strengthen consistency and trust in the profession, and what organizations should consider when building their own competency models.

In this episode of From the Field, NSCDA team member, Teresa Francis, talks to Michelle Thomason, PhD, kindness scholar and author, about a rarely addressed topic - Kindness at Work. Michelle shares with us her story of how she came to study kindness in organizations, along with some of the lessons learned from her experiences and research. Together, Teresa and Michelle explore the meaning of kindness at work and the significance of intentional kindness at three levels: self, relational, and organizational/systemic. 

In this episode of From the Field, host Kathy McKee and career development practitioner Connie Corse revisit the enduring principles of Recovery-Oriented Practice (ROP) - a framework for inclusive and effective service delivery.

Drawing from the Career Services Guide: Supporting People Affected by Mental Health Issues (by Neasa Martin & Kathy McKee, published by CERIC in partnership with NSCDA), they explore how practitioners can recognize strengths, reduce stigma, and empower clients to define their own paths to meaningful work.

A practical and inspiring reflection on supporting recovery through career development - emphasizing collaboration, empowerment, and the belief that employment is not the end of recovery, but a vital part of it.

In this episode of From the Field, NSCDA Training Manager Connie Corse sits down with Teresa Francis to explore the power of reflection and the unexpected ways learning shows up in our lives. Through Teresa’s touching story of The Dylan Plant: a resilient houseplant that bloomed after twenty years, where they uncover deep lessons about growth, timing, and the human capacity for renewal.

Together, they draw parallels between nurturing a plant and guiding clients through their own career transitions - reminding us that with the right conditions, a little hope, and patience, potential can flourish at any time.

NSCDA’s Kathy McKee and Teresa Francis explore how blended learning is transforming professional training across Nova Scotia. Using the NSCDA’s award-nominated Case Management Training program as a model, they unpack how combining online autonomy, instructor support, and in-person engagement helps learners move from awareness → competence → confidence.

Hear how intentional design, adult learning principles, and practical application lead to lasting impact - with 97% of participants applying their learning within six weeks and supervisors reporting stronger case notes and more consistent service delivery.

In this episode of From the Field, NSCDA’s Michael Bohan and Mitchell Tempro explore the future of learning in career development. Together, they dig into how personalized learning, microlearning, and “learning in the flow of work” are reshaping professional growth.

From AI-powered tools that provide instant support, to snack-sized learning that fits seamlessly into the workday, Michael and Mitchell share how organizations can balance accessibility with depth - helping practitioners build skills that matter in real time.

In this episode of From the Field, two of our own voices from the NSCDA take center stage. Host Tara Deveau, Program Assessor and Certified Career Development Practitioner (CCDP), sits down with her colleague Lisa Strong, a Career Services Specialist and CCDP, to share Lisa’s journey into the field of career development.

From her start in education to case management and now mentoring practitioners, Lisa reflects on the value of learning, practice, and professionalism throughout her career. Together, Tara and Lisa explore what certification means for practitioners, why it strengthens the profession as a whole, and how recognizing prior learning is shaping the future of career development.

In this episode of From the Field, NSCDA’s Mitchell Tempro is joined by Dr. Cindy Hamon-Hill, a research psychologist and manager of a neuroimaging lab at Dalhousie University. Together, they explore empathy as more than just “understanding someone’s feelings” - unpacking its layers, its role in uncovering client needs, and how it builds trust in career development relationships.

Drawing on their collaboration in developing The ARC of Empathy training, Mitchell and Cindy discuss how empathy can be recognized, adjusted, and applied as a practical tool in everyday client interactions. From strengthening connections to leading with emotional intelligence, this conversation highlights why empathy is central to meaningful career development practice.