2023 OCDA Conference

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THE 2023 OCDA CONFERENCE!

In case you missed it, this year’s conference theme comprised of four core principles:

Principle #1: Building CONNECTIONS & CARE in an expanding world

As career practitioners, we continue to foster relationships with peers, professionals, and their constituencies through effective advising, counseling, and networking. Additionally, we must not only support those whom we serve in their self-care, but also in our own work-life balance. In this theme, we focus on the ways in which we connect and care for others and ourselves while we navigate a local, national, and international career landscape.

Principle #2: Paving the way for DEIJB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice & Belonging)

Career development serves as a cornerstone of one’s life-career success across multicultural and intercultural spaces. In an effort to decolonize career interventions and guidance, social justice and intersectionality frame our actions to ensure voices, narratives, and cultural capital are seen, heard, and valued. In this theme, we emphasize the importance and practice of supporting underrepresented and marginalized populations (e.g., BIPoC, first-generation, immigrants, non-traditional, undocumented, veterans) and reshaping our work to foster a sense of belonging, inclusivity, and equity.

Principle #3: Navigating CAREER CHANGE in today’s world

The World of Work is now identified as more than an in-person sphere. Hybrid/remote work has become more prevalent in a gig economy where distance recruiting and talent mobility lead to opportunities for exposure and career growth. With a shift in today’s labor market, the call for one to recognize and harness their career adaptability remains essential as they undergo self-discovery and pivot career pathways. In this theme, we explore the initiatives, dialogues, and interventions put forth by career practitioners to address and adapt to the needs of today’s workforce.

Principle #4: Exploring INNOVATION in career readiness

Career education establishes an outlet for one to learn about and make informed career choices. Through curriculum and programs, career practitioners employ innovative strategies and best practices to prepare students, clients, and employers with an overarching concept in mind: career readiness. In this theme, we focus on the creativity and application of career practitioners to educate and prepare learners through career education and experiential learning, thus entering their vocation as “career ready.”

Conference News