October 2026 Newsletter
"Exploring the Issues Shaping Career Development"
Message from OCDA President, Rachel Richardson
Scary things seem to take place all around us during the month of October! Personally, I’m not a fan of anything remotely spooky like spiders or haunted houses. When you really think about it, even change can be a bit scary for most people.
The field of career development has weathered recent changes, with potential for future ones as well such as…
- Economic shifts that affect workforce and job stability
- Growth in use of AI and other future technological uncertainties
- Speed of evolving careers and development of brand-new occupations
- Ever increasing need to stay flexible in skill development
Instead of letting uncertainty or the future frighten us, let’s reflect on what has recently changed in our lives and careers in a positive way! Did you expand your network of connections, incorporate a best practice or learn a new skill?
While the future landscape of the workforce may seem scary, OCDA is here to help you take charge of your ever evolving career through advocacy, connection, and continuing education. Look for even more ways to learn and build a sense of community, especially during NCD (National Career Development) month coming up in November!
Sincerely,
Rachel Richardson
President, OCDA
On Our Radar
On Our Radar: What's Brewing in Career Development?
Last month, we asked OCDA members what topics, trends, and challenges were on their career development radar. The results are in, and we've uncovered a few things stirring in our professional community!
From student engagement and workforce development to navigating limited resources and evolving government mandates, members shared a variety of issues on their minds. One topic emerged from the mist: work-based learning!
Take a peek at our community's word cloud below to see what else is brewing.
We'll use your responses to help guide future newsletter features and highlight resources, research, and professional development opportunities that matter to you.
Welcome New Members!
Our OCDA community continues to grow! We’re excited to welcome our newest members and the experiences, perspectives, and ideas they bring to our career development community.
NCDM Member Spotlight:
Celebrating Our OCDA Community
How do you envision your future? The National Career Development Association (NCDA) & OCDA invites you to participate in its Art & Poetry Contest, themed “Charting the Unknown: Mapping Your Future – Paths, Pivots, and Possibilities.”
Whether through art or poetry, share your creativity and explore the many paths, unexpected turns, and exciting possibilities that shape our personal and professional journeys. This is a wonderful opportunity to express your vision of the future and celebrate the journey of career development!
For More Information
Upcoming Events
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Government Relations Updates
Pulse on Ohio
Government Relations Committee Update
Committee News
- Please save the date for OCDA’s 4th Annual Legislative Day on March 2nd! More information on how to register will be coming out in December.
- The GRC is excited to announce that we are the recipients of the NCDA State Advocacy Grant! This grant will be used to support our legislative day festivities, allowing us to extend the program into a full-day event! We look forward to hosting everyone at the statehouse for a full day of advocacy, camaraderie, and OCDA passion!
What We’re Watching: SB 328 The Education and Workforce Return on Investment Initiative
This bill, which has passed the Senate and is currently under consideration in the Ohio House’s Education Committee, builds out a more effective career development plan for Ohio students in grades 6-12. The bill requires state entities in the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Department of Higher Education, Department of Job and Family Services, Department of Development, Department of Children and Youth, and Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation to collaborate and be hold responsibility towards the state’s education and workforce data, evaluate outcomes, and improve the information available to policymakers, educators, and workforce development professionals. In summary, this policy aims to build a statewide career-exploration and career development component into our educational system in a defined framework.
These changes provide more opportunities for career-exploration and much more direct involvement in exposing students to potential pathways available to them after they graduate from high school. It also emphasizes statewide data reporting, providing valuable insights into educational pathways, employment outcomes, and workforce needs that directly intersect with several of our own OCDA constituency groups, including K–12 education, higher education, workforce development, and business & industry. Giving these groups a much clearer picture on where gaps in our current system are. Each student shall create their own career and academic plan by the end of 8th grade and continue building upon it through graduation. By doing so, this prepares Ohio’s students for a variety of career possibilities by informing them with options, equipping them with skills, and providing them tools to address gaps in Ohio's education-to-workforce pipeline.
The bill connects education and workforce data to examine outcomes such as credentials, employment, wages, talent gaps, and retention. The bill seeks to help students make more informed career decisions while also providing a way to measure the impact of Ohio’s education and workforce system and evaluate results of this investment. Additionally, the bill provides an auditing mechanism to evaluate up to 5% of schools annually and requires annual reports to ensure compliance. If enacted, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will establish professional skills standards and a Career Coaching Framework by March 15, 2027. New requirements for students would begin with students entering sixth grade during the 2027-28 school year.
The Senate & House Education committees’ record shows substantial support from education, business, workforce, and advocacy organizations. We have already seen several organizations connected to OCDA’s constituencies testify in support of the legislation, including the Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education, Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, Ohio Business Roundtable, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, and multiple educational institutions across various levels.
This bill is very relevant for the career development industry in Ohio and proposes some of the most substantive changes we have seen in recent years. SB 328 directly intersects with the type of career development policies and practices our profession works to advance. As this bill moves forward, we will be watching to see if our interests are represented and, if signed into law, we will be looking to ensure that the regulations align with the high quality industry standards put forth by the National Career Development Association. OCDA’s Government Relations Committee is eager to see Ohio’s students provided with the skills, tools, and support to achieve their career goals. The committee hosted a representative from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce during one of our first legislative advocacy events and we are hopeful to be engaged as a key stakeholder when the time comes for building out this framework.
Legislative information is current as of October 12, 2026. The GRC will continue to monitor SB 328 and other legislation affecting career development and Ohio’s workforce.
Have you encountered a policy issue in your work that you think OCDA should be watching? Have a question about a bill or want to become more involved in advocacy? Learn more about the Government Relations Committee.
This issue of Pulse on Ohio was authored by Connor Thomas, a member of the OCDA Government Relations Committee.
Want to get more involved with OCDA?
Learn about available OCDA Board positions for the 2026-2027 term, as well as how to get involved with OCDA's committees.
Get Involved!
College Central Network
OCDA's 2026 Conference Gold Level Sponsor
College Central Network
Connecting Students, Career Services, and Employers
For more than 30 years, College Central Network has helped colleges and universities connect students and alumni with career opportunities while providing career services professionals with tools to support career readiness and employer engagement. Through innovative technology and partnership, College Central Network helps bridge the gap between education and employment.
Contact ohiocda@gmail.com if you or your organization would like to help sponsor a future OCDA conference!
If you have any ideas for membership email content, please email Co-Chairs Ryana Munford at munford.2@osu.edu & Taylor Lincicome at tslocum924@gmail.com.
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