National Careers Week 2026: Recognising the Impact of Career Development | CDAA Community Recognition

Career Development Association of Australia 2026 Community Recognition in Career Development.

As part of National Careers Week, I was incredibly honoured to be recognised in the Career Development Association of Australia Community 2026 Recognitions.

After more than 15 years working across career development, occupational rehabilitation, and career transition support, this recognition felt especially meaningful because it came from peers and colleagues who understand the work that happens behind the scenes.

Career development is often misunderstood as simply resumes, interviews, or job searching. While those things certainly matter, the work goes much deeper than that.

At its heart, career development is about helping people navigate change.

It is supporting someone after a workplace injury when their identity and confidence have been shaken. It is helping a parent returning to work rediscover their strengths. It is guiding someone through redundancy, burnout, or uncertainty and helping them believe that a new chapter is still possible.

Career practitioners work with people at every stage of life and across many different sectors, including schools, higher education, vocational education, employment services, occupational rehabilitation and the private sector.

The common thread across all of this work is helping people create meaningful futures and make informed career decisions aligned with their values, wellbeing, and goals.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Careers Alliance Connect and Collaborate event at HOTA Gold Coast, where I connected with professionals from across the broader career development community. It was a reminder of how passionate and generous this profession truly is.

There is something incredibly powerful about being in a room with people who genuinely care about helping others move forward in life and work.

These conversations reinforced the importance of continuing to advocate for career development across the lifespan. Career support should not only exist at school-leaving age or during unemployment. People experience career change throughout their lives through parenthood, injury, health challenges, industry shifts, relocation, burnout, and changing priorities.

Career development matters because people matter.

I would also like to sincerely thank Daniel and Lisa at Workers Health Centre for their kind nomination and support. Their words were deeply appreciated.

And finally, congratulations to all the other nominees recognised during National Careers Week. Reading your stories and achievements has been genuinely inspiring and a reminder of the important impact career professionals continue to make in individuals, workplaces, and communities every day.