Lunch & Learn – Setting people up for the next job

Employment services are good at finding jobs. The harder problem, and the one the research has pointed to for two decades, is helping people keep them and build on them. This session makes the case that career development is the difference between placing a person in a job and setting them up for the next one, and offers a free, practical way to act on it: the Australian Blueprint for Career Development.

Designed for all ages, the Blueprint sets out eleven career management competencies that can be worked into a routine appointment without new programs, funding or forms. The session walks through what the Blueprint is, why it is not age-bound, and how an Employment Consultant can use one competency in one conversation, illustrated with a worked example. It also draws on CICA’s research with the disability employment sector, including what 250 practitioners identified as the biggest barriers and most effective strategies, and what people with disability themselves say career success means: an ordinary life.

Attendees will leave with four things they can do in their next appointment, and a starting point for managers wanting to build career development into their service.

Duration: 45 minutes

Format: Online via Teams

Fee: Free

Register: Lunch & Learn – Setting people up for the next job

Access: Once you have registered, the Teams meeting link will be provided in your registration confirmation email.

This Lunch & Learn series is a collaboration between Disability Employment Australia (DEA) and the Centre for Inclusive Employment. Sessions are designed to provide evidence-based information and practical insights to support continuous improvement in practice and the quality of services for people with disability.

SPEAKER INFORMATION

David Carney, Executive Director, Career Industry Council of Australia

David is a recognised leader in career development, with over 25 years of experience shaping policies and practices to enhance career services. As the Executive Director of the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA), he has driven innovative, research-based strategies to advance career development. His expertise spans career development policy, practice, and advocacy, with a strong focus on evidence-based guidance, workforce readiness, and skills development. His work has made him a key voice in policy discussions, shaping impactful programs that optimise human potential. Beyond his leadership at CICA, David advises government and industry groups on employment, training, and workforce transitions, influencing policies that enhance career development infrastructure in Australia and internationally. As a Board member of the International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy, he contributes to global discussions on best practices. His tenure on the Australian Government’s National Careers Institute Advisory Board helped shape national career development strategies. Committed to innovation, David has played a pivotal role in integrating career development into broader workforce planning, setting a benchmark for national and international career services.