Maximizing Career: Guidance & Development

A Global Digital Careers Advocacy Series on YouTube

As an impactful, global career practitioner during the Covid-19 pandemic, I reflected on the critical importance of career development services to countries around the world and to their respective citizens.  Many countries are experiencing lockdowns; society at large is shifting to new norms and so many of our services are pivoting to include digital delivery options. This led to the creation of my YouTube Channel and, taking inspiration from IAEVG’s 2021 International Conference Theme: Maximizing Career: Guidance & Development, I initiated a global digital advocacy series for our careers and livelihood profession.

The YouTube Career Interview Series has the following objectives:

1. Invite leading career influencers globally to share best career practices.
2. Ensure that even during the pandemic careers work remains a priority.
3. Bridge our career community digitally via collective advocacy.
4. Increase impact and outreach of our meaningful careers work.
5. Pro-actively communicate and encourage dialogue with policy makers.
6. Provide keen stakeholders with valuable perspectives on the significance of career development from leading career influencers from around the globe to raise awareness of the significance of career guidance and career development, especially in these times of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As Mr. Anthony Mann, Senior Policy Analyst from the OECD, says ‘In the pandemic now career guidance is irresistible’. These inspirational words provide our careers community with real hope and remind us that, as career professionals, we have a collective responsibility to serve and inspire the diverse communities we live in.

I am humble to share 10 interviews already released on my YouTube Channel:

1. Seth Hayden – NCDA President, USA
2. Paula Wischoff-Yerama – ED, Career Development Association of Alberta, Canada
3. Deirdre Hughes – International Career Development Specialist, OBE, UK
4. Roberta Neault – President Life Strategies Ltd.. Canada
5. Lisa Raufman – Career Strategist, USA
6. Gert Van Brussel – President IAEVG, Holland
7. Avron Herr – Founder, Pace Centre, South Africa
8. Tracey Campbell – Seasoned Career Practitioner, Canada
9. Sareena Hopkins – ED, Canadian Career Development Foundation
10. Anjana Kulasekara – CEO, Careerme, Sri Lanka

In closing, I am sharing an inspirational quote for our careers profession which was recently published in the Career Development Network (based in the United States) Jan/Feb 2021 global newsletter: “Never before in human era has careers guidance been so critical as it is presently; we are on the bridge of human transformation.” – Raza Abbas

More interviews and valuable career perspectives are in the pipeline for the YouTube series. Don’t forget to share the impactful videos in your professional career communities/networks and kindly subscribe to the channel. Collectively as career development professionals we are making a difference during the pandemic and contributing towards inclusion!  Stay safe and keep thriving!

Raza Abbas is a Knowledge Management Adviser and Careers professional based in Pakistan. He is an impactful global career practitioner and has received multiple international careers practitioner awards from the US National Career Development Association (NCDA) and the Asia Pacific Career Development Association (APCDA).

He serves as an Editorial Board Member and the National Correspondent-Pakistan of IAEVG, Director Pakistan of ARACD, Editorial Member – Career Guidance Social Justice Blog, Country Representative Pakistan of APCDA and Global Connections Committee of NCDA. He works for inclusivity and social justice in career development practice both in Pakistan and globally. Raza can be reached at [email protected].