Careers and Professional Development Centre lead at NICE Academy

Emma Harrison, Senior Lecturer in Careers and Guidance and Dr Anne Chant, Assistant Director of the Centre for Careers and Professional Development (CCPD), based at the Medway Campus, led a four-day event for career practitioners, academics and researchers from across Europe in November 2021.

This large event, hosted by the University of Paris was part of the work of the NICE Foundation, an organisation that evolved from two successful Erasmus projects that began in 2009 and in which CCPD, then led by Professor Hazel Reid, took a central role. NICE developed the professional standards for the training and continuing development of careers practitioners. The foundation now continues this work to support innovation in the training and development of careers practitioners with bi-annual academies.

The theme of the 2021 academy was ‘Career Management Skills’ and an edited book will be published later this year containing many of the ideas and developments showcased at the academy. The first keynote speaker was our own Emeritus Professor Hazel Reid and Anne was privileged to present her with a lifetime membership of NICE in recognition of her contribution to the work of the organisation and its ongoing development.

Other speakers and workshops continued the theme, and online contributions and attendance were expertly managed by Emma and maintained throughout so that online delegates and speakers were included in as much of the academy as possible.

The sustainability of this important European network has been a challenge because of the pandemic and the implications of Brexit for collaboration with European universities. This event overcame these challenges and the CCPD colleagues look forward to continuing their role as board members to maintain the reputation of Canterbury Christ Church University as a centre of innovation and excellence in career work and the training and education of practitioners.