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Career development training: Facilitating Career Development Course

An opportunity for Graduate Program Coordinators and Managers (and similar staff titles)

Facilitating Career Development Course – Summer/Fall 2023 Grant

The Graduate School offers a professional development opportunity in which Graduate Program Coordinators/Managers (or similar staff titles) at UW-Madison will be awarded a grant to enroll in the Facilitating Career Development (FCD)* course, offered through the Department of Counseling Psychology. The FCD course is centered on developing twelve career competencies and can enhance the skills and knowledge of individuals who work in any type of career development setting, including advising or working with graduate students. Graduate staff who completed the course in the past have found it a worthwhile investment of time and directly applicable in their work with graduate students. The 13-week course program is online, plus four meetings that will be held in a virtual format. To learn more, please go to the FCD webpage. The grants will cover the cost of registration ($1,450) and books (approx. $185).

Goals of this initiative: 

Graduate students will have access to career development support from their graduate program coordinators, who will be more knowledgeable about relevant theories, practices, and resources, and therefore be better able to have helpful conversations with graduate students about career preparation and refer them to appropriate resources and tools.

Benefits to grant recipients:

  1. Participation in the FCD course at no expense to the graduate coordinator or their program
  2. Expertise in the twelve career competencies defined by the National Career Development Association
  3. Opportunity to network with and learn from other career advisors from UW-Madison and other institutions
  4. Convenient online/virtual format
  5. Improved ability to meet the needs of graduate students
  6. Optional: Eligibility for the Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) certification through the Center for Credentialing and Education, as well as eligibility to become a Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP) from the National Career Development Association. Both certifications are optional and not included in this grant.

Expectations of grant recipients:

  1. Obtain supervisor permission to participate in the course
  2. Fully participate in and complete the FCD course in summer OR fall 2023:
    • Summer Class May 30-Sept 15 All day Zoom meetings: June 22-23 and July 20-21
    • Fall Class Sept 5-December 22 All day Zoom meetings: October 5-6 and Nov 8-9
  3. Apply the practices and theories learned in the course to work with graduate students
  4. Within one year of completing the course, and in collaboration with the Graduate School, lead a session and/or develop resources for graduate programs that share skills gained in the FCD course
  5. Report to the Graduate School on the impact that this course has on their ability to better serve graduate students regarding career-related issues, including one-on-one meetings with graduate students

Application:

Preference is given to graduate program coordinators who demonstrate in their application an existing gap in access to career services and/or individual career counseling for students in their program, which will be improved by their participation in the course.

Application process:

  1. Apply for the grant by Friday, April 21, 2023, by completing the online application.
  2. Applicants will be notified of selection status by Friday, April 28, 2023.
  3. If selected, applicants apply directly to the FCD program.

The application survey will ask for response to the following (all required):

  • Please describe the career interests of graduate students, both masters and doctoral level, in your program. For example, are doctoral students interested in careers as faculty members, careers beyond the professoriate, or both?
  • For graduate students in your program who are interested in non-faculty careers, please describe the current level of career development support that graduate students in your program receive from their faculty advisors or mentors, as well as from the career center of the school or college to which your program belongs. Be sure to address whether students have access to individual career counseling, career exploration guidance, and assessment tools.
  • Please describe the leading concerns and needs that graduate students in your program have related to career preparation.
  • How do you anticipate applying the skills gained in the FCD course to your work with graduate students.
  • A statement of commitment to:
    • participating in the 120-hour course during the summer or fall 2022 (for more information, go to the FCD webpage);
    • leading a session and/or developing a resource for graduate programs within a year following completion of the course;
    • and providing a brief report to the Graduate School on the impact that this course has on your ability to better serve graduate students regarding career-related issues, within one year of completing the course.
  • Does your supervisor support your commitment to completing the above?

If you have questions regarding this opportunity, please contact Alissa Ewer, Assistant Dean for Professional Development and Communications, at the Graduate School prior to completing this application: alissa.ewer@wisc.edu

Application deadline:

Friday, April 21, 2023


*Previously titled Career Development Facilitator (CDF) course