The application process for the fall term of free training through the Joint Career Development Program (JCDP) is now open!

Applications will be accepted until June 11 for courses and offerings taking place in the fall term (between August and December). You’ll find more details on the application process below. 

Classroom courses 

Classroom courses on offer for this term include: 

• IFSD 360°, a unique five-day course that helps public servants develop their strategic lens and understand how money and politics impact government, governance and outcomes. 
   
• Intro to Power BI, a course designed for people with little to no experience using Microsoft’s data visualization and reporting software. 
   
• Storytelling With Data, which targets professionals looking to become better consumers and users of data to support decision making. 
   
• Relating and Responding to Mental Health, a course for anyone that wants to better care for their own mental health and be a more supportive colleague for others struggling in this area.  
   
• Navigating Difficult Conversations, for those looking for a framework for preparing for and participating in difficult conversations in the workplace. 

• Authentic Leadership, a transformative experience that instills leadership through a thoughtful blend of relevant topics, real world expertise, and feedback. 

Find the full details, including delivery format, in the JCDP section of the website.

And don’t forget—CT-EAVs and CT-IAUs are now eligible for the JCDP under the new Comptrollership (CT) collective agreement. 

Interchange programs 

This intake also includes the return of the highly regarded Interchange Program, where groups of CTs from the NCR are able to experience the realities of working in a region and regional CTs are able to be exposed to work in national HQs and central agencies. All travel and accommodation costs are covered by the JCDP, and selected members will take part in presentations, site visits, and job shadow opportunities over the course of a week. 

• Regional Interchanges (members from the NCR travel to a region)
  • Atlantic Regional Interchange (Moncton):  August 28-September 1 
  • Quebec Regional Interchange (Montreal): November 6-10 
• NCR Interchanges (members from across Canada travel to the NCR)
  • NCR Interchange #1: September 25-29 
  • NCR Interchange #2: November 27-December 1 

See more details and apply for the JCDP here! 

Application process 

Some key details on the application process are: 

• All ACFO-ACAF public sector members are eligible to apply for JCDP programming. 

• Simply enter your contact information, choose the courses in which you’re interested, then rate your preferences for courses when you apply. 

• All applications are then put into a random draw. If your name is drawn, you are awarded a spot in your highest-rated choice that still has available spaces. 

• One application per member will be accepted, with any duplicate applications removed and only the most recent application accepted. 

• Every member has an equal chance in the lottery with the lone exception that people who have received training will be deprioritized in the draw for the current year to ensure as many people as possible benefit from this training. That being said, many members have received training in successive years – there’s no risk in applying! 

Apply now! 

What’s next 

Based on feedback from members, and with even more courses and other offerings available this year thanks to the increase in funding for the JCDP in the new CT Collective Agreement, we’re revamping the way training is awarded this year, in that this application window is only for programming in the fall term (August – December). A second application window will open in the fall for courses taking place in the winter term (January – March).  

We’ll also be piloting new ways to access training too, so you may hear about JCDP offerings through your department at some point during the coming months. We want to make as much training available to as many members as possible! 

If you have any questions about the application process or the JCDP more broadly, please contact Joe Boughner, ACFO-ACAF’s Director of Professional Development (jboughner@acfo-acaf.com).