Careers are shaped locally, yet our panel will address issues pertaining to the four focus areas ICW has identified as key priorities to strengthen career in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, namely:
promoting the value of and advocating for career development as a powerful tool for economic, social, human and environmentally sustainable development,
strengthening professionalization of career development and guidance practitioners,
accelerating upskilling and reskilling of workforce and
highlighting the intersection of career development with mental health as an important dimension of the services offered
Sini PARAMPOTA is a distinguished international career guidance practitioner, researcher, and consultant with over 20 years of experience. She currently serves her second term as the APCDA Board Secretary and sits on several national and international technical committees and working groups on career guidance, including NCDA and EduCluster Finland Academic Advisory Council. She is the recipient of the APCDA 2025 President Award, as well as the NCDA 2024 International Practitioner of the Year award. Actively advancing global career development, she advocates for diversity and inclusion through her independent consulting, policy contributions, and pioneering initiatives supporting women, people with disabilities and practitioners in challenging environments.
Dr Soon Joo GOG is a Fellow at the Centre for Skills-First Practices at the Singapore University of Social Sciences - Institute for Adult Learning, where she leads the Skills-First projects. With over two decades of expertise in workforce development, lifelong learning system transformation, and skills policies, Soon Joo has been pivotal in the transformation of Singapore’s continuing education and training system. She serves as a council member at the World Economic Forum Global Future Council for Human Capital Development, and as advisor to various university advisory boards. Her research interests include skills ecosystem, skills policy, and workforce development. She is a highly sought after thought leader in skills development and lifelong learning.
Dr. Seth C.W. HAYDEN is an associate professor of counseling and coordinator of the clinical mental health program at Wake Forest University. Dr. Hayden is a licensed clinical mental health counselor in North Carolina. In addition, Dr. Hayden is a past-president of the Military and Government Counseling Association and National Career Development Association, both divisions of the American Counseling Association. He is co-author of Group Career Counseling: Practices and Principles (2nd. ed.) and Career Development for Transitioning Veterans and co-editor of Cognitive Information Processing: Career Theory, Research, and Practice. He is also the author of Integrating Career Development and Mental Health Counseling, published by the American Counseling Association.
Dr. Candy HO is an international award-winning career development educator and scholar whose expertise is recognized globally through keynotes, consulting, and other engagements. Her insights have been featured in prestigious media outlets. She currently serves as Chancellor's Research Chair at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), while also teaching in KPU's Educational Studies department and in Douglas College's Career Development Practitioner Program. Candy is Past Chair of CERIC, a Canadian charitable organization that advances education and research in career counseling and career development, in order to increase the economic and social well-being of Canadians.
Carolyn D. JONES served as the 2023-2024 President of the National Career Development Association (NCDA). She is the President/CEO of CDJ Consulting, LLC. She assists her clients in her private practice with career development strategies. She is also a consultant for agencies, colleges, universities, and corporations on team building, training, leadership and is a national and international presenter on career development. Carolyn holds a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology, and has earned the NCDA Certified Master of Career Services (CMCS) and Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP) credentials. She is a Facilitating Career Development (FCD) Instructor Trainer for the CCSP and Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) credentials.
Dr. Sachin KUMAR holds qualifications in Geography, Education, Counseling Psychology, and Training & Development. With over 25 years’ experience in higher education, teacher and counselor training, and career guidance, he has served on state-level focus groups on Guidance and Counseling in Schools and the Emerging Role of Community in Education under NEP 2020. Author of more than 45 publications, he is also Co-Editor of the Indian Journal of Career and Livelihood Planning and represents India on the Board of the International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG). He is currently Principal of Wazir Ram Singh Government College, Kangra (Himachal Pradesh, India).
Arun MITTAL, Executive Director of the Asia Pacific Career Development Association (APCDA) collaborates with career practitioners from over 23 countries to strengthen professional standards and expand access to career guidance across the region. With nearly three decades of leadership in education, vocational training, and career services, he has led large teams, forged impactful alliances, and advanced initiatives that integrate career education into mainstream learning.
Dr. Spencer NILES served as Dean (2013-2020) for the School of Education at William & Mary where he was ranked as the 11th most influential dean of education in the United States. Previously, Niles served at Johns Hopkins University, Penn State, the Finnish Institute for Educational Research, and at the University of Virginia. He is the current Editor for Counselor Education & Supervision and is a Past-President of the National Career Development Association. He received the Eminent Career Award from NCDA in 2007.
Yoshimi SASAKI is the President of the Japan Career Development Association (JCDA), which supports over 20,000 Career Development Consultants and is the largest training company in the field of career development in Japan. She has worked in HR Management in a variety of countries. Ms. Sasaki is experienced in organizational development, including post-merger integration and offshoring. She has served in the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Organization and Non-Profit Organization of Japan and enjoyed a multinational working environment throughout her career.
In attending this webinar, APCDA Professional Members will be updated on their skills in the APCDA Career Service Competencies: Performance Improvement and Lifelong Learning
Topics covered will address the latest thinking about labor market trends and their impact on our field. Read here for more information about APCDA Career Service Competencies.
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