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Professional Development

Joint Career Development Program

Professional Development

The Joint Career Development Program (JCDP) is a one-of-a-kind program which allocates $1 million worth of training every year to members covered by the FI Collective Agreement. This funding was secured in the collective agreement by ACFO-ACAF in 2016 and the program is co-managed by ACFO-ACAF and the Office of the Comptroller General. Originally launched in September 2017, the program has seen thousands of financial officers from more than 60 departments receive training. In 2020-21, more than 2,000 members benefitted from the program.

Click here to apply

The deadline to apply is Sunday, June 13, at 11:59 pm ET. All applicants will then go into a random draw to assign training based on your stated preferences and successful applicants will be contacted mid July.

JCDP 2021-22: Available training options

Note: Given the ongoing pandemic, all programs offered in the 2021 calendar year will be delivered online. We are hopeful that courses in 2022 will be held in person but will adapt as necessary to public health guidelines.

Relating and Responding to Mental Health (6.5 CPD hours)

This workshop has been designed for anyone who has an interest in ensuring they are caring for their own mental health and that of their colleagues and loved ones. This session will allow participants a safe space to speak openly about mental health and their current challenges in the workplace and in life in general. It will also help them to identify basic signs within themselves and those around them that indicate poor or worsening mental health and give you the skills needed to respond non-judgmentally and with empathy.

  • September 14, 2021 (Online – English)
  • October 13, 2021 (Online – French)
  • November 24, 2021 (Online – English)
  • January 11, 2022 (In-person, if possible – English)
  • January 27, 2022 (In-person, if possible – French)
  • February 24, 2022 (In-person, if possible – English)
  • March 1, 2022 (In-person, if possible – English)

IFSD: 360° (30 CPD hours)

IFSD 360° is a five-day, full-circle insider’s guide to the key facets of the financial cycle led by former Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page and the team at uOttawa’s Institute for Fiscal Studies and Democracy (participants must have at least five years of experience as an FI-2 or higher). This course will primarily be delivered in English. However, questions can be asked and will be answered in French.

  • January 31 – February 4, 2022 (In-person, if possible)

IFSD: Strategic Reviews (12 CPD hours)

Rapid expansion of spending tends to precede a fiscal consolidation in the federal government. This two-day course by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and Democracy is designed to prepare financial officers for this reality by providing a detailed understanding of the history of strategic reviews as well as the framework and the criteria that are used to rank and identify which programs will be recommended to be cut. Students will be taught the tools, methodologies and first principles questions that can provide the evidence to demonstrate high performing programs. This course will primarily be delivered in English. However, questions can be asked and will be answered in French.

  • September 7-8, 2021 (Online)

IFSD: Politics and Money (12 CPD hours)

Election platforms, Speeches from the Throne and Budgets are political documents that are equal parts vision, ambition and assumption. While the first ingredient can engage voters and inspire public servants, the latter two can be the cause of stress and conflict as vision and ambition confront the realities of governance, policies and money. In this course by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and Democracy, participants will learn from political insiders and expert practitioners who have lived at the intersection of political incentives and financial decision-making, constructed platforms, SFTs and budgets and followed them all the way through Parliament. This course will primarily be delivered in English. However, questions can be asked and will be answered in French.

  • November 1-2, 2021 (Online)

Authentic Leadership (11 CPD hours)

Authentic Leadership by Trillium Teams will help participants discover their authentic leadership style to be a more effective communicator and engaging leader. Participants will discern and clarify the strengths of their communication style, learn concrete tools and gain the confidence to put these into practice. This two-day course will primarily be delivered in English. However, questions can be asked and will be answered in French.

  • September 20-21, 2021 (Online)
  • November 16-17, 2021 (Online)
  • December 9-10, 2021 (Online)
  • January 17-18, 2022 (In-person, if possible)
  • February 9-10, 2022 (In-person, if possible)
  • March 7-8, 2022 (In-person, if possible)

Introduction to Power BI (12 CPD hours)

This two-day course is designed for those with little to no experience with data visualization using Microsoft Power BI. This intensive course will take participants from basic principles and concepts behind data visualization through best practices in using Power BI, concluding with a chance to apply the learned concepts in a truly hands-on and immersive way. This course has been developed in partnership with Daxel’s Julie Foucault, a Microsoft Certified Professional Associate in Business Intelligence Reporting.

  • September 1-2, 2021 (Online – English)
  • October 5-6, 2021 (Online – French)
  • November 25-26, 2021 (Online – English)
  • January 25-26, 2022 (In-person, if possible – French)
  • March 7-8, 2022 (In-person, if possible – English)

Introduction to Power BI and Data Visualization (22 CPD hours)

This five-day course is designed for those with little to no experience with data visualization using Microsoft Power BI. This intensive course will take participants from basic principles and concepts behind data visualization through best practices in using Microsoft Power BI, concluding with a chance to apply the learned concepts in a truly hands-on and immersive way. This course has been developed in partnership with the Data Action Lab.

  • August 30 – September 3 (Online – English)
  • October 18-22, 2021 (Online – English)
  • November 29 – December 3, 2021 (Online – English)
  • January 10-14, 2022 (In-person, if possible – English)
  • February 7-11, 2022 (In-person, if possible – English)

Fundamentals of Persuasive Communication (14 CPD hours)

Finance and audit professionals are increasingly learning that their value lies not just in understanding the numbers but in being able to explain those numbers and create narratives to show the value of their work. This two-day intensive course is intended to give participants not just a baseline understanding of communications principles and best practices, but also to apply their learning and receive feedback with a specific focus on persuasion and influence. Participants will walk away with practical experience in communicating using real-life examples and scenarios familiar to anyone with experience in finance and audit roles. The course will also include a simulated senior management presentation where participants will be given a chance to apply their learning in a presentation to a finance or audit executive.

  • September 28-29, 2021 (Online – English)
  • October 19-20, 2021 (Online – English)
  • November 9-10, 2021 (Online – English)
  • November 30 – December 1, 2021 (Online – English)
  • December 6-7, 2021 (Online – French)
  • January 19-20, 2022 (In-person, if possible – English)
  • February 16-17, 2022 (In-person, if possible – French)

Previous years

You may view the full lists of training recipients below:

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