FCD Course
Facilitating Career Development Certification for Career Professionals Who Want to Do This Work Well
A practical, strengths-based training designed for higher education professionals, career coaches, and workforce practitioners who want to guide others with more confidence, without adding overwhelm to their schedule.
3 Outcome Bullets
- Apply what you learn immediately with students, clients, or job seekers
- Build real skills through practice, not just lectures
- Grow as a career professional in a way that fits your full-time role
Before you choose a training, take 2 minutes to see how this course is designed to fit your real work
- Built around what you’re already doing in your role
- Focused on a few high impact assignments, not overload
- Designed for real schedules and full time professionals
- Includes strengths work and certification prep
If you work in career development, this may feel familiar
You care about the people you support.
You want to guide them well.
But…
You were never formally trained in career development
You are expected to figure it out as you go
You are balancing advising, coaching, programming, and everything else
You do not have time for training that does not translate into your work
This course was designed with that reality in mind.
Whether you work in higher education, private coaching, workforce development, or K to 12, the goal is the same:
To help people move forward with clarity.
And to feel confident in how you guide them.
What makes this Training Different
Most FCD programs teach the material.
This training helps you apply it, live it, and use it immediately.
Relevant to your work now
Assignments are built around what you are already doing
You leave with tools, not just notes
Designed for real schedules
You have a full-time job
This course focuses on a few high-impact assignments, not constant overload
Built for real skill development
Less lecture
More practice
More breakout conversations
More real application
Strengths are woven throughout
You complete a strengths assessment
You learn how your strengths shape your work
You apply this directly with students and clients
Certification support is built in
Structured prep for the CCSP
Practice exams and study tools
No additional cost
Why professionals choose to learn with Mark
You are not just learning content.
You are learning from someone who has spent decades doing this work across schools, higher education, coaching, and career development.
- Trained over 1,000 FCD participants
- Former NCDA president and current master trainer
- Experience across high school, higher education, and career services
- College-level teaching experience
This means your learning is grounded in real experience, not just theory.
What you will walk away with
- Confidence in career conversations
- Tools you can use immediately with students, clients, or job seekers
- A stronger foundation in career development theory and practice
- A clearer understanding of your own strengths and approach
- Preparation to pass the certification exam
Not just more knowledge, but a stronger way of showing up in your work.
How can you apply this immediately
This is not training you will someday use.
You will start applying it right away.
In higher education
Career advising sessions
Student career exploration
Workshop facilitation
Internship and job search support
Supporting undecided or overwhelmed students
In career coaching
One-on-one client sessions
Career transitions and pivots
Strengths-based coaching conversations
Building structure into your coaching process
In workforce development
Job seeker support
Career pathway conversations
Skill development and planning
Group workshops and programming
In K to 12 settings
Career awareness conversations
Student goal setting
Early career exploration
Classroom or counseling integration
What you will learn
- Helping skills
- Labor market information
- Assessment
- Challenging Barriers
- Career development models and theory
- Ethics
- Job search strategies
- Technology and career development
- Training clients and peers
- Program management
- Working with groups
- Career development processes
What participants are saying
“Before this course, I was already working with students every day, but I often felt like I was piecing things together as I went. What stood out to me right away was how relevant everything was. The assignments were not busy work; they connected directly to the conversations I was already having with students.
The learning community that Mark created made a huge difference. It wasn’t just content; it was a space to practice, reflect, and learn from others doing similar work. Mark shows up in a very real and authentic way, and that made it easier to engage, ask questions, and actually grow.
By the end of the course, I felt more confident, more grounded, and more intentional in how I support students. I’m not just having conversations anymore, I’m guiding them with a clear framework. This experience made me a better career coach, and I’m already seeing the impact in my work.” – Bobbie J
“I came into this course as a private coach wanting to deepen my work in career development, and it exceeded every expectation I had. What I appreciated most was how the course balanced theory and practice. It gave me a strong foundation, but also showed me exactly how to use it in real conversations with clients.
The structure made it easy to follow, even with a full schedule, and the way Mark teaches helped everything click. I now feel much more confident in how I guide clients through decisions, how I ask questions, and how I bring in the right tools and resources at the right time.
This course didn’t just give me information; it helped me refine my approach. I feel more equipped, more intentional, and better prepared to support my clients in making meaningful career decisions. It has truly elevated the way I show up as a career professional.” – Phil
Next cohort details
- UPCOMING FCD CLASS WITH STRENGTHS WOVEN THROUGHOUT THE COURSE : May 18, 2026 - July, 26, 2026
- COST : $1,297.00.
- PLEASE NOTE: The FCD Student Manual ($250) is included. College credit is an additional fee ($435.00)
- FACE-TO-FACE DATES: May 18, 26, June 1, 8, 15, 22, 30, July 7, 13, 20 Mondays and 2 Tuesdays
- Face-to-Face Meetings on ZOOM: MONDAYS – 2:00 - 4:30 PM EST
- Note: Approved by VSAC for the Vermont Non-Degree Grants
- Contact Hours: 120 contact hours (NCDA and CCE Approved course)
Course Curriculum – FCD Course Modules
During this week, you will learn about the FCD course works, the assignments, and the projects required to complete the course to be successful. You will receive an overview of how to access and use the Learning Management System to complete assignments and access each week’s learning information.
This week you will learn about the key skills that will help you build trust and rapport with your clients. You will define the helping skills (including attending, listening, reflecting, and encouraging) and apply them in an interview setting. Construct open and closed-ended questions and ways to use them appropriately. You will learn to identify the client’s needs, strengths and barriers.
In this week, you describe different ways that facilitating career development (FCDs) professions work with groups. Learn to identify characteristics of an effective group leader and demonstrate how to write effective learning objectives.
During this week, you will define the following terms: occupation, job, career, career development, career counseling, career assistance, career guidance, and career planning process. You will describe the steps in the career development process and state the reasons why understanding career choice and development theory is important.
In this week, you will explain the relationship between theory and assessment and state general guidelines for the appropriate use of assessment techniques, and list ways to select and use them. You will explain the ethical guidelines and common pitfalls related to the use of assessment instruments and discuss how assessments can be used by FCDs.
This week you will describe the importance of a professional code of ethics and determine which codes apply to FCDs. You will describe methods that FCDs can use to decide if they are operating outside the limits of their knowledge and assigned scope of work, and apply these methods to specific cases.
During this week, you will explore the barriers that can impact a person’s ability to access and succeed in the workforce. You will learn how personal, societal, and structural factors shape career opportunities, and how identity, culture, and economic conditions influence decision making. You will also examine how bias and systemic challenges affect individuals, and develop strategies to help overcome these barriers through strengths-based thinking, adaptability, and informed career planning.
This week you will identify and describe multiple types and sources of information, including career information and technological resources. Explain how information is culture-specific and critically evaluate your career information and technological literacy.
During this week, you will identify components of the job search process. You will describe the portfolio method for organizing self-knowledge for a job search. You will learn how to explain the importance of a business/employer perspective for job seekers. Also, describe the hidden job market and how to access it. You will articulate how workforce development and economic development are aligned, interdependent, and an essential part of business services. You will determine how to take a dual customer approach to address both job seeker and business’ needs and explain strategies for responding to a demand-driven system.
This week you will state why it is important to plan and design career development programs and list and describe the 12 steps of the program development process. You will design direct service programs for populations of your choice and share it with the class at the end of the course.
During this week and beyond, you will have access to my CCSP assessment preparation training to support you in earning your National Career Development Association credential. This includes three full-length practice exams, study guides, audio support, and strategies to manage test anxiety. These resources are designed to help you feel confident, prepared, and ready to succeed on your first attempt, just as many participants before you have done.
TRAINING DETAILS AND COSTS
The 120-hour class meets over ten weeks to prepare you for success in the growing field of career development. This course combines face-to-face video training with online learning to give you the skills you need to work in any career development setting. You’ll spend ten online Zoom classes at night interacting with your instructor and peers. The remainder of the class is a combination of engaging online learning, discussions, and fieldwork.
FCD Course starts every September, January, and May each year!
Other courses are created when there a minimum of ten people interested and requested by a school, organization or corporation.
If you’re ready to grow in how you support others
You don’t need more information.
You need the right structure, support, and space to build your skills.
This training is designed to meet you where you are, and help you move forward with confidence.
Refunds
- All requests for refunds must be received in writing. Email is preferred.
- Requests more than four weeks before class begins 100% refund* except credit cards. For Credit Card purchases only. Minus the PayPal fee of 3 percent.
- If Mark cancels the class, a full refund will be granted.
- A cancellation made within less than four weeks of the course start date receives a refund of 50% of the total cost of the class.
- Once class begins, no refunds. The class beginning is defined as the day we begin the online portion of the FCD class.