About Us
Established in 2012 with the vision, “to unlock the world’s employment potential”, we have invested heavily in career development research and innovation both globally and here in Australia.
Our team has lead the development and delivery of contemporary approaches to career development and employability solutions for individuals, as well as the implementation of scale programs, supporting tens of thousands of clients and participants to strengthen their clarity, capability and confidence in navigating every aspect of the career lifecycle.
Committed to quality and excellence in practice, careerED Academy was launched to provide the latest and best learning experience for individual’s wanting to become qualified Career Practitioners, as well as those also practising, and wanting to further their professional development.
Working with leading Career Development Academics and practitioners from Australia and internationally, our programs incorporate insights from highly regarded industry experts, utilising the latest learning technologies to optimise each individual’s learning experience. Whether you are an existing Career Practitioner or looking to enter the field, our professional development programs and qualifications will significantly enhance your employability in Career Development Practice.
Given the unique nature of our group, opportunities also exist for successful graduates to join one of our Career Practitioner teams or leverage our technologies and support to begin in private practice.
Who are we?
Our team has lead the development and delivery of contemporary approaches to career development and employability solutions for individuals, as well as the implementation of scale programs, supporting tens of thousands of clients and participants to strengthen their clarity, capability and confidence in navigating every aspect of the career lifecycle.
Committed to quality and excellence in practice, careerED Academy was launched to provide the latest and best learning experience for individual’s wanting to become qualified Career Practitioners, as well as those also practising, and wanting to further their professional development.
Working with leading Career Development Academics and practitioners from Australia and internationally, our programs incorporate insights from highly regarded industry experts, utilising the latest learning technologies to optimise each individual’s learning experience. Whether you are an existing Career Practitioner or looking to enter the field, our professional development programs and qualifications will significantly enhance your employability in Career Development Practice.
Given the unique nature of our group, opportunities also exist for successful graduates to join one of our Career Practitioner teams or leverage our technologies and support to begin in private practice.
Our Executives
Chief Executive Officer
With over 30 years of commercial, strategy and general management experience gained in Australia and internationally, Peter has held executive leadership roles in large multinational, private equity owned and ASX listed companies.
Peter’s corporate roles have included Managing Director Sales for the Fosters Group, Managing Director of Lion Confectionery UK, General Manager Australia for Independent Distillers and both Commercial Strategy Director Africa and Middle East and Sales Strategy Director EMEA for Cadbury. Peter also holds a Bachelor of Business from Monash University.
Peter is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of careerED Academy, bringing extensive leadership, industry, strategy and career development insights to education and organisational clients and individual program participants. As an industry and employability expert and passionate Career Coach, Peter has developed innovative programs and services that unlock real employability outcomes for government, educators, corporate partners, parents and students.
Head of Innovation
With over 25 years of human resource, career and talent management experience gained in a variety of industries, including FMCG, retail, financial services and property, Katea has worked as a Chief Human Resources Officer in two top 25 ASX listed companies, CUB and Colonial First State Global Asset Management (now Vicinity) leading the people agenda. She has also held senior HR and Organisational Development roles with the Country Road, L’Oréal and Federal Hotels Groups.
In addition, has Board experience with the Melbourne Renegades. A recipient of a Dean’s List honour for her MBA at Monash University, Katea also has a Diploma in Training & Development from the University of Melbourne and a Graduate Certificate in Career Development from RMIT.
Katea is a co-founder and Head of Innovation at careerED Academy, with accountability for program innovation, solution design and key partner relationships. An experienced facilitator, career counsellor and executive coach, Katea brings substantial knowledge and experience to careerED Academy programs and services across talent management, career development, recruitment, succession and workforce planning.
Dr Jon Woodend is a Registered Psychologist (AB, Canada) and Assistant Professor in Counselling Psychology with over 10 years of experience in career counselling and research. Jon primarily trains counsellors to work with clients on career exploration and mental health concerns, and his own practice focuses on supporting adolescents and young adults.
As an international researcher, Jon works with newcomers (international students and their accompanying partners, skilled immigrant workers, and people from refugee backgrounds) to understand their career transitions to identify best practices for career counselling.
Jon takes a systems approach to his practice and research, helping to situate individuals within their unique social, cultural, and environmental contexts for a comprehensive and dynamic understanding of their career needs and resources.
Key Team Members and Expert Contributors
Peter Cantwell
Founder and CEO, careerED Academy/Career Ahead
Katea Gidley
Head of Innovation,
careerED Academy/Career Ahead
Dr Jon Woodend
Academic Director,
careerED Academy, Career Ahead & CareerAbility
Ryan Lesperance
Director,
ProActive Training
Emma Duffy
Learning Director,
ProActive Training
Dr Michael Healy
National Careers Education Manager,
Education Services Australia (ESA)
Professor Tristam Hooley
Professor of Career Education, University of Derby/Inland Norway University
Professor Nancy Arthur
Dean Research, UniSA Business,
University of South Australia
Ass. Professor Julia Yates
Associate Professor,
University College London
Bri Hayllar
Registered Psychologist,
Flourish Careers & Coaching
Dr Candy Ho
Assistant Professor,
University of the Fraser Valley, Canada
Dr Jason Brown
Academic Program Director,
The University of Melbourne
Linda Jeffrey
President,
Career Development Association of Australia
Amanda McCue
Career Development Practitioner and Advocate,
Career Swag
Martin Evans
National Manager Career Services,
Australian Catholic University
Deb McDonald
Founder and Principal Consultant,
Dee Mac Consulting
Wanda Hayes
Past President,
Career Development Association of Australia
Sarah Valdez
Head of Talent Solutions, GradMatch/Career Ahead
Contact Us Today!
For more information or to discuss how this course can benefit you as a career development professional, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to answer your questions and guide you towards making the best choice for your professional growth. Reach out today to learn more!
Course Options for Organisations
Looking to tailor this course to suit the needs of your organisation or team?
Tailored delivery options are available for organisations and teams wanting to qualify or endorse staff cohorts.