What IS the CDF course, if it’s not the entire certification?
It IS a little more complicated than just taking the CDF course and getting the certification, and it’s important to know why you’re taking the course, so you can decide whether the full GCDF certification is actually worth it to you.
I’m careful to say that the course “leads to” certification, because you must have completed the CDF course TO GET TO the next step of certification, which depends on the hours of experience you need to accumulate before you can apply for the full GCDF certification, which is administrated by an organization called CCE (Center for Credentialing and Education).
And, where does one find that information?
When you get to the CCE site, go to their Professional Services section and click on Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF). Then click on United States under GCDF Countries, to get to the specific information on the GCDF Program. (That includes Maintain Your Credential; Continuing Education; Training; Ethics; FAQs; and (finally) Application. )
But wait!!! To get the nitty gritty information on how to actually get the certification, you have to click on the Application (which is a pdf and prints out very nicely). The critical part for you is on page 5, where it lists the number of hours you are required to accumulate to be eligible for full certification.
I know you don’t want to go through all that just to find out, so here it is (accurate today, but be aware that it could change in future). Always go to the CCE website for the definitive, current information.
- If you have a Graduate Degree, you’ll need to document 1,400 hours of experience. (This works out to about 70 weeks, working 20 hours/week, or 35 weeks, working full-time)
- If you have a Bachelor’s Degree, you’ll need to document 2,800 hours of experience. (Multiply the above weekly figures by 2.)
- If you have an Associate’s Degree, you’ll need to document 4,200 hours of experience. (Multiply the above weekly figures by 3.)
- If you have a High School Diploma or GED, you’ll have to document 5,600 hours of experience. (Multiply the above weekly figures by 4.)
Note that if you can document that you have been doing some kind of career work, you may be qualified to apply for the full certification the moment you finish the class.
For more information on why this certification is important, see WHY.
If you have questions, comment below, use the CONTACT Kate form, or leave a message in my Voice Mailbox 206-923-8810.
NECA has recently launched “Working Ahead, Moving Forward™”, a facilitated e-learning GCDF curriculum (i.e., using e-learning technologies with full involvement of an instructor throughout the program).
Hi Geoffrey,
Yes, you’re right about the NECA course, but I’m not sure what you’re trying to tell me. (Actually, I got certified to instruct the CDF for NECA also, in 2009 or 2010.) And it’s very, very similar in the material that is covered in the NCDA course, but the NECA course is “fully” online. You don’t get to meet your classmates or instructor face-to-face. Plus, the NCDA course certainly “uses e-learning technologies with full involvement of an instructor throughout the program.” Please tell me if I’m missing the point you were making – they’re somewhat different courses, originated by somewhat different organizations and using somewhat different technology platforms, but they give you essentially the same basic training and the ultimate certifying body (CCE) is actually the same organization.
Kate