Career Development Maturity Matrix™

What is the Career Development Maturity Matrix?

Every home needs a structurally sound foundation. The same is true for industry sectors.

What are the foundational elements that need to be in place for the career development sector to be solid for the years to come? Does the Canadian sector have structural integrity? Are there minor cracks in its foundation, or more serious weaknesses that need urgent attention?

The Career Development Maturity Matrix™ is a benchmarking tool designed to spark strategic conversation about the foundational elements that the career development sector needs for its structural integrity and advancement in the years to come. Created by Challenge Factory and the Canadian Career Development Foundation (CCDF), the Maturity Matrix identifies and measures the maturity of four sector benchmarks: quality, capacity, cohesion, and access. Each benchmark has 3-5 indicators.

How can the Career Development Maturity Matrix be used?

The Maturity Matrix can be used by sector leaders, interest holders, and policymakers to map the current state of the sector and set ambitious goals for the future. For example, significant investment is being made into programs and policies designed to facilitate career transitions for Canadian adults. The Maturity Matrix is an essential tool to ensure there can be strong return on these investments.

In a pilot study, CCDF and Challenge Factory tested the Maturity Matrix’s use-value. We asked experts and leaders in Canada’s career development sector to rank each indicator across the Maturity Matrix’s four benchmarks on a scale of 1-5 for its importance to the structural integrity of the sector and its maturity within the Canadian sector.

This helps us determine:

1. how important each Maturity Matrix benchmark is to the sector’s structural integrity; and,
2. how Canada measures up against each benchmark.

This application of the Maturity Matrix contributes to our evidence base and understanding of the Canadian sector’s core strengths, foundational gaps, areas of future opportunity, and areas of over-investment. This study can be conducted for career development sectors around the world to create international comparatives and a rich frame to inform policy and practice across jurisdictions.

Research briefs: Explore pilot study findings and insights for the career development sector, policymakers, and Canadians.

Why do we need a Career Development Maturity Matrix in Canada?

Canada’s career development sector enjoys an enviable international reputation. While attending the 2019 International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy (ICCDPP) Symposium in Norway, Sareena Hopkins from CCDF and Lisa Taylor from Challenge Factory were struck by how often other countries referred positively to a Canadian event, resource, or expert.

As is often the case, outside perspectives provided a moment of reflection. Are we as strong as we’re perceived to be? How does Canada compare to other jurisdictions? How should we define what “strong” or “good” looks like for the career development sector?

A year later, COVID-19 upended labour and employment across Canada. Since then, we’ve all been adapting to new conditions, challenges, and opportunities across our labour markets, education systems, and employment landscapes. A strong career development sector is more important and urgent than ever, as Canadians face unprecedented struggles in the world of work, with both immediate and long-lasting impacts.

We needed a way to begin to answer the questions sparked at the ICCDPP Symposium. Today, we continue to need new tools and approaches for advancing career development in Canada and around the world. The Career Development Maturity Matrix is a foundational tool that can support this work.