What is career planning?
Career planning is identifying a career that fits an individual's interests, skills, personality, needs, values and preferred lifestyle.
This fit may be different at various points in a person's lifetime. The world of work constantly changes, and people evaluate, adapt and take action throughout their working lives.
What services are offered to help me plan my career?
While we don't tell you which program or course to take at SAIT, we can provide support and information to help you make career and educational decisions.
For the general public, we offer the following:
- two-hour individual career planning for a fee of $175
- free evening workshops
Individual career planning appointments
Individualized planning includes standardized assessments of your interests, personality and values, followed by a two-hour meeting with a counsellor to interpret the results and plan direction.
These sessions are best suited for individuals who can engage in conversation and independent planning. Participants should not require assistance completing assessments or parental attendance during a session. Those with difficulty with English language skills, significant developmental disabilities or similar conditions may not be best served by this type of career planning.
If you need additional assistance with career planning (for example, a translator or a family member assisting in understanding the process), we recommend checking out the following community resources:
Enrolling in a post-secondary program is based on several factors and requires research and choices only you can make.
We suggest you find and choose the career or occupation you want to pursue and then find the program that trains you for it. Therefore we cannot tell you which program to take.
We do provide the tools and steps you can take in making your decision, and many assessments can provide you with occupational and educational options.
For more information on prerequisites, transfer of credits, and your eligibility for a program, attend Open House or a program information session or connect with a program advisor.
Our individual career planning service costs $175 and may be covered under some health plans; check with your benefits provider.
For SAIT students, this service is free.
To book an individual career planning appointment, call Student Development and Counselling at 403.284.7023.
Please have an email address ready to receive the instructions and access the assessments. Access to the assessments is emailed when your appointment date is confirmed.
Limited individual appointments are available and may be booked several weeks in advance.
Instructions to log in and access your assessments will be emailed to you.
Your assessments must be completed and submitted no later than four days before the appointment.
Each assessment takes approximately 30 - 40 minutes to complete and requires a Grade 9 reading level in English.
Our office prints your assessment results and provides them during your appointment.
Career planning workshops
We offer two career planning sessions several times throughout the year.
Whether you are a career starter or a career changer, our free sessions will be beneficial.
Career planning for career starters
The Career Starters session is intended for young participants (career starters) at the beginning stage of considering their future careers.
Participants are usually still attending high school or a post-secondary program or may be employed but have not yet developed a career plan.
Upcoming sessions
- Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 | 6 pm – 7:30 pm MST | virtual | Register now
- Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 | 6 pm – 7:30 pm MDT | virtual | Register now
- Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024 | 6 pm – 7:30 pm MDT | virtual | Register now
- Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 | 6 pm – 7:30 pm MDT | virtual | Register now
- Tuesday, Mar. 5, 2024 | 6:30 pm – 8 pm MST | in-person, on-campus | Register now
- Tuesday, Apr. 9, 2024 | 6:30 pm – 8 pm MST | in-person, on-campus | Register now
- Tuesday, May. 7, 2024 | 6 pm – 7:30 pm MST | virtual | Register now
Career planning for career changers
The Career Changers session is intended for mature participants with previous work experience (including homemaking). You are in the process of changing careers either because of unexpected life events or a desire to improve and advance.
This session does not focus on job search strategies, but resources will be provided.
Upcoming sessions
- Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023 | 6 pm – 7:30 MDT | virtual | Register now
- Tuesday. Jan. 23, 2024 | 6 pm – 7:30 pm MDT | virtual | Register now
- Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 | 6 pm – 7:30 pm MST | virtual | Register now
- Tuesday, Mar. 26, 2024 | 6 pm – 7:30 pm MST | virtual | Register now
- Tuesday, Apr. 23, 2024 | 6:30 pm – 8 pm MST | in-person, on-campus | Register now
Other career planning resources
Alberta Government Services
Find multimedia resources in career planning, labour market trends, education and student funding, apprenticeships, job search, interviewing skills, resumes, entrepreneurship, wage information, and workshop referrals. Career advisors are also available.
Visit Alberta Jobs and Employment
ALIS (Alberta Learning Information Service): Career, Learning and Employment
Your best source for information about education, employment and career development in Alberta.
Visit alis.alberta.ca
CAREERinsite Online career planning tool
Phone: 1.800.644.9992
Alberta Human Services
Visit their website to find career planning workshops, as well as information about industry trends.
Calgary Youth Employment Centre
Offers comprehensive, free employment and career services to youth ages 15 - 24.
Visit their website for upcoming career planning workshops or book an appointment with a career counsellor for one-to-one assistance.
Career Cruising
Includes an assessment of interests and over 500 detailed current occupational profiles for Canada with links to education and training.
Visit careercruising.com and use the following login credentials:
Username: sait
Password: polytechnic
Once logged in, select Create My Plan (your own account.)
Trade Secrets
A guide to the trade industry in Alberta. It includes information on apprenticeships, industry training and certification, scholarships, awards and financial assistance.
Visit tradesecrets.alberta.ca.
O•Net
This US-based site allows you to complete an interest profile and use the results and other factors to research occupations.
Visit onetonline.org
School Finder
Detailed information about Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges and other higher education institutions in Canada.
Visit schoolfinder.com.
Alberta government
The official Alberta government website with information about job opportunities and working in Alberta. Resources for immigrants and newcomers that offer employment services, language and computer training, counselling, resettlement services and much more.
Visit alberta.ca.
Immigrant Services Calgary: immigrantservicescalgary.ca
Calgary Catholic Immigration Society: ccisab.ca
Calgary Immigrant Women's Association: ciwa-online.com