A Year of The Career Development Institute Series
By Dr Oliver Jenkin PGCE RCDP, NICEC Fellow. CDI Senior Professional Development and Standards Manager, and Editor of the CDI’s magazine, Career Matters.
One year ago, the Career Development Institute (CDI) and Trotman Indigo Publishing Ltd announced a publishing partnership. The aim was to combine the CDI’s sector expertise with Trotman’s long-standing experience of publishing volumes to support career development professionals, to meet the most current needs of practitioners and learners in the careers sector.
The first fruits of this partnership were three volumes: The Career Development Handbook (by Tristram Hooley, Rosie Alexander and Gill Frigerio), Career Development and Inclusive Practice (by Jules Benton and Chris Targett) and Career Development Theories in Practice (by Julia Yates). The range of topics covered by these books set the stage for how the series would develop, showcasing the cutting edge of career development theory and practice.
Building on the success of the original three volumes, 2025 has seen the series flourish, with five more volumes published. Framing careers work within the ‘big picture’ of global climate change, Liz Painter’s Sustainable Careers tackles sustainability in its broadest sense, ranging from careers in ‘green’ industries, to how individuals can use career management skills to forge sustainable careers for themselves. Contrasting with the more practice-orientated volumes in the series, Emma Bolger’s The Career Professional’s Guide to Research outlines how practitioners can integrate research into their practice and do so ethically and effectively.
Wholeheartedly embracing the reality of longer working lives, Denise Taylor’s Career Coaching for Midlife and Beyond guides practitioners through the subtleties of supporting older clients, including those who have reached retirement and beyond. In their second volume for their series, Jules Benton and Chris Targett’s The Career Professional’s Survival Guide offers newly qualified practitioners the wherewithal to navigate their first steps into the profession. Lastly, Ifza Shakoor’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion underpins the career development sector’s foundation of social justice, helping readers understand how to ensure their practice is as inclusive and equitable as possible.
Looking ahead to 2026, more volumes are on the way, further expanding the breadth of the series and establishing it as an essential addition to every careers professional’s library. Far from an academic series, these books are vital and practical, speaking to the needs of practitioners working at the ‘coal face’ of career development work and the challenges they face now, and in years to come. I highly recommend them.