Hello.This is my first divisional newsletter/e-bulletin as the President of the Queensland Division of our newly re-named Career Development Association of Australia. Following in the footsteps of such a hard-working and wonderful President as Yvonne Warnick is a challenge, but I will certainly be doing my best to respond to your needs and to lead our division towards a very successful couple of years.

Our committee this year has a good balance of change and stability. Yvonne and Greg James, who for so many years have both made such great contribution to our Division, and indeed the whole of the Australian Association of Career Counsellors, have both vacated their roles this year. While Greg travels the world on long service leave (lucky man) Yvonne has remained on our committee in the role of Immediate Past President, for which I am very grateful. We have a new Vice President, Julie Rogan, who works in her own private practice, and a new Treasurer, Ronel Bothma, who works in the Education sector. Without naming everyone here, the committee is comprised of several Fellows of our Association, newish members, people from schools, LCPs, private practice, business and government. I really value this diversity and think it is enormously healthy for our division. What we now need are some voices from regional areas to ensure that your needs are being met.

Our name change, ratified at the AGM in March, reflects the changing nature of our profession in Australia in which we now refer to a "career industry" and where career development practitioners work in so many different capacities and contexts. Let's embrace the concept of "Putting career first" in all the work that we do, just as it has become the unofficial motto of our newly named Association. I hope that the new name of our Association now embraces the work that all of you do and from your perspective actively explains the reason we have chosen to be members of this professional association.

I am currently fulfilling the dual role of President of our Division and newsletter editor for this, our first Queensland e-bulletin. The role of newsletter editor in each division has expanded to that of Communciations Officer, creating and disseminating the e-bulletin and other messages to members and keeping divisional information up to date on the website. This role also involves membership of a Communications subcommittee, reporting to Carole Brown on the NEC. It is hoped that this divisional representation will ensure strong and regular comuinication through the website and e-bullletins. The position of Commmunication Officer is currently vacant and I encourage you to consider volunteering for this role. You do not need to be in Brisbane to take on this role as it is all done online, and it is a rewarding and iinteresting way of becoming more involved with your Association.

With kindest regards, Jenni Proctor (jenni@careerclarity.com.au)

By the end of this week I hope to be able to give you definite information regarding our professional development for the year, with events currently being organised in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

There are two issues which the committee particularly wants to address in the next few months, and we would love your help to do so. The first issue is that of providing Professional Development to the regional areas of Queensland. At our committee meeting we discussed the possibilities of creating podcasts when we have Professional Development events, and making them available online. Another idea was to obtain the CD of some outstanding professional development, which you might view and discuss as a Professional Development event. Let's think laterally.........How about organising some sort of event in your city or district, such as a local employment market update? Perhaps some International or Australian career development experts may holiday in far north Queensland and if we knew they were coming we could invite them to present a session for our members! All ideas are welcome, as is your feedback about what would meet your professional development and networking needs. All that is required is some of you to come forward with your ideas, so I look forward to hearing from you soon.

The second issue was that of special interest groups, with the Private Practitioners in particular seeking some involvement that provides them with support as they work through the joys and frustrations of setting up and running their own businesses. As someone who is going through that process at the moment, I am particularly keen to get a support group operating. A flyer will come out later this week promoting our first event, a visit to the Smart Licence office in Spring Hill on Wednesday April 30 at 4pm. Their New Business Development Officer, Tina Chang, will tell us what Smart Licence can offer in the way of support, information, and business advice and training. We will be finished by 5pm, but I am going to locate a nearby coffee shop where we could adjourn to discuss how we would like our private practitioners' special interest group to evolve.

You would have received a flyer about a really interesting event being organised by the Defence Force for School Career Advisors. The invitation has been extended to all career development practitioners who would like to visit a Defence Force establishment, with five non-school CDAA members invited to each of the events. Get in early to secure your place.

The Hobart conference had a great Queensland representation, with quite a few of us taking some extra days to have a look around at that lovely part of Australia before or after the conference.

There were many wonderful presenters, new ideas, concepts that we have heard before but needed to hear again to recognise their importance, old and new friends, and a wonderful sense of being part of a dynamic community of like minded people.

I always enjoy a good party and the visit to the Tasmanian Governor's residence was just that........magnificent surroundings, chandeliers that would have made the Phantom of the Opera envious, a baby grand piano in the parlour, and champagne flowing freely. It was truly delightful! I'm not sure about the wisdom of this timing, but we returned from that cocktail party to the commencement of the Conference Dinner. As the photo above attests, the Queensland contingent behaved themselves impeccably.

Another highlight for me was taking part in the breakfast cruise on the Lady Nelson, leaving from the Elizabeth St pier (next to Constitution Dock which you see at the end of every Sydney to Hobart yacht race) at 6.30 on a cool, crisp, magnificent Hobart morning. We barely had enough breeze to warrant putting up the sails, but the sailing enthusiasts who volunteer to man the ship did just that and we drifted around the harbour eating breakfast and feeling very special. Sincere thanks to the Tasmanian Conference committee (small in number but outstanding in their enthusiasm and hard work) for a wonderful conference.

The Conference Dinner always has its serious element as well, with several prestige awards presented on the night. Sincere congratulations to Peter McIlveen from University of Southern Queensland who received the honour of being the author of the best article written by an Australian researcher and published in an issue of the Australian Journal of Career Development in 2007, as judged by a panel of three international researchers.

On a less serious note, rumour has it (and it must be true because I heard it from people that I was randomly seated next to on the plane returning to Brisbane!) that Peter should also have been awarded CDAA party person of 2008 for his outstanding contribution to dance floor fun, participation and encouragement. It's good to see Work Life Balance in action!

"You make a living by what you get but you make a life by what you give" Winston Churchill.

• Would you consider taking on the role of Communications Officer for the Queensland Division?
• Would you consider taking responsibility within your regional area of Queensland to plan an event for your fellow CDAA members?

Your contribution would be most welcome, and whilst it benefits the whole organisation it also contributes to your own personal career development. I'd love to hear from you.

Our 2008 Committee

President:Jenni Proctor jenni@careerclarity.com.au

Vice President: Julie Rogan julie@careerdiscovery.com.au

Immediate Past President : Yvonne Warnick warnick@st.net.au

Treasurer: Ronel Bothma bothmar@allhallows.qld.edu.au

Minutes Secretary and Defence Liasion Officer: Maria Campanini mcampanini@tpg.com.au

PD Co-ordinator:Nyree Hatzimihail nyreehatz@yahoo.com.au

Membership Officer: Suzanne Wright suzanne_wright@glc.qld.edu.au

Communcations Officer: You?

General Committee: Sandy Maynes, Ann Evans, Mary McMahon, Maree Cansick, Grace du Prie, Gary Gillies, Wanda Hayes, Julie Hodgson, Jennifer Towler, Rebecca Ambrose (Cairns)