CDI Registered career development professional

About the CDI

The CDI is the professional body for all aspects of career development across the UK. We provide our members with a wide range of services and support including qualifications, CPD, resources and conferences.

We also champion the profession and the benefits it brings to individuals, the economy and society. We work independently and collaboratively with other organisations to raise policy and delivery issues and drive research to evidence the benefits of career development.

Established

2013

Members

5,000

Affiliate

193

Staff

The role of the CDI

The purpose of the Career Development Institute (CDI) is to set standards, advocate for and promote high quality career development for all.

We do this through supporting our members and championing the profession. We deliver many of the key career development qualifications, provide continuous professional development (CPD) and training. We maintain the UK Register of Career Development Professionals so individuals and organisations can find qualified careers professionals who commit to undertaking 25 hours of CPD a year and abide by the CDI Code of Ethics.

We host major online and face-to-face conferences covering careers strategy, policy, research and practice, manage the sector's prestigious UK Career Development Awards and offer the Careers Assured quality mark for digital and CPD resources. We create and curate a wide range of career development resources to support careers practice, research and policy-makers, including the Career Development Framework, for use from primary to college education.

We input to policy consultations, roundtables and the development of new initiatives, both in our own right and as part of the Career Development Policy Group (CDPG). We provide consultancy services to government and third party organisations, from offering expert advice from international experience to development of new services.

We work closely with commercial partners, offering sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities at conferences and events, plus advertising opportunities on our website, in the Career Matters magazine and in our regular member emails. We encourage people to join and progress within the profession through the Careers in Careers job board, the largest dedicated job site for the careers profession, with roles for Careers Advisers, Careers Consultants, Careers Leaders and many more.

Look back at how the CDI was founded in 2013, and explore our 2025 strategy, setting out our future direction as the career development professional body.

CDI membership

The CDI offers a range of membership types to suit people at all stages of their career development career - from studying to retirement - as well as organisations operating in the profession.

Our memberships offer a fantastic array of benefits, from free CPD webinars and valuable resources to the quarterly Career Matters magazine and discounted tickets for major conferences.

View CDI membership benefits and options.

CDI Code of Ethics

A cornerstone of being a CDI member is signing up to the CDI Code of Ethics, which covers the professional behaviour and practice required of all CDI members. By joining the CDI and signing up to the Code of Ethics, members are demonstrating to clients and the public that they adhere to these professional standards.

The CDI Ethics and Professional Standards Committee develops advice and resources for members about their ethical practice and how to abide by the CDI Code of Ethics.

Register of Career Development Professionals

The best way to demonstrate that you are a qualified career development professional and work to the highest standards is to join the Register of Career Development Professionals.

The CDI created and manages the Register at the request of the UK government, and continues to ensure that those on the Register hold a career development qualification at level 6 or level 6, giving them the knowledge and skills to offer career guidance to clients.

As well as the qualification, those on the Register commit to abide by the CDI Code of Ethics and record 25 hours of CPD per year.

The Register of Career Development Professionals.

CDI Register of career development professionals

Getting qualified and progressing in career development

Career development is a rich and varied profession and the CDI offers information and advice on the different ways people can qualify to work in the sector, and the career pathways they can follow.

The CDI awards the Qualification in Career Development (QCD) which is offered by universities across the UK. This level 7 (SCQF level 11) covers the professional practice requirements to work in the sector. The QCD is Integrated within post graduate qualifications awarded by universities though is moderated and awarded separately by the CDI when a student completes the post graduate qualification.

The CDI Academy delivers level 4 (SCQF 7-8) and level 6 (SCQF level 9-10) qualifications in career development as an approved OCR centre. These qualifications cover roles from careers assistant to careers adviser. The CDI is also the largest provider of Careers & Enterprise Company-funded careers leader training and offers an unfunded course for independent schools and other educational organisations.

As well as the accredited qualifications, the CDI Academy offers a range of shorter courses as well as bespoke training.

For more information on qualifications and pathways into and to progress within career development, view our professional qualifications.

CPD support

Part of professional practice involves maintaining and developing the skills and knowledge needed to deliver an excellent service to clients. The CDI supprots members in undertaking CPD by:

An ongoing programme of free or subsidised CPD webinars.
Short courses offered by the CDI Academy
Free or discounted tickets to key career development conferences and events.
Access to a CPD Resources area for members
Regular publications including the Career Matters magazine, CPD newsletter and news by email.

CDI members can record and reflect upon the CPD they have done in the online CPD Diary in the members area.

CPD support for career development professionals

Driving best practice

The CDI promotes best practice across all areas of the profession, from setting out standards through the Ethics and Professional Standards Committee and maintenance of the CDI Code of Ethics, through to creation of valuable resources such as:

The CDI Career Development Framework that outlines the six learning outcomes careers programmes should aim to achieve for young people from primary school through to further education.
The Blueprint for professional roles outlines the breadth and depth of career development roles and the need for support to be provided by qualified professionals.
CTRL digital self-assessment tool to help practitioners assess their confidence in using digital tools in their practice.

Promoting quality

High quality career development provision enables young people and adults to meet their career aspirations. The CDI promotes quality in careers through everything we do, including :

As a consortium member of the Quality in Careers Standard for schools, colleges and work-based learning.
Supporting the matrix Standard for information, advice and guidance (IAG) services.
The CDI's Career Assured quality mark for digital products and CPD activities, signifying that the resources meet the needs of career development prodfessions.

Championing the profession

The CDI actively engages a wide collection of stakeholders to champion the career development profession and the benefits it can bring to individuals, the economy and society.

From helping address key issues such as social mobility, the UK's long-standing productivity challenge, skills shortfalls in the near-term and as we transition to a net-zero and digital/AI economy, career development can help align the skills being developed by individuals with the trends in career opportunities.

The CDI engages politicians and other stakeholders through policy statements and briefings, representation on advisory boards and stakeholder meetings, regular presentations at key industry events and individual meetings.

The CDI also works collaboratively across the profession, in particular with the Careeer Development Policy Group to create and promote aligned poliocy recommendations, such as the Career Guidance Guarantee.

View our policy, campaigns and media work and see how you can get engaged.

Having any trouble?

Do not hesitate to reach out to us anytime.

01384 376464