Career Development Fund

Overview

The Career Development Fund (CDF) is available to Carleton employees who wish to pursue training associated with their career development objectives within the University. This career development provision is intended to prepare an employee for another position within the University or to increase the ability of an employee to meet potential employment requirements beyond that outlined in his or her current role.

Job related training differs from career development in that it is any training or skill upgrading required by the Employer.  Funding for job related development is therefore the responsibility of the Employer. This includes both on-campus and off-campus training courses and seminars.

Thinking about your career development here at Carleton?

If you are planning to pursue a course of study and you have a specific position, role, or department in mind one of the first steps is to review the education and training requirements listed in the job description. You can request job descriptions from HR or your union.

Staff currently working in the department in a similar position and/or department managers will also be able to provide guidance in training and education requirements that will help better prepare you for upcoming opportunities. You can also always reach out to our Talent Acquisition Team for assistance as well.

To explore professional development training, workshops, leadership support, and coaching resources available here at Carleton please visit Learning and Professional Development.

CDF Guidelines

Applications should be submitted four weeks prior to the start of your course to allow for assessment and approval of the learning opportunity. To receive reimbursement, you must submit proof that you successfully completed your course or seminar. You must also submit your proof of payment. The amount requested on your application will be approved based on your anticipated costs. You will only be reimbursed for the actual cost of your course and/or expenses. Be sure to submit all expense receipts together once you have completed your program.

• Time off to Attend Credit Courses (CUPE 2424 members only)
  • If you require time off work to attend a course that is not job-related and is only offered during office hours you will need to have the approval of your manager. The approval will be subject to the needs of the department and the time taken will be made up at the straight time rate.

Please note: The Career Development Funds are limited. The $2000 limit will be based on the date of reimbursement of fees/expenses with the May 1st to April 30th fiscal year.

Examples of eligible expenses for staff

• Required books or subscriptions (these must be included on a course syllabus)
• Registration fees for courses, workshops, exams, webinars, and online seminars
• Travel and accommodation for out-of-town workshops as per Carleton’s Travel and Related Expense Policy
• Tuition fees (approved programs/courses not available at Carleton)

Examples of ineligible expenses for staff

• Conferences
• Activities or travel to fulfill required work-related responsibilities
• Professional memberships or ongoing accreditation
• Ancillary student support fees
• Application software or licensing
• Office equipment or supplies
• Professional insurance
• Cancellation charges. If the course is cancelled or you cannot attend for whatever reason, please inform careerdevelopment@carleton.ca immediately. This will allow Human Resources to redirect your unused funds to support another opportunity.

Eligibility

There are funds available for union and non-union employees:

• The CUPE 2424 Career Development Fund is open to members of the bargaining unit under Article 28 of the Collective Agreement.
• The University Career Development Fund is open to all other non-academic continuing and term employees, not covered by the CUPE 2424 Collective Agreement, up to, but not including the level of Administrative Director, Director or Assistant-Vice President.

Here are the relevant provisions in each collective agreement:

CUPE 2424 – Clerical, Technical and Administrative Staff:

Article 28.03 – 28.05 Career Development

Appendix A Re: Guidelines for Administration of the Union Career Development Fund as referred to in Article 28.05

CUPE 3778 – Central Heating Plant Staff:

Article 29.01 University Career Development Fund

CUPE 910 – Operational and Maintenance Staff:

Article 27.07 University Career Development Fund

Application Procedure

Career Development Fund applications will be reviewed with funding granted based on relevance to career goal, future availability of the learning experience, and the applicant’s background. If an employee requests a course or program through a different organization that is very similar to one offered by Carleton University, a rationale must be given.

Steps to receive your reimbursement:

1. Submit a Career Development Fund Application Form four weeks before the start of the course or program. If you are completing a degree program, please apply for individual courses rather than the full degree or semester.
2. If you are requesting a reimbursement for required textbooks, you must submit your syllabus along with your application.
3. Submit proof of completion within two weeks of course completion.
4. Submit original receipts showing proof of payment for all eligible claimed expenses (tuition, books, travel, accommodation, and meals).
5. Submit a Learning Experience Evaluation (fill and submit evaluation) within two weeks of course completion.

If you require special consideration and would like to receive reimbursement before the completion of your program please submit an Early Payment Application along with your Career Development Fund Application. Once you are approved, you can submit all your receipts and receive an early reimbursement. You are still required to submit proof of completion and the learning experience evaluation.

 Please Note: If you have received an early payment and you do not finish your program, or your program was cancelled you will need to repay your reimbursement by cheque to Carleton University.

Application Form