This episode continues our “Career Development Around the World” series led by NCDA Past President Dr. Lakeisha Mathews. And it’s our first bilingual episode. Lakeisha is joined by Marcela Mesa and Maria Clara Leal. Marcela is a psychologist and GCDF in Colombia. She is also co-chair of NCDA’s Global Connections Committee. Maria Clara is a psychologist and career guidance expert whose background in Colombia includes work with public policy and government agencies. She joins the conversation from Spain, with Katherine who provides translation.
Unemployment rates are high in Colombia and there is a gap between what employers need and what they can find in job candidates. The many challenges include population changes related to immigration, the high school to work and college transition, and differing career development needs of those at different career stages. Marcela and Maria Clara share information about current programs and innovations in Colombia, conducting research that connects career development work to the economy, and the emergence of a socio-occupational guidance model that addresses the dynamic nature of society and the labor market.
Marcela Mesa is a MSc Psychologist and GCDF in Cali, Colombia, with 24+ years of experience delivering career services in private practice, founder and CEO of Orientarte in Colombia (www.orientarte.com) and in the U.S., Orientarte LLC (www.liveyourdreamcareer.com ) aiming to deliver career services for Latinos living in the U.S. She can be reached at mmesa1019@gmail.com
Maria Clara Leal is a Psychologist with a Masters Degree in Anthropology and a Career Guidance Expert. For over a decade, from 2008 to 2020, Maria Clara Leal played a pivotal role in shaping Colombia's public policy on career guidance. Her contributions extended to various government agencies, including the Ministry of National Education, the Presidential Agency, the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, the Family Welfare Institute, and the Secretary of Education in Bogotá. She can be reached at mariaclaralealmurillo@gmail.com
RESOURCES