Supported Employment Essentials

Support, Strategies, and Solutions

Are you new to the field of supported employment? Are you a knowledgeable employment practitioner looking to stay current on evolving practices, tools, and techniques? Are you a stakeholder looking to expand your understanding of diverse and inclusive workforces that include persons who experience disability? If so, the Supported Employment Essentials certificate program is an ideal learning and networking opportunity for you.

Supported employment specialists work in partnership with job seekers and employers to provide individualized supports that value the self-determination and unique skills and attributes of each job seeker while meeting the emerging employment needs of the employer.

This certificate program allows those new to the field of supported employment, as well as experienced practitioners, to build their skills and competence. Each of the eight modules is rooted in emerging best practices and features live webinars, readings, case studies, open discussion forums, and concrete learning activities that promote critical thinking.

Upon completion, learners will receive micro-credentials that verify their participation in the program and outline the targeted knowledge, skills, and/or competencies addressed. More importantly, they leave the program with an enhanced understanding of supported employment and best practice techniques, ready to apply these effectively into their own work.

The Supported Employment Essentials certificate program has been developed in partnership with the Canadian Association for Supported Employment and the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

Program Delivery

This facilitated online program features 8 weekly modules that will require a total of 40 hours to complete. The program offers a blend of both asynchronous (independent) and synchronous (scheduled) learning activities. The asynchronous learning activities include reviewing learning modules, posting in discussion forums, and completing assignments independently every week. Synchronous activities include participating in weekly webinars and open-hour discussions.

The weekly live webinars present additional content. The class size is kept small to facilitate engagement and networking among learners. Both the webinar and the discussion forums offer opportunities for collaboration and feedback from your instructor and cohort (learning group).

If you require an accommodation to participate in this program, please reach out to our National Trainer and Enrollment Coordinator at [email protected] or the Director of Learning and Development at [email protected].

This program is currently available in English. We are working to make the program available in French.

Click on the button below to register for this program. For any questions, contact [email protected].

Registration Fees

Registrant Type \| Type d’inscription	Cost \| Cout $ (CDN)
Case Member \| Member de l’ACSE	$450.00
Non-Member \| Non membre	$500.00

Note: The cost does not include HST/GST/PST/QST. The applicable provincial sales tax rate will be applied to your invoice.

Cancellation Policy

To provide you with the best possible learning experience, we keep class sizes small. Due to limited seating, we request that if you must cancel, you do so at least 14 days before the scheduled start of the class to receive a full refund. If you must cancel with less than 14 days’ notice, we will do our best to fill your spot with another interested participant. If we are successful, we will reimburse you for your full registration fees. If we are not able to fill your spot, we will refund you 50% of your fees. We are not able to offer refunds for cancellations made after the course has begun.

*Customized dates/options available for large groups.

Prerequisites

We encourage learners to review CASE’s 9 Guiding Principles for Supported Employment.

Book an appointment with our Enrollment Coordinator to discuss this certificate program and other learning opportunities.

If you are experiencing any technical difficulties registering for this program, please reach out to [email protected].

To discuss accommodations or to register more than 5 learners at one time, please reach out to our Director of Learning and Development [email protected].

How It Works

Upcoming Training Sessions

Start Date

September 15, 2025

End Date

November 9, 2025

Course Length:

8 weeks

Location

Online Learning

Start Date

November 10, 2025

End Date

January 18, 2026

Course Length:

8 weeks (This cohort will pause for 2 weeks during CASE’s winter closure.)

Location

Online Learning

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I know if this is the right training opportunity for me?

Are you new to the field of supported employment, an experienced practitioner looking for a refresher, or a professional looking for the latest practices and information in the field? If so, this program can help you develop:

a strong understanding of the overarching principles, values, and frameworks that guide the field of supported employment,
an awareness of relevant accessibility and employment legislation,
an understanding of the strength-based approach,
a foundational understanding of key concepts like job carving, job customization, job proposals, and accommodations, and
strategies for maintaining strong employer connections.

If you’re unsure, we invite you to book a discussion with our Enrollment Coordinator to further explore the best fit. You can schedule a time that works for you by emailing [email protected]

2. How many weeks does it take to complete this certificate program?

This is an online 8-week program (8 weekly modules) and will require a total of 40 hours to complete.

3. How many hours should I dedicate to this program each week?

We recommend allocating at least 5 hours per week. 1 hour will be allocated to the weekly live webinar. The remaining weekly requirements can be completed on your own time.

4. Where does the training take place?

This program is completed online via the CASE Learning Portal.

5. What are the weekly requirements?

To successfully complete this program, learners are required to complete the following by Sunday evening every week:

Participate in the discussion forum by posting 1 original post and responding to 2 others.
Review the modular content and resources.
Attend the weekly live webinar.
Submit the learning activity (requires 80% grade to pass).
Complete the knowledge check (requires 80% grade to pass).

For more details, please review the How it Works Infographic.

6. What happens if I miss one of the webinars?

Your instructor will provide you with a detailed training calendar prior to the training start date. Learners are encouraged to schedule time in advance to complete program requirements to prevent conflicts.  CASE understands that, on occasion, missing a live webinar may be necessary and a recording will be provided.

7. When do the weekly live webinars take place?

In Supported Employment Essentials, the weekly live webinars occur on Wednesdays from 12:00 – 1:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST).

8. Where do the weekly live webinars take place?

Webinars are facilitated through the Zoom platform. Please make sure you have a Zoom account set up before the first webinar and that you join with a working microphone and video camera to fully participate.

9. Where will I be able to access the meeting link for the webinars?

You can access the meeting details within the learning portal itself or in the training calendar sent to you from the instructor. The instructor will also include the meeting details in their weekly communications to the learning cohort.

10. I require an accommodation. Who should I speak with?

We invite you to review our Accessibility Statement and to contact the National Trainer and Enrollment Coordinator at [email protected] or the Director of Learning and Development at [email protected] if you require an accommodation to participate in any of our programs.

11. What is your refund/cancellation policy?

To provide you with the best possible learning experience, we keep class sizes small. If you must cancel, please notify the Learning & Development team 14 days before the scheduled start date to receive a full refund. If you must cancel with less than 14 days’ notice, we will do our best to fill your seat with another interested participant. If we are successful, we will reimburse you for your full registration fee. If we are not successful, we will refund you 50% of your fee. We are not able to offer refunds for cancellations made after the training has begun.

What Our Members Are Saying

"I can’t even begin to explain the numerous new perspectives I gained while taking the SEE program. The instructors helped guide us through each new concept and technique to ensure we consistently provide quality services within our respective organizations."

Stephanie Gould

Employment Maintenance Worker
Nova Scotia Works – Cumberland African Nova Scotian Association

"This course helped me refine what Supported Employment looks like. It allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and get familiar with new ways of approaching employers, supporting clients, and working with my organization to be better in the future.”

Leslie York

Youth Leadership Coordinator
YMCA of Cape Breton

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