Professional Associations

Being a part of a professional association is an integral step in building your Career Portfolio.  Whatever your discipline may be, having access to a professional organization in your field can help you in countless ways.  For example, many organizations hold seminars for their members to inform them about trends and changes within the industry.  Attending these meetings present great opportunities to expand your professional network.  Not sure about networking?  Check out the  Career Services Networking Guide 2015 (pdf) for advice.

Many professional organizations offer discounted student rates, take advantage of these before you graduate!

The following professional associations are categorized by industry:

Accounting

• Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada
• Financial Management Institute of Canada
• Institute of Professional Bookkeepers of Canada

Advertising, Marketing & Communications

• Association of Canadian Advertisers
• Advertising Standards Canada
• BC Chapter, Marketing Association of Canada
• Canadian Communication Association
  
• Canadian Marketing Association  
  
• Canadian Society of Professional Event Planners
  
• Canadian Women in Communications
• Communication, Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation (CAM)
  
• International Association of Business Communicators
• International Public Relations Association
• National Communication Association
• Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA)
• The Canadian Association of Journalists
• The Canadian Public Relations Society
  
• The Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada
• The Institute of Communication Agencies

Alternative Medicine 

• British Columbia Naturopathic Association
• BC Chiropractic Association
• The Canadian Chiropractic Association

Arts / Culture (for Music see below)

• Alliance for Arts and Culture
• Arts BC - Assembly of BC Arts Councils
• Association of Book Publishers of BC
• Ballet BC  
• Canadian Actors Equity Association
• Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists
• CAPIC - The Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators
• CARFAC BC - Canadian Artists Representation
• Cineworks Independent Filmmakers Society
• Craft Council of BC
• Federation of BC Writers
• Federation of Canadian Artists
• Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance
• Portrait Society of Canada
• Potters Guild of British Columbia
• Professional Association of Canadian Theatres
• Society of Canadian Artists 

Consulting

• Association of Management Consulting Firms
• Association of Professional Canadian Consultants (APCC)
  
• Canadian Association of Management Consultants
• Institute of Management Consultants
• International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI)

Chambers of Commerce/Boards of Trade

• Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce
• BC Chamber of Commerce
• Burnaby Board of Trade
• Canadian Chamber of Commerce
• Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce
• New Westminster Chamber of Commerce
• North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce
  
• Richmond Chamber of Commerce
• South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce
• Surrey Board of Trade
• Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Vancouver Board of Trade
• West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce

Education

• British Columbia Teachers' Federation
• Early Childhood Educators of BC
• International Public School Education Association

Engineers 

• Engineers Canada
• The Engineering Institute of Canada

Environment

• Canadian Council for Human Resources in the Environment Industry (ECO Canada)
• David Suzuki Foundation

Finance

• Associations for Financial Professionals
• The Canadian Capital Markets Association (CCMA)
• Financial Planning Standards Council
• Financial Planning Association
• Association of Women in Finance
• Association for Corporate Growth
• Canadian Bankers Association
• CFA Society Toronto
• CFA Vancouver
• Global Association of Risk Professionals
• Treasury Management Association of Canada - Toronto
• Advocis - The Financial Advisors Association of Canada

Health / Medicine / Dentistry

• Aboriginal Healing Foundation
• Canadian Association of Paediatric Surgeons
• Canadian Blood Services
• Canadian Dental Association
• Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA)
• Health Canada
• Medical Office Assistants' Association of BC

Hospitality / Tourism 

• Tourism HR Canada
• Hotel Association of Canada
• Tourism Industry Association of Canada

Human Resources 

• HR Tech Group
• Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of British Columbia & Yukon. (CPHR BC & YK)
• Certified Human Resources Professional
• International Personnel Management Association

Information Technology

• BC Technology Industry Association
• Information Technology Association of Canada

International Business

• Canadian Asia Pacific Business Association
• International Business Brokers Association - Canada
• The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
• BC Government – International Business
• AdvantageBC

Legal 

• BC Legal Management Association
• Paralegal Society of Canada
• The Law Society of British Columbia

Marketing

• BCAMA, BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association
• Canadian Marketing Association
• Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA)
• Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO)

Media / Publishing 

• British Columbia Association of Magazine Publishers
• Canadian Media Producers Association
• News Media Canada

Multimedia / Graphic Design 

• CAPIC - The Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators
• Digi BC
• MediaSmarts
• Society of Graphic Designers of Canada

Music 

• Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency 
• Music BC
• The Royal Conservatory of Music
• SOCAN Society of Composers, Authours and Music Publishers of Canada
• Songwriters Association of Canada  

Project Management

• Project Management Institute

Psychology

• British Columbia Psychological Association
• Canadian Psychological Association

Public Relations

• Canadian Public Relations Society
• Public Affairs Association of Canada

Retail

• Retail Council of Canada
• Shelfspace - The Association for Retail Entrepreneurs

Science

• BioTalent Canada
• Canadian Association of Geographers
• Canadian Association of Specialized Kinesiology
• Canadian Association of Physicists
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Geological Association of Canada
• National Research Council of Canada
• The Chemical Institute of Canada
• The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

Small Business/Entrepreneurship

• Canadian Federation of Independent Business
• Small Business BC
• International Organization for Entrepreneurs

Supply Chain & Operations Management

• APICS The Association for Operations Management
• Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA)
• Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters
• Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
• Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals
  
• Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport North America (CILTNA)

Women's Organizations

• Canadian Women's Health Network
• The Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs
• National Association of Women and the Law
• YWCA Canada

Women in Business

• Canadian Association of Women Executives & Entrepreneurs
• Women in Technology (BCWiT)
• Forum for Women Entrepreneurs
• Women's Executive Network
• Women in Finance
• Women in Leadership Foundation (WIL)

Networking & Mentorship

• Meetup
• LinkedIn
• Networking In Vancouver
• Business In Vancouver events
• Eventbrite
• Association for Fundraising Professionals Mentor Program
• Forum for Women Entrepreneurs Mentor Program
• Lighthouse Mentor Network
• Minerva BC Programs
• Vancouver Board of Trade Leaders of Tomorrow Mentorship Program
• Women’s Enterprise Centre Taking the Stage and Peer Mentoring Programs
• Women’s Executive Network WXNWisdom Mentoring Programs
• Women in Leadership Foundation Mentorship Program
• Women on Board – Mentoring Program
• YWCA Vancouver Mentorship Programs
• Burnaby Board of Trade Access Program
• Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of British Columbia & Yukon (CPHR BC & YK) Mentoring Program
• Chartered Professional Accountant of BC (CPABC) Mentorship Program
• City of Vancouver Mentorship Program 
• Immigrant Employment Council of BC (IECBC) MentorConnect
• ISSofBC Career Mentoring
• BC Labour Market Programs
• Shapr

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