Workshops

9 am - 5 pm

What kinds of jobs will there be in the changing economy? Do you know what skills and knowledge will be needed for current and future businesses in your regional economy? Are you equipped to counsel students and clients about the specialized skills and education that these new jobs require? In this workshop and tour, participants will explore some of the workforce and industry trends in the 21st Century. Representatives from Thrive, a new economic development model that focuses on growing a region's economy, will explore how regional trends drive workforce needs and sectors, no matter the region’s location. Participants will travel by bus to visit with several employers in different work sectors to hear directly from them about the future of their industries and what they will be looking for in employees. Lunch will be available for purchase at the Whistle Stop Café, part of the Food Incubator that participants will visit as one of the stops.

Whistle Stop Café

Thrive

Sue Gleason is the Director of Regional Assets and Metrics at Thrive, the regional economic development organization for the eight-county Madison Region in south-central Wisconsin. In 2008, Sue made a career change when after twenty-six years, she left the workforce development field and state government to join Thrive, where her role is to identify and leverage the region’s assets and track key metrics for economic vitality and quality of life. This change was driven by her growing interest and involvement in the intersection of education, workforce development, and regional economic growth. As our global economy evolves with our competition from around the world, improving the alignment of these areas has become an imperative.

Previously, Sue was a Deputy Administrator with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, managing a division with various employment and training focus areas, including the Federal Workforce Investment Act and Employment Service, youth and adult apprenticeship programs, and services for immigrant, refugee and migrant workers. She also co-chaired the state’s early career pathways efforts to meet regional workforce skills needs while helping create pathways to better jobs for workers.

Sue’s other positions have included helping launch Wisconsin’s early work on sector-based workforce approaches; collaborating on an international career resource for developing countries; and conducting strategic planning in rural workforce and economic development. In her earlier career, Sue worked in healthcare, county human services, and vocational rehabilitation. In the later part of the 20th century, she earned a MS Degree in Rehabilitation Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a BS in Psychology and Sociology from Eastern Illinois University.

2. Job Loss Grief Recovery

8 am - 12 pm

Counseling with workers who have recently lost jobs can be frustrating for career practitioners when the individuals are unresponsive to traditional career interventions. Sometimes individuals’ emotional reaction to poorly handled workforce reductions blunts their full engagement in reemployment activities. In this Who Moved My Job!? SeriesTM sequel, basic grief and trauma intervention strategies will be applied to the “victim feeling cluster” often seen in displaced workers challenged by involuntary job loss. Participants will learn specific techniques for the use of:
• differential diagnosis—assessment of “normal” vs. “traumatic” grief reactions,
• contraindicators—identification of factors that complicate grief resolutions,
• symptom reduction techniques, and
• treatment selection—matching interventions to each distinct phase of recovery.
Case studies will allow participants to apply grief recovery techniques to job loss.

Michael E. Hall, Ph.D., is a counselor and consultant in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a premier provider of organizational, career, marital, and leadership development services for executives, managers, and professionals across the nation. Michael has worked on career and life satisfaction issues with hundreds of individuals from Fortune 100 companies such as Bank of America, CitiGroup, Corning-Asahi, Dow Chemical, Eastman-Kodak, IBM, John Deere, Phillip Morris, Sara Lee, and 3-M. A sought-after trainer, Michael has presented on career and health related topics at regional, national, and international conferences. Michael has taught lifestyle/career development courses at three higher education institutions, and his work has been cited in numerous professional publications, including Black Enterprise, Encyclopedia of Counseling, Counseling Employees: A Multifaceted Approach, and A Counselor’s Guide to Career Assessment Instrument. He is a board-certified Fellow of the Institute of Career Certification International and a recipient of the “ORBY” community service award by Operation ReachBack, Inc.

3. Web 2.0 Basics: Free Web Tools to Make Work Easier

8 am - 12 pm

There are so many web tools available now—how do you know where to start? This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to some basic free web tools that can be used to make your work easier and you more productive. Participants will learn how to create a survey in Survey Monkey, participate in or create a blog or wiki, and explore some basic web design options. Each participant will practice and explore at his/her own computer station for maximum learning. Limited to 12 participants.

Debra Osborn, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Counselor Education program at the University of South Florida. She received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Florida State University in 1998, with a specialization in career counseling. She is co-author of Using Assessment Results for Career Development and most recently authored a monograph entitled Teaching Career Development: A Primer for Instructors and Presenters. She has been teaching master's level career development courses and appraisal/testing courses for more than 10 years and has authored or co-authored 30 publications in the career area, including books, book chapters, monographs, articles, and technical reports. She is the past president of the Florida Career Development Association and currently is running for 2010 president of the National Career Development Association (NCDA). She has made 41 state and national presentations on career topics, including 12 presentations at NCDA global conferences. Debra is a National Certified Counselor. She was selected as an Emerging Leader by the American Counseling Association and was awarded the Presidential Service Award by NCDA, both in 2005. She was named Florida's Counselor of the Year in 2006 by the Florida Counseling Association. In addition, Debra was selected as a member of NCDA's 2008-2010 Leadership Academy.

4. Career Clusters and Pathways 201

8 am - 12 pm

So you know the basics of career clusters and pathways. But how do you take an existing CTE program and transform it into a cluster or pathway program of study? This interactive session will walk you through the strategic steps on how to lead your school, college, district or state to adopting career clusters and pathways. In addition, you’ll get an overview of how to build a new career cluster or pathway program of study. You will receive many resources, tools and examples to take home with you.

Seth Derner is a professional development consultant for the States’ Career Clusters Initiative, an initiative established under the National Career Technical Education Foundation (NCTEF) to provide Career Clusters as a tool to facilitate a new vision for CTE and the reinvention of American schools. Seth brings a practical, real-world approach to program of study and curriculum design. He draws from his experience as a secondary CTE teacher, program manager for a national career and technical student organization, and director of Nebraska FutureForce, an organization designed to facilitate partnerships between education, workforce development and economic development. For his “day job”, Seth is currently the development leader for Vivayic, a firm specializing in human capital development through the design of effective learning solutions. Seth recently co-authored the book Strategies to Integrate NOW: Academics in Career and Technical Education.

5. How to Plan and Develop a Successful Career Center

8 am - 12 pm

As the call for career services continues to grow, so does the need for well-equipped and staffed career centers to provide a wider array of services beyond mere job placement. Teaching individuals the skills and providing resources for lifelong career development is a vital function of the 21st Century career center. This workshop will help participants explore what it takes to plan and implement a great career center that provides vital services to job seekers and individuals in transition. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss tools, resources, and methods for career centers in a variety of settings, including educational institutions, one-stop centers, and corporations. Topics include program planning, the role of the career center, serving diverse populations, facility development, partnering with employers, personnel and administration, online resources, and more. Whether you are planning to start a new career center or looking to improve one already established, this workshop will provide valuable information and tools that can help.

Donald A. Schutt, Ph.D., is the director of human resource development in the Office of Human Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Last year, the office provided over 1200 programs for nearly 22,000 participants. Previously, he was a career development specialist at the Center on Education and Work in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he provided training and professional development for career specialists across the nation. Don is the author of How to Plan and Develop a Career Center, 2nd edition, a compilation of articles by experts on all aspects of establishing and running a career center, as well as A Strength-Based Approach to Career Development Using Appreciative Inquiry. He is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Wisconsin and a national certified counselor and master career development professional. He earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in counselor education from the University of Iowa.

6. Career Assessments to Facilitate Career Decision Making

1 pm - 5 pm

Career decisions are made throughout the life span, and they impact the quality of life for individuals, families, and significant others. How can we help students and clients acquire career problem solving and decision-making skills at middle, high school, and postsecondary levels? In the cognitive information processing approach to career decision making, career assessments are integrated into each step of the process. This workshop will introduce assessments in relation to: the personal and social context of career decisions, ways to assist individuals to gain self-knowledge and occupational knowledge, exploring the meaning in work, and evaluating occupational alternatives that may lead to success and satisfaction. It will emphasize practical, hands-on experiences for gaining familiarity with efficient and user-friendly career assessments, such as the Decision Space Worksheet, Career Thoughts Inventory, Career Stress Inventory, interest inventories, and card sorts. Possible applications of the web-based ACRN Career Decision Making Tool (CDMT) will be demonstrated as a framework for facilitating career decision making with individuals and in small group and classroom environments.

Gary W. Peterson, Ph.D., has been a member of the Florida State University faculty since 1972 and now holds the rank of professor emeritus. He was formerly Clinical Training Director and Program Coordinator for the Psychological Services in Education program, College of Education. He also served as chair of the Educational Psychology and Learning Systems Department. Gary continues to serve as a Senior Research Associate in the Center for the Study of Technology in Counseling and Career Development and as a member of the Career Development Quarterly Editorial Board. He co-authored two books with James P. Sampson, Robert Reardon, and Janet Lenz, Career Development and Services: A Cognitive Approach and Career Development and Planning: A Comprehensive Approach, and more than 40 professional journal articles. Gary served as principal investigator for 22 state and federal contracts. He consulted with public schools in Florida in developing a state-wide career development model and in evaluating technology implementation in the classroom. His research interests include career problem solving and decision making, personality and career assessment, test construction, and program evaluation in educational and human service settings.

7. Strengthening and Updating Content for Programs of Study in... (choose one)

7A The Health Science Cluster

7B The Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) Cluster

7C The Business, Management, & Administration Cluster

1 pm - 5 pm

It's not news that many students arrive at postsecondary institutions lacking the background needed to succeed in the types of jobs available in today's global economy. What curriculum and content lead to well-prepared students? How can we strengthen the connections between high school and postsecondary institutions so that students have the academic background and knowledge needed for 21st Century careers? This workshop will engage participants in exploration of the content in three key career cluster areas for the purpose of equipping them to better counsel and advise students. Presenters will provide varied perspectives on ways to update curriculum for programs of study, including academics, applied learning, internships, and other approaches. Counselors, teachers, and administrators from high school and postsecondary institutions will learn about mapping out appropriate pathways to prepare students for school and workplace success. Groups or teams from a school or district are encouraged to attend together. Participants choose to focus on one of three career clusters: A) The Health Science Cluster, B) The Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) Cluster, or C) The Business, Management, & Administration Cluster. (Indicate whether you will attend 7A, 7B, or 7C on your registration form.)

Presenters include a panel of postsecondary level faculty and instructors, outreach staff, and community/professional representatives.

8. Advanced Web 2.0: Exciting Tools for Career Development Technology

1 pm - 5 pm

This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to some of the more advanced web tools that can be used in career development and education settings. Through the world of Second Life, participants will learn how to create an "avatar" (person) who can visit "islands" such as "Vocational Training" or "Wellness" and even visit with a career counselor. Learn about creating and implementing audio/visuals into web sites or PowerPoint presentations with Illuminate and Camtasia and discover easy-to-use tools for verbal chatting. Discussion will include how various tools can be used to assist in career development. Each participant will practice and explore at his/her own computer station for maximum learning. Limited to 12 participants.

Debra Osborn, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Counselor Education program at the University of South Florida. She received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Florida State University in 1998, with a specialization in career counseling. She is co-author of Using Assessment Results for Career Development and most recently authored a monograph entitled Teaching Career Development: A Primer for Instructors and Presenters. She has been teaching master's level career development courses and appraisal/testing courses for more than 10 years and has authored or co-authored 30 publications in the career area, including books, book chapters, monographs, articles, and technical reports. She is the past president of the Florida Career Development Association and currently is running for 2010 president of the National Career Development Association (NCDA). She has made 41 state and national presentations on career topics, including 12 presentations at NCDA global conferences. Debra is a National Certified Counselor. She was selected as an Emerging Leader by the American Counseling Association and was awarded the Presidential Service Award by NCDA, both in 2005. She was named Florida's Counselor of the Year in 2006 by the Florida Counseling Association. In addition, Debra was selected as a member of NCDA's 2008-2010 Leadership Academy.

9. Hip-Hope Education

1 pm - 5 pm

Hip-hop culture is a phenomenon that affects youth from every background. According to PBS’s documentary Merchants of Cool, hip hop is the most important influence in the lives of youth growing up in the U.S. today! “Hip hop is a very powerful educational tool; teaching has to change,” says Toni Blackman, the U.S. Department of State’s Ambassador of Hip Hop. In this workshop, Roberto will explore the difference between the hip-hop industry and hip-hop culture. He will demonstrate how hip-hop culture organically integrates best practices for engaging youth, while applying principles of youth development and culturally relevant pedagogy. Roberto examines how youth culture can inform educators, counselors, and others to engage young people in a way that is authentic, fun, and effective. He shares his own research regarding the challenges and best practices of using this innovative approach and how it has helped youth raise their grades, have fewer behavior issues, and increase attendance. Participants will walk away with both a theoretical framework and practical ideas that will allow them to implement cutting-edge 21st Century pedagogy and techniques the next day. Hip hop is here; this workshop will help participants turn it into hip-hop(e) when working with at-risk or hard-to-engage youth. Participants will receive sample portions of The Fulfill The Dream Program, a student-centered curriculum focused on engaging youth with empirically proven principles of empowerment.

Roberto Rivera says his transformation from a disengaged student, teen-age runaway, and drug dealer to an honors graduate and successful businessman is a result of having key relationships and discovering his genius through his experience with "real" hip hop. Roberto’s Fulfill The Dream Program, the core curriculum of The Good Life Organization, is based on Roberto’s experience in addition to his research and relationships fostered with top educators across the country. The Fulfill The Dream Program is both scientifically tested and culturally relevant and is proven to activate even the most disengaged of students. Despite the fact that Roberto has won many awards for his work from leaders like former President Bill Clinton, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, and others, his greatest joy is working with educators in activating genius and inspiring hope in students that are labeled disadvantaged. Roberto is also an award winning filmmaker, actor, playwright, poet, and gifted speaker. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned his B.A. in a major he created, entitled "Social Change, Youth Culture and the Arts."

10. Interpersonal, Resilient, Respectful …PRICELESS: Teaching the Qualities Employers Want that are Hardest to Teach

1 pm - 5 pm

Increasingly, employers are seeking graduates who possess interpersonal skills, such as communication and teamwork, as well as intrapersonal assets, such as respect, initiative, and a strong work ethic. Often it is the responsibility of career educators and counselors to spearhead the effort of helping students learn about, acquire, and market these essential assets. In this workshop, participants will learn about and engage in discussions regarding:
• The top skills and qualities that employers seek in graduates, based on national research.
• The challenges and hurdles facing our youth today that run counter to developing strong intrapersonal assets and character. An overview of seven types of difficult people to deal with at work and in school will be presented (based on the book, The PITA Principle).
• Strategies for helping students develop and acquire these sought-after skills and qualities, both in and out of the classroom. Live demonstrations of relevant activities will be presented.
• Resources and strategies for helping students market the sought-after assets once they’ve been developed. Discussions on some of the more contemporary technologies students can use to network and market themselves will be included.

Robert Orndorff, Ph.D., is Associate Director of Recruiting and Employer Relations for Penn State Career Services and an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Counselor Education. He has previously worked at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, Moravian College, and Elon University. At Georgetown, his The Strategic Job Search program won a national award for “the best educational program related to career services in the nation.” At Moravian, he received The Timothy M. Breidegam Memorial Service Award, presented to the faculty or administrator who has provided exceptional service to the college community, and the Administrator of the Year Award. His numerous other awards include the Vice President’s “Above and Beyond” award for his outstanding service to Penn State students and colleagues.

Bob is a frequent presenter and keynote speaker at regional and national conferences speaking on a variety of topics related to career and character. He has served as a career consultant and presented seminars to school districts, high school students, and parents. Additionally, Bob has worked with adults in private industry as an interpersonal and outplacement consultant. In 2003, Bob started a small company, JAZ Consulting, LLC, to facilitate his various speaking and consulting activity.

Bob has written and published numerous books and articles in both career development and character education. His work has been published in the Journal of Counseling and Development, ASCA School Counselor, and numerous online publications; and he has been quoted in the U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek. Bob is the author of The Insider’s Guide to Finding the Perfect Job, a job-search book, Becoming the Best Me, featuring career and character essentials, and a children’s book entitled My Career Adventure: Careers Are Everywhere. He is the co-author of The Character Development Scale, an assessment instrument for middle school and high school students to evaluate their character traits, and The PITA Principle: How to work with and avoid becoming a Pain In The Ass. Bob received a doctoral degree in counselor education (specializing in management and career development) from Penn State University.

11. Creative Job Seeking In A Depressed Economy: Job Search Training Skills For The People Who Help Other People Find Jobs

1 pm - 5 pm

Job finding is tough in any economy, but in today’s imploded job market, job seekers need to learn how to be more creative, aggressive, competitive, and persistent. In this information-packed session, Dick will focus on...
• How to stay motivated when your job search slows down.
• Managing the pain and shock of constant rejection.
• Negotiating higher pay in a tight job market.
• 14 tasks a person needs to perform before getting the downsizing ax.
• The top five interview questions that SHRM says will make or break you.
• Understanding the importance of developing accomplishment statements.
• Preparing clients to counter the “too much” or “too little” experience question.
• 32 creative approaches to developing more job leads.
• 25 types of information every job seeker needs before starting a job search.
• Overcoming age bias.

Dick Gaither is the president of Job Search Training Systems, Inc. and one of the original founders of JIST Works. During the past 25 years, his peers have dubbed him the Wizard of Work. Over 80,000 job seekers and staff have attended his award-winning job search training seminars. Dick works with every type of job seeking population...and the staff that helps them find work: welfare, offenders, rehabilitation, dislocated workers (blue and white collar), post-secondary/high school students, veterans, and displaced homemakers. More than 2,000,000 copies of his training materials are in print, and his materials and concepts are integrated into over 3,500 employment and training systems.

Dick is the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals’ 2008 Career Professional of the Year, a former WIA board member, and a recipient of the prestigious Wegman Award, the highest honor for a job search trainer. Most recently Dick was featured in the Wall Street Journal and Computer World Magazine for the work he’s doing with downsized workers.

Dick’s more interesting occupations include: Harley Davidson builder, Vietnam veteran, elementary school teacher, life-skills and employability skills trainer for rehabilitation clients, older worker and youth employment program operator, mental health career counselor, undersea cable installer, electronics technician, bar owner, arcade developer, and housing subcontractor.

Workshop Prices

Registration here

Full-day workshop: $207 Early, $237 Regular

Half-day workshop: $147 Early, $187 Regular

2 Half-day workshops (10% discount): $265 Early, $337 Regular

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