Careers conference addresses jobs in a tight economy
Career development and preparation in a challenging economic environment will be the focus of the 18th annual Careers Conference, scheduled Feb. 2-4 at the Marriott Madison West Hotel and Convention Center.
Nearly 175 sessions are planned, emphasizing successful programs, practices and resources for career counselors, teachers, employment specialists and related career professionals. The conference, which attracts career professionals and educators from around the nation, is sponsored by the Center on Education and Work, a research and service center located at the School of Education.
The conference theme, “A Lifetime of Possibilities,” underscores the idea of career development as a lifelong endeavor, as well as the conference’s main goal of providing professional development training, tools and resources.
“The 2004 theme is particularly relevant in today’s job market and many programs and presentations will address issues related to preparing workers and students for a successful future even in uncertain economic times,” says conference organizer Carol Edds.
Eleven tours to business, industry and career centers are planned throughout the conference, with participants hopping a bus to go directly to the sites for employer-led tours.
These visits provide conference participants the chance to experience and learn about career opportunities firsthand from employers, gaining inside knowledge about jobs and careers that can’t be accessed from a classroom or office. Longer tours to Lands’ End in Dodgeville, Ho-Chunk Casino in Wisconsin Dells, and Wisconsin wine and cheesemakers are also available.
The event opens with keynote speaker, Denise Bissonnette, author of “The Wholehearted Journey: Bringing Qualities of Soul to Everyday Life and Work.”
Keynoter Amy Lindgren, a nationally syndicated employment columnist with Knight-Ridder, will close the conference on Wednesday, Feb. 4, with a presentation on the “The Good Fortune of a Tight Job Market: Teaching Students and Job Seekers to Reap Rewards from Poor Job Prospects.”
The Careers Conference is approved for continuing education credits, and is designed to provide in-depth training to those new to the field as well as seasoned career professionals.
For more a full agenda and registration information, visit http://www.cew.wisc.edu/careers, or contact Carol Edds at (800) 443-0399, (608) 263-4779 or cedds@education.wisc.edu.