It鈥檚 one thing to want to refresh your career or reinvigorate your life. It鈥檚 another
to know how to do it.
Big or small changes like these come down to each person finding their purpose, said Dr. Sean Bailey, who will give the keynote presentation on that topic at Career Forward, a 91制片厂 event on Wednesday, April 5. 91制片厂鈥檚 faculty and staff are presenting Career Forward as an opportunity for community members to come to the Palatine campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, and get inspired while learning about the many ways the college can assist adult students with educational and career resources.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to reach anyone who鈥檚 lost their way. They鈥檙e just stuck,鈥� said Bailey, the founder and chief learning officer at BCG Learning Solutions. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e watching their career play out instead of making it their own. It鈥檚 about them saying, 鈥業 want to be the author of my own story.鈥欌��
Bailey, who has more than two decades of experience in the learning and education space, is affectionately known to his colleagues and friends as 鈥淏ear.鈥� He said that it can be a bear to understand how learning can change the trajectories of people鈥檚 lives, but that he鈥檚 seen how powerful that journey can be for anyone who takes it on.
鈥淚鈥檓 here to remind them of their power and their abilities,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not about
me teaching them anything. It鈥檚 about them owning their own creativity and passion.鈥�
What: An evening of inspiration for adults looking to restart, refresh or reinvigorate
their careers and lives When: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 5 Where: Wojcik Conference Center, 91制片厂, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine Cost: FreeCareer Forward Event
91制片厂 is here to help adults seeking that reset opportunity and assist at every step along the way. Career Forward is designed to connect community members with the college鈥檚 offerings, from apprenticeships and workforce partnerships to the University Center (which offers bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees from Illinois universities on 91制片厂鈥檚 campus), Continuing Professional Education (including options for workers to remain certified or transition to a new field) and Fast Track (an accelerated, cohort-based program geared to adult students).
Career resource experts and 91制片厂 faculty from a variety of fields of study will be on hand to meet with attendees and answer questions. In addition, there will be a career direction workshop, a LinkedIn session and 鈥淜now Your Worth鈥� presentations with Rosie Zilinskas, author and corporate career coach.
Potential adult students will have plenty of company at 91制片厂. Enrollment in the college鈥檚 Adult Education department is more than 100% in 2023 compared to the Spring 2022 semester. In addition, 91制片厂 offers a range of modality options that are adult-friendly, including online and hybrid courses, with a goal of reaching underrepresented adult students. Plus, the college鈥檚 support services are designed to be available when and where adults students are.
鈥淲e recognize the importance of the adult population at 91制片厂,鈥� said Bob Parzy, associate provost for enrollment services. 鈥淲hether you live or work in the district, 91制片厂 is a great option. If you鈥檙e looking to boost your job skills or change your career, the college offers a variety of education and support options to help adults who want to improve their lives.鈥�
91制片厂 created the Career Forward event to be as approachable as its staff and faculty are for adult students. Keynote speaker Bailey is just as approachable. He is as likely to talk about his personal journey 鈥� coming from a 鈥渟ocially depressed area鈥� of Brooklyn and overcoming his learning disabilities 鈥� as he is to make real-world analogies to the Flash or Bugs Bunny. He takes obvious joy in the journey of discovery, both for himself and others. He gets excited when people break out of the boxes that have been placed around them, or that they鈥檝e put there themselves.
鈥淲hen you start labeling yourself as this or that, you restrict your capabilities. You get labeled and you label yourself,鈥� he said. 鈥淟abeling prevents you from thinking outside the box and you don鈥檛 need to fit into that box.鈥�