To help address the economic, personal and professional issues facing the large number of unemployed individuals in Wake County, the "Balancing Life—Developing a New Career Strategy" conference will be held Wednesday, August 20, and Thursday, August 21, at the Jane S. McKimmon Center in Raleigh. Eighteen workshops will be held over the two days, and the conference wraps up with a business and resource fair on August 21 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Wake County Human Services, Wake Area Business Advisory Council and JobLink Career Center (Swinburne site) will host the event in partnership with local business sponsors.
"This is a very trying time for the over 20,000 people in our community who are without jobs," said Maria Spaulding, Wake County Human Services director. "We hope that by providing a wide range of information to job-seekers, they will use what they learn to chart a course – to another job or a new career, but definitely to a hopeful outlook on the future."
The conference will kick off at 8:45 a.m. with motivational speaker Lisa C. Williams, founder and executive director of The Center for H.O.P.E. Through her work with a wide range of clients, including technical project directors, small business owners, community groups and stay-at-home moms, Williams educates and inspires thousands of women and men every year to achieve financial freedom and self-discovery. Her financial seminars have been recognized by major media organizations.
Workshops will cover a variety of topics related to coping with the loss of a job, getting the attention of a prospective employer, exploring new careers, investigating employment trends and training options, reducing stress, becoming an entrepreneur and regaining financial stability. There will be more than 35 presenters, including employers, personal coaches and those in the fields of leadership development, human resources, financial planning, workforce development and job training.
For more information visit the JobLink website at www.JobLinkCC.com/CapitalArea or contact Liane Simpson, JobLink (Swinburne) Coordinator at 212-7781. No fee or registration is required for this event.