Summer 2015 career development training

The Graduate School offers training and development opportunities for graduate program coordinators on the topics of recruitment, admissions, fellowships, academic services and policies, ewarrants, and more.

SERIES GOALS:
The purpose of this series is to increase graduate students’ access to career planning expertise at the program level, by building basic career development knowledge and referral skills in graduate program coordinators.  The intent is not to train graduate program coordinators as career services professionals; rather, through active participation, graduate program coordinators will build knowledge and skills that allow them to have career-related conversations and provide referrals for graduate students considering careers outside of the academy.  This series is optional for graduate program coordinators.

PARTICIPANT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Graduate coordinators who take full advantage of the series and supplemental resources will gain knowledge about career development theory, practice, and related tools; learn helping skills and develop confidence having career conversations with graduate students; and apply knowledge and skills at the program level.  More specifically, they will demonstrate the following:

1. Be conversant in the career needs of graduate students, particularly those in their academic discipline, who are considering careers beyond the tenure track
2. Draw upon a basic understanding of career development theory to guide their interactions with graduate students
3. Facilitate conversations with graduate students about non-academic career paths by utilizing helping/interviewing skills
4. Convey information about career services available to graduate students in their programs; or where these services are not offered, convey information about off-campus or other career resources
5. Convey information about professional and career development opportunities for graduate students offered by the Graduate School Office of Professional Development and Communications and its partners
6. Refer graduate students to appropriate assessment tools to better understand their skills, interests, and values
7. Present to graduate students potential career options, based on career outcomes of graduate alumni from their program or graduate students in related disciplines more broadly
8. Share best practices within their peer group

Presenter: Mindi Thompson, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology, UW-Madison School of Education

Description: The series opened with a lecture by Mindi Thompson, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology, who brought her perspective as a faculty member who has advised many graduate students, who teaches career counseling, and whose research specializes in vocational and educational development as well as mental health and psychotherapy.  Dr. Thompson provided context for why an understanding of career development is important for graduate program coordinators and how you can apply these concepts in your work with graduate students.

Date/time: Thurs., June 4 - refreshments and networking at 1:30, lecture at 2:00

Click here to view Dr. Thompson's slides.

Presenter: Judy Ettinger, Senior Outreach Specialist, UW-Madison Center on Education and Work

Description: During the workshop you will explore a free assessment tool available to all graduate students, and consider how to use this in combination with a planning tool, like the IDP. You will also gain an introduction to Schlossberg’s Transition Theory, which will help you better understand your graduate students’ career development needs. This half day-long workshop is intended for graduate program coordinators who assist graduate students with career exploration. No previous experience with career development work or advising is required.

Date/time: Wed., June 17, 9:00am-12:00pm, with continental breakfast and networking at 8:30

Panelists:

Date/time: Tues., June 30, 12:00-1:30  

Description: This workshop focuses on interviewing techniques. You will learn how to help a graduate student prepare for an interview for a job outside of the academy by first getting to know your students and their needs, then using specific coaching techniques to practice interviewing, and discussing the importance of customized resumes and cover letters.  This half-daylong workshop is for graduate program coordinators who assist graduate students with career exploration. Pre-requisite: Career Development 101 (June 17, 2015), OR last summer’s Career Development Workshop (July 15, 2014), OR the Career Development Facilitator course.

Presenter: Judy Ettinger, Senior Outreach Specialist, UW-Madison Center on Education and Work

Date/time: Mon., July 13, 12:30-4:30pm

Presenter: Eileen Callahan, Director; Amy Fruchtman, Assistant Director, Graduate School Office of Professional Development

Description: Join fellow graduate program coordinators and Grad School staff for a facilitated conversation.  Share and learn about upcoming professional and career development events for grad students.  We'll also talk about the Versatile PhD and recommended reading (share your favorites!) on the topic of career development and exploration for graduate students.  You'll come away excited to share this info with your graduate students and program faculty.

Date/time: Wed., August 12, 12:00-1:30