Conference Name:
Dates Attended:
Location:
Participant:
Email:
College:
2008 International Career Development Conf LA
November 5-9, 2008
Century City, California
Candie Dickinson, 707-468-3044
cdickins@mendocino.edu
Mendocino
First, I would like to thank Susan Coleman, Linda Zorn, and Mendocino College, specifically,
Meridith Randall and Virginia Guleff for supporting my attendance to the last 2008 International
Career Development Conference. This was the ICDC’s 25th Anniversary.
This was a gift that keeps on giving. Since the conference, I have received PowerPoints,
presentation handouts, and other information from the Keynote Speakers, Workshop Presenters,
conference participants (some of whom are my new best friends) and vendors. I have stack of
business cards from these people which I have already been able to use for information regarding
various issues, advice and ideas.
This conference was a networking dream. I met people from all over the world—South Africa,
Canada, the United States (Florida, Texas, Indiana, Ohio, Arizona) and California.
They were from businesses (public and private), industry, Colleges and Universities.
All were interesting, generous, and helpful---and, amazingly enough, we all had much in
common.
In my two and a half days I heard and enjoyed four Keynote Speakers and attended
six workshops (each approximately 1 hour 15 minutes), exchanged notes with participants who
attended different workshops and visited every vendor.
One of my goals for attending the conference was to figure out if the career assessment that we
had chosen for our Career and Transfer Center was the best for our students and situation. My
second goal was to find a career assessment (CTE/SB 70 Grant) that we could use with Middle
school through College that was keyed into career paths, had the information needed and was
affordable. After talking with many vendors about their career assessments, I found that the
Kuder Career Planning System was just what we needed. It has 70 years of research, assesses
interests, skills and work values, and continuing updating of career information. It has other
features such as a resume`, financial aid and scholarship programs. Once students buy the
Kuder ($5.00) they have lifetime access to update their resume` and explore careers. Scott
Vandever, the Kuder representative explained that they will customize the web page for our
college and it has an administrative database management system. Scott will be visiting our
college in January to speak with SB 70 grant committee members. Several California two year
colleges are using the Kuder at a resource for their grants.
Another vendor Eve-Marie Andrews shared her book, “The Search for Scholarships,” and
materials that she uses in a class that she offers at the College of the Desert. I bought the book
and hope to offer this class in the future.
There were many more Vendors who had interesting products and materials. There was also a
very comprehensive assortment of career related books for sale.
WORKSHOPS
It was very difficult to choose which workshop to attend. Each session had several Workshops
that sounded interesting and informative.
I attended:
1. Are you stuck using 20th Century Coaching/Counseling Method and Techniques in
the 21st Century? Brad Taft and Carleen MacKay
Discussed Careers-- past and present-tools used in counseling-job search-social networkingglobal careers, demographics and economic impact. They said, “The name of the game is
flexibility, shorter tenure, agility and continual learning.”
2. Terrific Training Techniques for Career Development Practitioners. Judy Kaplan
Baron
Shared theory behind techniques-that can be used in a one to one or class session—how to
get clients-students involved in the process of choosing a career/major.
3. Experience the Excitement of the Green Economy: Panelists Share their Green
Career Stories.
This was very informative session regarding how the panel members ended up in green
careers and how to obtain work that inspires and has a positive impact on the environment.
When asked what advice they have for our student /clients if they want to pursue a green
career, they said to tell our students/clients to find a major that fits their interest, values.
Also, volunteer for river /beach clean up, Peace Corp, look for internship opportunities and
participate in activities such as Earth Day. They said that employers are increasingly
looking for people who have integrity, are team players, and have a history of supporting
environmental causes. In more and more businesses and organizations the trend is to move
towards “establishing sustainability policies” and becoming more environmentally friendly.
When interviewing potential employees, the interviewers of these organizations will be
looking for people who have a history of activities that show that they are passionate about
the environment.
The moderator, Carol McClelland –developed a Virtual Green Career Center
(www.GreenCareerCentral.com).
The panel members were:
A. a green product entrepreneur (was a Hollywood produce, has a degree in Theater) who
produces pure bamboo towels and robes etc.,
B. a green construction manager (has a degree in Construction Management) whose
company has created guidelines for establishing sustainability policies in the building
industry,
C. a green policy and legislative associate for a non-profit environmental group (has a
degree in Communication),
D. a green legislative associate that moves legislation forward and empowers people to
protect their community’s environment (a degree in Sociology),and
E. a green solar specialist (a degree in Mechanical Engineering).
These people were fascinating. Their work history was very interesting.
4. Short-Term Career Counseling: Getting the Most from One Session. Judy Kaplan
Baron, PH.D
Strategies which generates a great deal of useful information in a short period of time. One
of the interesting statistics that Judy shared was the top ten jobs in 2010 did not exist in
2004.
5. Applying Career Interventions to Increase Student Retention.
STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering, Math—SJSU Career Center’s approach to
providing career interventions for STEM majors. This was an overview of a STEM grant to
help increase STEM student’s retention. Their interventions included a Partnership
Development, Orientation and Advising, and an Introduction to Sciences courses.
6. Creating More Satisfying Lives: A Demonstration of the Happenstance Learning
Theory.
John Krumboltz, Ph.D—Author and Professor, Stanford University,
Workshop and Movie Premier—unscripted counseling sessions.
John explained his Happenstance Learning Theory and how it can be used in counseling
sessions. He said, “Luck is no accident” and he went on to explain that we should
encourage our students/clients to keep their options open, create their own luck, and that to
be undecided really means to have an open mind.
As you can imagine, there was much more to report. This was a well organized and
informative conference and was the last ICDC conference. There was some discussion about
continuing to offer a career conference but not on the same scale.
Candie Dickinson
Director/Counselor
Mendocino College
(707) 468-3044
cdickins@mendocino.edu