From your office, how far do you have to go to knock on the door of a college or university? Many of us are likely within a bike ride from all the resources that are available right inside those doors.
In addition to academic course offerings, colleges and universities throughout the world form partnerships with business organizations. Those organizations get services in research, recruitment, planning, employee development and consulting. If you tap into the talent within a local academic institution, you will have access to leading-edge information and services at a surprisingly affordable cost.
In my area of southeastern Wisconsin, a new resource became available last year, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Career Transitions Center. The center is affiliated with the UWM School of Continuing Education. The center was established to help adult learners clarify direction for education, job, career and life, i.e. to learn successful approaches for securing meaningful opportunities.
The associate dean of the UWM School of Continuing Education, Dr. Sammis White, was part of the “birth” of this center, and his wisdom and experience have helped guide its development so far. Other inspired leaders have been ardent supporters. Last October, the center hired the dynamic Yolanda White, as program manager. Yolanda is off and running, putting her talents to good use to grow awareness about this resource in our community.
I was invited to serve on the advisory board for the Career Transitions Center, in part because one of the transitions in focus there is retirement. Last year, I participated in a conference the center offered to baby boomers, a day packed with information for attendees in their 50s and early 60s, people looking ahead to the transition from full-time employment. The conference also provided some substantive statistics and guidance for organizational leaders who are preparing for the significant loss of talent and experience that will go out the door when the boomers exit. Employers got some excellent pointers on, “how do we keep ‘em?” after they reach retirement age – which keeps getting earlier in the minds of middle-aged Americans.
Individuals can and do use the center on their own to help with career transitions of all kinds. Besides one-on-one coaching and useful classes, the center offers expert help to people preparing for retirement, or those downsized, terminated or looking for their first jobs. Leading edge guidance in resume writing and interviewing are all available at the center.
As I learn more about the Career Transitions Center, I keep thinking about the added value available to business owners, at such an affordable price. Employers can strengthen relationships with employees so easily by plugging into the offerings of the center and making them available to people within their organizations.
For example, this summer the center is offering several courses through the UWM School of Continuing Education. Some of the courses are excellent professional development opportunities for employees. The courses meet in the evenings, usually four times or so, or on a Saturday. Here are three of the course titles: “Pathways to a New Career,” “Dude, Where’s Your Work Ethic?” and “Self-Advocacy on the Job.” There are more. An ongoing offering at the center is a career coaching package, customized for the client and delivered in three 90-minute sessions by experienced certified coaches.
Dr. White told me that some local business owners have used the center to retain employees who just didn’t fit in a particular job, but clearly had value to offer the organization. “Round pegs in square holes,” as he described them.
Through assessment and counseling the center can help the employee fit into a much more satisfying position in the company, or help her develop the skills to perform the current job better – and with more satisfaction. That makes economical and humanitarian sense all ‘round I’d say.
If you want to explore a relationship with the UWM Career Transitions Center, call the program manager I mentioned, Yolanda D. White. Her email address is www.sce-ctc.uwm.edu. The center is located at 161 W. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 6000, in downtown Milwaukee. This one phone call may make a huge difference in retention and employee satisfaction for your business.
