JOG the Web: In-Person Conferences

Students in a breakout session at the 2022 Leadership Development Conference

1/19/2023

Part of being in the Tri-County Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates (JOG) program is the ability to be involved in three different conferences centered around personal and professional growth. These conferences are the Career Development Conference (CDC), Leadership Development Conference (LDC), and Organizational Strengths in Differences – DEI Conference (OSiD). Each of these conferences brings in industry professionals to share important life lessons to our students, such as how important some attributes like self confidence are in the workplace, how to get interviews from a variety of companies spanning multiple fields, and how individuality is one of the students’ greatest strengths.

The first conference is Organizational Strengths in Differences – DEI Conference. JOG has been hosting this conference virtually since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but now we are hosting it for the first time in person! We are excited to share the important lessons of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace with our students. In order to gear up for this event, we are hosting a “What is DEI?” pre-conference crash course across four virtual sessions presented by United Way of Summit and Medina. Then, in February, the in-person event consists of one keynote speaker and three breakout sessions. Two of these sessions involve one person each presenting on DEI in the workplace from the employer and employee standpoints, and the third session is a panel of professionals answering questions from our students about DEI in the workplace based on their own experiences. The students will have the opportunity to experience all three breakout sessions following they keynote speaker.

Closely after OSiD comes the “Career Development Conference” (CDC) in March. The CDC allows each competitor to showcase his or her knowledge and skills in one of twelve events centered on the soft skills required to get and keep a quality job. In between competitions and  for students not competing, a career expo showcasing a large variety of employers is available for students to explore. Through these employers, students learn about different potential career paths, practice interview skills, and can even seek employment. This gives our students the valuable skill of approaching not only future employers but even pursuing promotions in their career down the line. The gained confidence by being able to say “I’m the right candidate and here is why” is second to none.

Finally comes the Leadership Development Conference (LDC) in November. This event focuses on leadership skills and what makes a good leader. Like OSiD, the LDC has a keynote speaker and three breakout rooms, including one panel. These sessions focus more on how to grow individually in order to take charge in life. The ability to gain newfound confidence in some participants is a feeling you won’t get anywhere else. If you would like to read more about the 2022 LDC, please click here.

JOG conferences allow our students to gain skills that wouldn’t be offered to them in any other way. We love being able to see our students grow from students into industry professionals. Through the OSiD, CDC, and LDC, we are able to give our students a well-rounded portfolio of skills to take into their career path.