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Diary of a Conference- Part 4- Day 3 and After (a.k.a. The End and The Beginning)

There is something about being in Las Vegas and at a conference that makes your head spin. Not a bad spinning like a horror movie, but a good spinning. From the conference, my mind is buzzing with new ideas and hearing about the innovations in other areas of the country. From the action of Las Vegas, my head is spinning from seeing all the sights to hearing the chiming of the slot machines. One observation about Las Vegas is that there should be a job for everyone here. As I walked around, I saw those that live in poverty. Many were homeless.  From an outsider looking in at Las Vegas, Nevada, I saw opportunity for jobs everywhere. Yet there was still need. That is why the work of a workforce development professional is never done!
 
I started my conference session by co-facilitating in a workshop about the New and Emerging Professionals(NEP). Myself and other members of the New and Emerging Professionals discussed our capstone projects. There are currently nine members of this cohort group.  Listening to the  other members of the NEP initiative speak, it is evident that each person has a passion about workforce development and improving the profession.
 
Another session I attended was about branding strategies for job seekers aged 50 and over, but the lessons from that session could be applied to any job seeker and not just those in the baby boomer generation. Personal branding is real and it starts with a clearly defined vision and goal. Then the brand can be incorporated into job search techniques.
 
Finally, the closing session was a great speaker named Lee Silber.  His fast paced, humorous presentation kept the crowd engaged as he challenged the room to be creative and innovate to find solutions to the changing field of workforce development.
 
After the Conference
 
There was a reason that this post is subtitled The End and The Beginning. The conference may be ending, but the work of workforce development professionals to implement new strategies is beginning. The Workforce Investment Act may be ending, but the Workforce Innovative and Opportunity Act is just beginning. 
 
Once you leave a conference, the work is only beginning. Reach out to those people you met and stay in touch with them. Implement new strategies learned at the sessions. Share what you learned with those that could not attend the conference. If you have never been to a NAWDP conference, and you get the opportunity to attend, take it. 
 
Thank you to all my readers and followers. Feel free to comment or email me at kcirincione@gmail.com.  Viva Las Vegas! 

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