The Westchester-Putnam Career Center Network is offering a multitude of skill-building and job-readiness workshops this fall.
After years of either virtual or limited workshops, they are now up and running again. In addition to the White Plains Career Center, where workshops were traditionally held, they are now being offered at the Mount Vernon Career Center as well. Later this year, sessions will also expand to Peekskill and Carmel.
“Things are now getting reactivated,” says Sherry Bruck, a Career Center operator and brand strategist and creative director at New Rochelle-based Harquin Creative Group.
The first in a series of Northstar Digital Literacy Info Sessions saw considerable interest in May. The workshop is geared towards those looking to improve their digital literacy skills to increase employment opportunities and personal confidence in day-to-day activities that require computer use. There is an upcoming session at October 16 from 9:30-11 a.m. at the White Plains Career Center. Classes are capped at 18 people due to required computer access.
“This course is the most relevant because it addresses a lot of computer literacy issues that people have, including those who are employed,” says Bruck.
It will go over everything from how to familiarize yourself with the computer and how to plug it in to navigating different browsers. It’s something that is especially important today as more and more technology is introduced to places that didn’t used to leverage it, says Bruck. For example, checking in at your doctor’s office might now be through an iPad, and people need the skills to do that seamlessly. Of, if your doctor’s appointment is done virtually, folks must know how to navigate telehealth platforms.
Those interested start with a digital literacy assessment and go from there. “It’s learning tech for daily life,” Bruck explains.
In other cases, it’s folks who are employed, but “have the self-awareness to realize they don’t know and aren’t keeping up with how fast the world is moving,” Bruck shares. Either way, the sessions are helping people feel more comfortable in this new age of technology.
The Career Center offers proctored testing on digital literacy so that job seekers can include it on their resume and get a certificate.
The Career Center Network is also hosting two Coursera information workshops. New Yorkers now have access to nearly 4,000 Coursera online programs across high-growth industries in data science, business, and technology. Many are pathways to certifications and professional certificates to help elevate someone’s career.
“That many Coursera options can be overwhelming to someone,” says Bruck. “They say ‘I need to upskill, but I don’t know what to do.’ That info session can help guide a job seeker or someone who wants to change careers.”
For those who are looking to get back into the job market, keep an eye out for the Career Center Network’s job readiness workshops on September 25 and October 23. Additionally, sessions on how to do well on a job interview will be held on October 18 and 21. The hour-long sessions are hosted at both the White Plains Career Center and the Mount Vernon Career Center. The former includes navigating how to job search, preparing an elevator speech, and providing an opportunity to take a career assessment. The latter goes over how to make a great first impression, the most common interview questions, and reasons why you won’t get a job.
“This is a great way to get plugged in, and it does not cost anything,” Bruck shares. “You can collaborate and be with other people.”
If you prefer learning at your own pace, the White Plains Career Center is open every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in September. Visitors can access computers and ask dedicated staff questions as they wish. Additionally, learners can be in the Career Center environment and be alerted about job fairs coming up and see other programs and services available.
“I think it’s great to get people back into the Career Center because there’s a lot of synergy there that you don’t get at home alone on your device,” Bruck says.
Learn more about the latest workshops offered here.
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