Rotary Career Symposium

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YourCareer withFWS Winnipeg MC College 575 Wall Street | 204.786.5081 mccollege.ca Hairstyling June 1,2015 Sept 8,2015 Oct 19,2015 Esthetics May 4,2015 Aug 24,2015 Nov 9,2015 FashionDesign Sept 8,2015 Visitusatbooth#413 www.careersymposium.ca @CareerSymposium Rotary Career Symposium www.careersymposium.ca @CareerSymposium Rotary Career Symposium www.careersymposium.ca @CareerSymposium Rotary Career Symposium 02 | 18 By Donna Maxwell For the Free Press Symposium going strong at The Rotary Career Symposium turns 18 this year, which means it's been around longer than some of the teens that will pass through its doors at the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg on April 21 and 22. It could also mean that some of the 11,000-plus who will come to seek career direction could be coming back for a second time, years after their first visit, looking for guidance in finding a new path in life. Rae-Lynn Rempel, who is co-chairing this year's symposium along with Lucy Vogrig, says the two-day event is open to people of all ages and they see everyone from 14-year-olds to middle-aged and retirement-aged job seekers. "It has been stated many times that today's workers may change careers up to seven times in their life," Rempel says. "This requires everyone to explore and participate in life-long learning and the Rotary Career Symposium can be the conduit for that process." The symposium features 15 speaker sessions each day, with representatives from a wide range of professions, such as robotics, gaming, theatrical makeup and medicine, to name a few, with each giving a glimpse into a day of their work life. Rempel says the symposium has been a great success over the years because as organizers, the Rotary Clubs of Winnipeg strive to improve upon the activities they offer, and provide different and better career learning experiences. Besides hundreds of exhibitor booths, the symposium features three career exploration areas – the Career Café, Career Discovery and the Engineering Innovation Challenge. The Career Café, sponsored by Success Skills Centre, is where attendees learn pre-employment readiness skills such as resumé writing, interview skills and job search techniques. Career Discovery is sponsored by Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and it gives participants an inside look at the manufacturing process, beginning with design and following through to the completion of a final product. Students and others will discover all the different jobs available along the way. The Engineering Innovation Challenge, the symposium's longest running career exploration area, is sponsored by various engineering firms and associations, and it allows students to register in groups to find a viable solution to a proposed problem. "As the symposium grows, it continues to evolve, by including hands-on realistic student activities that provide an inside look at various careers in a fun and sometimes competitive way," Rempel says. Those who attend the symposium are asked to complete a survey so organizers can learn from them what works well and what could be improved upon. Vogrig says the survey responses are always very positive and they know of several students who say they found their profession at the Rotary Career Symposium. Vogrig says Mark Stobart came to the symposium as a student, went into engineering and now runs the Innovation Challenge. "It is hard to measure the long-term effects and benefits but we know we play a part in the lives of the students who attend," Vogrig says. "That's what keeps Rotarians motivated to do the symposium year after year." Rempel says Youth Employment Services is taking part in the Career Café sponsored by Success Skills Centre for the first time this year and organizers are excited about their participation. With more than 200 exhibitors taking part in the Rotary Career Symposium, there's something of interest for everyone. Rempel says this year the RCMP will be on hand with some exciting equipment no one will want to miss. "We don't want to give it totally away, but think new technologies and how they are used to provide innovative ways for officers to do their jobs in all types of emergency situations," Rempel says. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the symposium, and Vogrig says Sandy Nimik, who's been volunteering as the volunteer co- ordinator since the first symposium, will retire after this year. "Over the years we have all come to know and appreciate her kind and considerate manner," Vogrig says of Nimik. "Throughout the two days she greets the volunteers and gets them ready for their shifts. Sandy has decided this will be her last year and we will miss her." The Rotary Career Symposium runs April 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 22.

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