2016 Annual Conference

"Employer engagement" and "demand-driven" are the new buzzwords in talent development. While emphasis on employer needs is critical, it is equally important to understand the populations being served. Research suggests that self-esteem and supports that facilitate risk taking – including career navigation skills – are the most important for success.

Career and technical educators, workforce development professionals, administrators, adult educators, and others who work to prepare adults for meaningful careers.

The session will explore various new models, metrics, and assessments to explore the needs of adult learners, with a particular emphasis on preparation for sustainable wage careers. Through exploring research and evaluation projects ranging from California's AB86 Adult Education Planning Grants to innovative career navigation programs in Silicon Valley and Boston, the session will emphasize how individuals - especially those disconnected from the economic mainstream - benefit from personal and professional assessments, career navigation training and practice opportunities, and detailed and personalized attention to not only obstacles and barriers, but also students' strengths, interests, and values.
The session will show how a strengths-first approach improves self-esteem and persistence, and how career navigation activities, which are sometimes considered the province of the privileged (elite universities, Fortune 500 employees, etc.), can be successfully taught and practiced - and can create significantly improved outcomes. Several case studies will be presented, as well as detailed recommendations for attendees to bring back to their programs.