What's Happening at the CWT...

I thought I'd pass along a few updates as well as the ever-popular Job Blasts.

First, did you know that there is an opportunity for eligible individuals to receive training as a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) with no cost to the participant!  That's right.  Through the M-Path Grant opportunity, eligible Dislocated Workers can receive CNA training at Lansing Community College and earn college credit!

The training will be provided at Lansing Community College beginning April 18th through May 31, 2011.  To learn more about the program and to begin the eligibility phase, interested individuals must attend the informational session to be held at the LCC West Campus on March 3, 2011 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  For more information regarding the program and to find out if you qualify (remember, must be a Dislocated Worker), please contact:

• Tammy at (517) 483-1180 or gilroyt@lcc.edu

Capital Area Michigan Works! Orientations:  Wednesdays @ 2:00 p.m. (Be sure to arrive 5 minutes early -- late arrivals will not be admitted!)

CAMW! Orientations provide information about the programs and services that may benefit individuals in the job search and career development. 

• Employment Services:
• Michigan Talent Bank
• Career Resource Library
• Employability Workshops
• FREE Computer Classes
• Online Assessments
• Professional Networking Opportunity:
• Training & Education: (including information on Lansing Community College!)

As well, the (mostly) weekly Jobs Connection Workshops help those looking to enhance their Job Search or assist their Career Development with information and free online tools!

Job Blasts!  To access these and other job postings, be sure to visit the Michigan Talent Bank!

Research Tool Corporation (Ovid):  Set-Up Operator (CNC Mill Machinist),  MTB # 3008709

• CNC Positions are in demand in the Lansing area!  Today, I visited the Michigan Talent Bank and found 49 postings...some with multiple positions...(within a 35 mile radius of Lansing) for CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) positions.  Check it out by clicking on this link!

Danford Cleaners (Lansing): Presser, MTB # 3001256

Ayers Basement Solutions (Lansing):  P/T Telemarketer,  MTB # 3001231

Lansing School District (Lansing):

• Special Education Assistant, MTB # 3001106 and MTB # 3001108
• Girls Varsity Soccer Coach,  MTB # 3000970

KI Technology Group (East Lansing):  Service Desk Engineer, MTB # 3000966



Important Note:  Capital Area Michigan Works! Service Centers will be closed on Monday, February 21st for President's Day.  The Service Centers will reopen on Tuesday, February 22nd for their regular business hours (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.).

The $20K Decision...Continued!

In November of 2010, I shared with you The $20K Decision That Didn't Work.  As well, I promised that there would be more to the 'Decision' forthcoming.  Well, here we go.  First, if you missed the 'Decision', take a few minutes to read it (just click on the link above).  This will give you the background for Part II.

After discovering that becoming a veterinarian was not in the cards, I looked into what I could do with my biology and chemistry coursework and interests.  Again, without doing any career exploration, I jumped into becoming a science teacher.  I mean, seriously, I had four science teachers in high school and several in college already.  To me, it appeared that science teachers were in demand because I demanded them!  And, besides that, how hard could it be!  So, I went to the Registrar's office and completed the paperwork to change my program.  It would be a couple of years later before I would realize that I had just made another BIG mistake.

So, off I go, head first, into my next (yes, I said 'next'...not 'final') career goal.  I trudged through three more years of biology, chemistry, math, and education classes.  Problem was, this career epiphany was occurring at the same time that a glut of teachers was entering the job market.  Hello, was I not paying attention...again!  During my second senior year (yep...you read it right as it took me a wee bit longer to complete the science classes...they were harder than I thought!) I scheduled my appointment with the Dean of the College of Education for my required interview.  This was part of the entrance process for candidate selection to move forward into student teaching and certification.  What happened next was just horrible.

I arrived to my meeting with the dean at a responsible time...10 minutes before my appointment dressed in a suit, make that my only suit, to look my best, professionally.  I thought I was prepared.  Apparently, I wasn't.  I kid you not, but when I walked into the dean's office I was totally caught off-guard.  When the dean came for me, I stood up, shook his hand while pleasantly greeting him, followed him to his office and, when offered, sat down anxiously ready to  proceed and complete my 'interview'.  He, on the other hand, had no intention of interviewing me that day...or any other day, it appears. 

Throughout my college life I had been involved in many student activities including residential hall government, intramural sports, fund-raising events, homecoming activities, just to name a few.  I tutored other students in their classes and worked hard to create an award-winning environment within our residence hall complex.  I was outgoing, charismatic, and liked helping others.  So, as I sat there waiting to share my story with the dean imagine my utter horror when he simply looked at me and said, "I don't believe you will make a good teacher.  This interview is over."  He then stood up, walked over to his door, and opened it for me to leave.  That was it.  The entire episode lasted less than 60 seconds.

I learned two things that day; however, one of them did not come to be for many years.  First thing I learned is that the College of Education was not taking 'out of state' students as there were so many applicants to the program and not enough teaching positions available due to a large influx of teachers in recent years (checking that point out would have been helpful!).  The second, and most important thing I learned, was that I allowed this individual to tell me that I would not be good at something.  Unbelievable.  

Years later while I was presenting my Jobs Connection Workshop to a large group of recently laid-off workers, I joked that someday I would like to teach adults at the community college level, but probably would do it as an online instructor.  One person then commented that it would be a waste if I only considered online as I was a really good instructor and made the workshops fun.  In retrospect, I realized that I should have told the dean that he was wrong...very wrong.  I let someone else decide for me what I would be good, or in his case, not good at doing for a career.  In looking back at the work I have done, I see that in many of the things I have accomplished, the most rewarding have been in helping and teaching others. 

That was the last time I ever allowed someone to tell me at what I would not be good at doing. 

When working with transitioning adults, it is important to listen to what they like and don't like.  Sometimes, they select career choices based upon what they know.  Further investigation generally demonstrates that there is so much more out there than what we are aware of in our career search.  Careers that we think we would like to do turn out to be something different than what we thought (e.g. veterinarian!).  Other times we discover a career option that we would probably never have considered based upon our perceptions of what we believed that career offered.  Whatever the case may be, it is pretty safe to say that most, if not all, of us will not land in the perfect job without some preparation.  Our choices are many and with the right tools to help us identify areas to investigate, we stand a better chance of making a good career choice...or, at least one that puts us on the path to move towards our 'dream job'.

The Jobs Connection Workshop is offered most Tuesdays at Capital Area Michigan Works! Lansing Service Center.  To see if one is scheduled this month, check out the link to the CAMW! Calendar of Events.  There are a lot of opportunities out there, but, we have to have the skills, knowledge, and desire to do it well.  If you are looking for help to begin identifying various career options, stop by and attend the Workshop.  It's free and you'll leave with some great information to help you in your search.

Job Blasts!
Please visit the Michigan Talent Bank website to check out these and other postings.

4th and Inches Landscaping & Snow Removal (Lansing): 

• P/T Landscaping/Snow Removal/Lawn Cutting:  MTB # 2995858
• F/T Secretary:  MTB # 2995859

Biggby Coffee (East Lansing):  F/T Public Relations Assistant  MTB # 2995823

First Presbyterian Church (Mason):  P/T Sexton  MTB # 2993263

Clinton Area Care Center (Saint Johns):  P/T, per Diem positions

• Registered Nurse:   MTB # 2993099
• Resident Care Aide:  MTB # 2993119
• Staff Nurse - LPN:   MTB # 2993034

Ingham County: For these positions, please go to the Michigan Talent Bank and enter the Job Posting number to access the information on the positions.

• Account Clerk Sheriff's Office:  MTB:  #2996103
• Community Health Rep II:  MTB # 2996102
• Dentist:  MTB # 2977128
• Disease Control Nurse (F/T):  MTB #2996101
• Disease Control Nurse (P/T):  MTB # 2965134
• Family Nurse Practitioner/Provider (F/T):  MTB # 2959163
• Health Center Nurse (P/T):  MTB # 2959165
• Jail Nurse:  MTB # 2971155
• Medical Director/Physician:  MTB # 2959167
• Office Coordinator Sheriff's Office:  MTB # 2996104
• Physician Assistant - CHC (F/T):  MTB #2953976
• Public Health Nurse:  MTB # 2987559
• Universal Deputy Roster ICSO Corrections:  MTB # 2987553

REMINDER:  Capital Area Michigan Works! Orientations are offered every Wednesday at 2:00 p.m.  To learn more about the services available to Job Seekers at Capital Area Michigan Works!, be sure to attend.

WARNING: Blizzard Approaching!

For the past two days many of us have been focused on the expected Blizzard of 2011.  We've been watching it march across the southwest and plains states as it heads towards the midwest and southern states.

This morning I watched the news as they broadcast the effects of the storm in Oklahoma City.  They continued on with the expectation of a blizzard to mirror that of 1967 when a monster storm hit Chicago.  In fact, when I went to the website to look up pictures and information for this blog about the Chicago Blizzard of 1967, I found a story and pictures posted on the Chicago Tribune's website.  It seems that there are quite a few of us remembering that event.

I recall waking up that morning to snow so deep that drifts were all the way up to our windows.  I also remember the excitment I felt when we were told that there was no school that day!  The excitement continued to grow when we were bundled up and allowed to go outside to play in the snow, or rather, the BIG SNOW!  It was great!  We dug out tunnels for our 'forts' and climbed through them like worms in the garden...big worms...cold garden!  I also remember finding a snowdrift by the hedges that looked too cool to ignore.  I recall running towards the snowdrift only to be swallowed up by it.  Screaming at the top of my lungs for help, I remember seeing my brother's face look down at me from the hole in the snow above me head.  He helped pull me out of that bank before our mother saw anything.  While it was extremely frightening to be buried in the snow, it would have been far worse to be sent inside to miss all of the fun playing in it.

As our house was across the street from the country fairgrounds, I remember seeing a couple of horse-drawn sleighs taking off down the road towards town.  They were probably headed there for the same reason that sent my mother all bundled up when she pulled our Flexible Flyer down the unplowed road toward the grocery store located more than two miles away.  She, like many, were looking to pick up bread and milk along with other food staples.

Today, we have spent the last day or two getting the supplies we need to hunker down and wait out the storm.  This is a good thing.  Technology has advanced our ability to track storms down to the street level.  We have the capacity to guess more acurately the impact that weather will have on our lives.  That day back in January of 1967 the two feet of snow that fell had not been anticipated.  In fact, a four to five inch snowfall was all that was projected.  Obviously, we were all caught off guard.  But, with all of our Dopplar radars, weather channels, and on-demand weather reports it looks like there will be no more surprises.

Like predicting the snowfall and impact of blizzards, technology has the ability to help us learn about so many other events...everything from weather to history, scientific to political, and environmental to societal, just to name a few.  Yet, there are still individuals who are challenged to understand even the basics in accessing technology for their daily use.  

For individuals looking to acquire basic understanding of some of the software commonly used for business and personal use, Lansing Community College offers many classes.  The classes run from one day to full semester options.  For those looking to gain a better understanding of some of the software programs available in a short-term learning environment, consider our CABS (Computer Applications Using Business Software) Seminars.  These seminars vary in time from one day up to a week.  They are offered in a variety of settings, including an Open Entry format available through LCC's Center for Workforce Transition located at Capital Area Michigan Works!  We offer Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint seminars in an easy to learn open entry format.  Each seminar provides 0.25 LCC college credit and costs just $74.00.  The sessions are more personal and can be completed anywhere from one to 10 days, depending upon the student's personal skill sets and needs.

For more information on the CABS Seminars, or any other Lansing Community College course or program offering, please feel free to contact our staff at LCCAdvisor@camw.net or (517) 492-5580.

Job Blasts:  To access any of these postings be sure to click on the Michigan Talent Bank (MTB) posting number.  Or, you can access it by going to the Michigan Talent Bank and following the Job Search links.

Outsider (Okemos):  F/T Quick Lube Attendant.  MTB # 2993551

Lansing School District (Lansing):  P/T Specialized Instructional Assistant.  MTB #2993516

Lovejoy Rehabilitation Centers (Lansing): F/T Admissions Director.  MTB #2993333

Ingham County: 

• Dentist:  MTB #2977128
• Disease Control Nurse (p/t):  MTB #2959163
• Family Nurse Practitioner/Provider (f/t):  MTB #2959163
• Health Center Nurse (p/t):  MTB #2959165
• Jail Nurse:  MTB #2971155
• Medical Director/Physician:  MTB #2959167
• Physician Assistant:  MTB #2953976
• Public Health Nurse:  MTB #2987559
• Redemption Clerk/Dispatcher:  MTB #2992963
• Universal Deputy Roster ICSO Corrections:  MTB #2987553

Dart Container of Michigan:  Please visit the Michigan Talent Bank website and insert the Job Posting numbers into the Advanced Search Criteria window.

• Credit Manager:  MTB #29249165
• Engineering Training Manager:  MTB #2933592
• Prototype Machining & Fabrication Manager:  MTB #2898938
• Treasury Analyst:  MTB #2987510
• Product Development Manager:  MTB #2978827
• Process Engineering Manager:  MTB #2977336
• Process Engineer:  MTB #2979205
• Product Handling Engineering Manager:  MTB #2982359
• Tool Design Engineer:  MTB #2982349
• Senior Materials Engineer:  MTB #2981013
• Engineering HR Clerk:  MTB #2984823
• Financial Analyst Intern:  MTB #2981643
• Engineering Manager:  MTB #2968028
• Project Leader:  MTB #2976436
• Polymer Engineer:  MTB #2983610
• Engineering HR Generalist:  MTB #2982489
• Sales Administration Manager - Bilingual (English and Portugese):  MTB #2983716
• Quality Information Specialist:  MTB #2989322
• Packaging Equipment Technician:  MTB #2993929