Schedule at a Glance                

Monday, October 30
 
7:00 am – 4:00 pm                Registration Open
8:00 am – noon                     Pre-conference I:  Case Managing with a Focus on Soft Skills ($)
Recent surveying of employers indicates the need for ensuring workforce system clients, especially youth, participate in soft skills training.   This half-day seminar will help case managers and career advisors provide soft skills training during the case management process in a one-on-one career counseling environment.  Life Skills to be covered include: Identifying Personal Circumstances, Understanding Personal Accountability, Demonstrating Dependability, Managing Time, Applying Reasoning, and Making Decisions.  Attendees also will receive materials for Adapting to Change, Understanding Social Media, Possessing Required Documents, Setting Goals, Using Problem Solving Techniques, Acquiring and Using Information, Managing Resources, and Understanding Basic Financial Literacy Concepts.   Of course, attendees may use the train-the-trainer materials that will be provided in a group classroom training setting too. 
 
Registration Fee: SOLD OUT
 
Pre-conference led by:    Mary Ann Lawrence
President and CEO, PowerNotes LLC
 
 
 
8:00 am – noon                     Pre-conference II:  You Can Be A Barrier Buster! New Ways to Eliminate
                                                    Barriers to Employment ($)
Barrier elimination strategies are stuck in tradition. They used to work, but they cannot overcome the powerful multiple challenges youth face today. This workshop for management and staff will reinvent your approach to barriers! Learn how to work from a strengths first model and empower youth to use their assets to eliminate their obstacles. Discover how proactive normalizing barrier conversations make it possible to discuss barriers that youth often hide. Mobilize the power of peer barrier removal role models so they can convince youth to overcome the hurdles they face. Youth need to go to supportive services for barriers you cannot address, but they rarely go. Peer role models can sell them on going to referral resources in ways that you cannot match. The workshop includes free barrier removal handouts. Help youth become barrier busters and shorten their pathway to employment!
 
Registration Fee: SOLD OUT
Pre-conference led by:    Larry Robbin
 Executive Director,
Robbin and Associates
11:00 am – 5:00 pm               Exhibit Hall Open
1:00 pm – 2:15 pm                 Opening General Session – The Value of People in the Language of Business
 
Featuring:             Deon Clark, CEO, TCI Solutions, LLC
 
Deon Clark is the Chief Executive Officer of TCI Solutions, LLC, a certified veteran and minority owned business committed to providing the highest quality of consultation in three key areas: Workforce Talent Pipeline Development, Corporate Diversity - Inclusion and Engagement Strategies, and Educational Development Services for Teachers & Students. Mr. Clark will provide compelling insights on how to identify, leverage and synchronize existing resources and efforts to build sustainable talent development pipelines. His presentation will explore:
  • Changing the narrative of diversity from “numbers” to “quality”;
  • Understanding the root causes for lack of participation;
  • Establishing the business case to engage employers; and
  • The Legacy I³ Model for workforce development.
2:15 pm – 2:45 pm                 Networking Break with Exhibitors
2:45 pm – 4:00 pm                Concurrent Workshops**
 
Track 1:            Bring Your A Game! Young Adult Engagement That Works
Presented by: Debbie Shackelford, Young Adult Services Team Lead, Pikes Peak Workforce Center
           
Track 2:            Hard Data to Soft Skills: the key to employment success
Presented by:  Kathy Hammonds, Career Specalist, Career Path Services
 
Track 3:            Building A Client And Staff Success Workforce Development Culture!
Presented by:  Darrell "Coach D" Andrews, Darrell Andrews Enterprises, Workforce Development Consultant/Motivator
 
Track 4:            Get the GIST (Great Ideas for Starting Things) in Entrepreneurial Skills Training
Presented by:  Ariel Nievas, Executive Director, First Institute Training & Management, Inc.
 
Track 5:            Redesigning a Youth Work Experience Model in real time
Presented by:  Bridgett Backman, WIOA Manager, Ramsey County Workforce Solutions
 
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm                Don't miss the Exhibit Hall!
Tuesday, October 31
 
7:00 am – 4:30 pm                Registration Open
7:30 am – 8:00 am                 Continental Breakfast
7:30 am – 5:30 pm                Exhibit Hall Open
8:00 am – 8:45 am                Plenary Session
9:00 am – 10:15 am               Concurrent Workshops**
 
Track 1:           (Re)Connecting Youth: Exploring Elements of Successful Opportunity Pathway Public-Private Partnerships
Presented by:  Lara Henneman, Manager, Corporate Programs, International Youth Foundation
 
Track 2:           Y2Y: Youth 2 Youth – Partners 4 Peace
Presented by:  Todd Markham, Director, Social Development, Management and Training Corporation
           
Track 3:           Sometimes We Win, Sometimes We Learn
Presented by:  Traci Brooks, Educational Specialist, and Chauntai Mack, Program Manager, Career Connections Youth Program
           
Track 4:           Maximizing Engagement for At-Risk Youth Through Motivational Interviewing (MI) Strategies
Presented by:  Curtis Campogni, Program Manager, Eckerd Workforce Development
           
Track 5:           The Art of Motivating Youth to Succeed
Presented by:  Deon Clark, CEO, TCI Solutions, LLC.
 
10:30 am – 11:45 am              Concurrent Workshops**
 
Track 1:            Strategies on Engaging Employers
Presented by:  Deon Clark, CEO, TCI Solutions, LLC.
 
Track 2:            Financial Literacy for Youth: Options for Meeting the WIOA Element
Presented by:  Tracie Morris, Senior Community Affairs Specialist, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
 
Track 3:            Leaving a Legacy of Laughter
Presented by:  Linda Henley-Smith, Speaker and Coach, For the Good Times Programs
 
Track 4:           Make Your Program Work for Gang Diversion and Intervention!
Presented by:  Larry Robbin, Executive Director, Robbin and Associates
 
Track 5:           Infrastructure Building for Youth Career Pathways: Pre-Apprenticeship, Youth Apprenticeship (YA), and
                          Registered Apprenticeship (RA)
Presented by:  Pat Schramm, Executive Director/CES WDB & YA Regional Coordinator, T.E.C. Center
 
12:00 pm – 1:15 pm                Luncheon: The Workforce System Under WIOA and Trends Impacting Youth Programs
Presented by:Christine Quinn, Region 5 Administrator, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
                                                         
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was passed in 2014 since then. So where are we now? Ms. Quinn will offer insights and updates regarding the progress of the  workforce system in adapting to the changes driven by WIOA. She will also share her observations about current trends with Youth programs from a regional perspective.
 
 
1:30 pm – 2:45 pm                 Concurrent Workshops**
 
Track 1:            23 planned, 150 led, 1,000 impacted
Presented by:  Mary Ann Rojas, Director, City of Springfield WDB
 
Track 2:            WIOA: Fun Facts with the Feds!
Presented by:  Lisa Dieterle, Workforce Development Specialist, USDOL-ETA and Lori Crockett Harris, Workforce Development Specialist, USDOL-ETA
 
Track 3:            Life is Short…Take the Trip, Buy the Shoes, Eat the Cake!
Presented by:  MaryAnn Lawrence, President and CEO, PowerNotes LLC
 
Track 4:            Envision Success: Career Exploration for Youth with Vision Impairments
Presented by:  Theresa E. Kane, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer, Polus Center for Social & Economic Development, Inc.
 
Track 5:            Stackable Credentials are Crucial
Presented by:  Sandy Mead, Director of Admissions, MedCerts
 
2:45 pm – 3:15 pm                 Networking Break with Exhibitors
3:15 pm – 4:30 pm                 Concurrent Workshops**
 
Track 1:            Integrating WIOA Youth Programs into Statewide Sector Strategy Initiatives
Presented by:  Kim Runion, WIOA Youth Administrator, NH Department of Education; and Allison Joseph, Executive Director, MY TURN, Inc.
 
Track 2:            We Got the KEYS to Out-of-School Youth Success
Presented by:  Marcita Bentley-Pinkston, Assistant Director of Youth Services, Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation Workforce Services
 
Track 3:            Raising Influencers for Your Youth Program
Presented by:  Ariel Nievas, Executive Director, First Institute Training & Management, Inc.
 
Track 4:            Homeless, Pregnant, and Unemployed
Presented by:  Kristin Lucero-Golden, AimHire Assistant Director, Friendship Place
           
Track 5:            Alternatives to the 4-Year Degree and Using labor Market Information to Help Youth Make Career
                           Decisions
Presented by:  Sandy Donovan, Content Manager; and Bill McMahon, Project Manager; CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor
 
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm                 Trick or Treating in the Exhibit Hall
Wednesday, November 1
 
7:00 am – 12:00 pm               Registration Open
8:00 am – 8:30 am                Continental Breakfast
8:00 am – 12:00 pm               Exhibit Hall Open
8:30 am – 9:45 am                 Concurrent Workshops **
 
Track 1:            Meet Employers Where They're At!
Presented by:  Kimberly McCaffrey, Manager of Youth System, Philadelphia Works, Inc.
 
Track 2:            Youth Orientation Achieves 90% Participation, 4.5 Star Ratings, and 70% Mobile Usage
Presented by:  Harrison Tonne, Chief Innovation Officer, Career TEAM
 
Track 3:            Leading People to Successful Outcomes
Presented by:  Michael D. Lawrence, Community Workforce Advancements LLC
 
Track 4:            Building innovative partnerships to reach and serve priority populations
Presented by:  Jason Lietz, Youth Program Manager, CareerSource Central Florida
 
Track 5:            Partnerships: The New Currency
Presented by:  Ariel Nievas, Executive Director, First Institute Training & Management, Inc.
 
9:45 am – 10:15 am                Networking Break with Exhibitors
10:15 am – 12:00 pm             Closing General Session –  Life in the Espresso Lane:
            How to be Smooth, Bold and Balanced in a Fast-Paced World
                                                 Chicago Ballroom
 
Featuring:       Laurie Guest, Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker and Owner, Guest Enterprises
 
What if you could give yourself an instant pick-me-up by a simple change of thinking – even in stressful times? If you find yourself zapped after encounters with youth, colleagues, or even leaders this course offers simple yet powerful ways to instantly become engaged, motivated, and energized. You will learn practical mental “lattes” – ideas you can serve yourself any time you need to get your perk on!
 
This fast-paced, fun, interactive program will give you the tools to blend your own energizer. You will leave with new pep and excitement for the day. After you savor her “cup of sanity” once, Laurie's humor and wisdom will make you want to drink in her ideas daily.
 
Attendees learn:
  • One action to become indispensable at work
  • Behaviors to positively stand out from the pack
  • The best way to build rapport with others
  • Ideas to achieve personal balance in life
 
Exhibit Hall Passport Drawing immediately following Laurie’s presentation.
You MUST be present to win!
 
 
** Concurrent workshops feature programming in the following tracks:
 
Track 1:          Improving Employer Engagement: Including improving connections with industry partners, implementing sector strategies, creating career pathways, successful placement and work-based learning, etc.
Track 2:          Improving Program Outcomes: Including recruitment of out-of-school youth, measuring outcomes, promoting literacy/numeracy gains, educational attainment, behavior management strategies, etc.
Track 3:          Leadership and Personal Development: Including stress management, career management for professionals, finding inspiration, etc.
Track 4:          Serving the Needs of Priority Populations:  Including youth with disabilities, court appointed youth, parenting teens, homeless youth, rural youth, LGBT, etc.
Track 5:           Strengthening Career Pathways:  Including youth apprenticeships, collaborating with training providers, recruitment and motivation, use of industry-recognized credentials, using industry specific assessment tools and career interests, etc.