WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger. From Westchester Department of Communications. March 22, 2006: Westchester County’s Office for Hispanic Affairs and Hispanic Advisory Board will present a Career Development Summit for Latinos Saturday, April 1, at the Westchester County Center from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. Admission is $15. The Summit is geared to Latinos looking to improve their job situation or learn about other opportunities they could pursue. The employers scheduled to attend -- more than a dozen from both the private and public sector -- are specifically seeking bilingual/bicultural staff.
More than 400 job-seekers will take part in a series of workshops. Participants will hear about the opportunities available from professionals in different fields and listen to the stories of those who have found good pay and rewarding jobs. Opportunities in health care, government and the non-profit sector will be discussed. Other topics include marketing your skills, building your own business, and looking for bilingual/bicultural positions. For those without college degrees, there’s a session on jobs and training in vocational fields.
One of the presenters is Mariela Dabbah, the well-known author of Cómo conseguir trabajo en los Estados Unidos, guía para latinos (How to Find a Job in the United States, a Guide for Latinos). While most of the workshops are in English, one program, “Entrepreneurship in a ‘New Land,’” will be in Spanish.
The Summit is also a chance to talk face-to-face with recruiters looking for new employees. Met Life, White Plains Hospital Center, Iona College, Westchester Community College, Hudson Health Plan, Children's Village, Open Door, Planned Parenthood, and Visiting Nurses of Westchester are among the employers expected to attend.
County representatives will also be available to talk about getting jobs as police or corrections officers or as summer employees at Playland.
There will also be a networking lunch so have your business card and resume handy.
“As members of the Latino community continue to move into the mainstream, they should be benefiting from all the same opportunities as any other ethnic group,” said Martha Lopez, director of the Office for Hispanic Affairs. “We want to empower people and give them confidence that they too can move up the career ladder.”
The Hispanic Advisory Board and Office for Hispanic Affairs have been organizing a Hispanic Summit each year since 2001. The programs, which have attracted hundreds of participants, have tackled different topics ranging from community needs and available resources to Hispanic pride.
To register, or for questions, call the Office for Hispanic Affairs at (914) 995-2476. Attendees can also register at the door.
