Hello SCCDA members and friends! Finally! There is a whiff of fall in the air, and a morning chill that surprises me every year after the unrelenting heat of summer. Besides the cooler weather, pumpkins and football, fall brings our annual professional development conference on November 9. And this year’s promises to be the best ever! We are back in person at Saluda Shoals River Center, which alone is great news after two plus years of isolation due to COVID. But our conference topic is one that resonates deeply right now: Navigating Mental Health in the Workplace. According to the Department of Labor, nearly 1 in 5 American may experience some form of mental health condition each year. In Lyra Health’s 2022 State of Workforce Mental Health, employees’ mental health is at an all-time low. “Nearly a third (31 percent) of workers surveyed said their mental health has declined over the past year—up from 24 percent at the end of 2020,” it said.

Dr. Samer Touma delivering the keynote address, “Mental Health Matters.” and surely the double meaning is intentional. Of course, we will discuss mental health matters, but with the statistics currently being experienced in the workplace, mental health matters above most else. There will also be sessions on mental health topics from AbleSC, USC, SC Thrive, and Vocational Rehabilitation. If you haven’t registered, sign up now here. Brenda Gardner, MPA, GCDF SC Department of Commerce SCCDA President | 2022-2023

Hello SCCDA members and friends! Greetings as we head into the hottest months of the year, but also the ones when many memories are made. I am humbled to serve as your SCCDA president for 2022-23, and look forward to growing the organization in numbers and in opportunities for professional development.  My first act as president will be to publicly acknowledge Aimee Carter’s service as president before me for not one, but two years. So thank you to Aimee, who carried SCCDA through with skill and heart. And she did so during an unprecedented time of uncertainty. The pandemic has been a silent shadow with all of us since 2020. But what impact did it really have on our clients, our students, and the workforce? There is anecdotal evidence in abundance, as students and adults have spent critical developmental years in the virtual environment without hands-on learning or in-person social interaction. Generation Z, in particular, seems to be disproportionately affected. According to an Indeed.com survey, 82% of Generation Z said they have never worked in an in-person office environment full time. Of that percentage, 85 percent said they worry that they are at a disadvantage when it comes to learning professional “soft skills” A new partnership between the SC Department of Commerce, SC Competes, and Tallo tackles a portion of that question with four available assessments to better identify skills gaps for long term career retention of Generation Z workforce.

The new pilot resource is available for 16- to 24-year-olds who have been negatively impacted by COVID (and really, who hasn’t?). Four assessments are available to gauge knowledge in five core professional competencies: Communication, Drive for Results, Customer Service, Adaptability and Critical Thinking. These four assessments are in: General Employability, Manufacturing Employability, IT Employability and Healthcare Employability. They take clients/students roughly 20-25 minutes and include an individualized report on where they stand in that industry and competency compared to their peers.  This tool is free until September 15, 2022. If you have clients or know of individuals in this age range, this is a great resource to dive into those skill gaps and create remedies before they enter the workforce. With efforts like these, South Carolina can surely make the most of every talent we have! To access the assessments or to learn more, please visit: corescoresc.com  Brenda Gardner, MPA, GCDF SC Department of Commerce SCCDA President | 2022-2023

Let's welcome Jennifer Woody on the SCCDA Communications Committee!  We are excited to have her join our team!  Read below to find out who she is! 

What career and workforce development work do you do with your respective constituency group? 

In my current role as Regional Career Specialist I work with school districts within the Pendleton Region.  The region is comprised of Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens.  My initiatives include collaborating with stakeholders from K-12^th grade to provide greater awareness around career and workforce needs in our region. 

 What do you love most about the work that you do?

I love getting to help others.  I have a passion for seeing others succeed, and my current role allows me make a difference with adults and students.  For me, this is the best of both worlds!

This year's NCDA Poetry and Art Contest Winners have been announced!

In South Carolina, there were 10 winners represented!

Click here to see the full list: https://associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/pt/sd/news_article/441060/_PARENT/CC_layout_details/true

Hello SCCDA members and friends!   As I type, I hear the tune of The Beatles song, Hello Goodbye, play in my head.  This will be my last newsletter message as your president.   Serving in this role for the past two years has been both challenging and rewarding. I’m thankful for a supportive board and core members who have hung with us.  In just a few months, our president-elect and founding member, Brenda Gardner, will assume the role. You all are in good hands!   This is a busy time of year for everyone, and I find myself pushing the deadline to get something meaningful on paper for our dedicated communications committee to share. I looked back at previous messages and thought about how it really isn’t what I say (you read), it is the fact you’re reading it – you’re engaged, connected, and interested. We all know that’s important, but it is tough to practice for ourselves and model for others.

That said, I encourage you to keep reading and participating when and where you can. Like I said in my last closing, you’re needed more than ever. That has not changed, and we must take care of ourselves so we can continue to do the necessary and good work of career development.   Goodbye as your president, and hello to serving and learning with you in the coming year.   Aimee Carter SCCDA President 2020-2022

Happy Thanksgiving! This greeting kicks off the holiday season in America. We've heard and said it often the past few weeks. Most of the time, we even consciously mean it. Yet, on occasion, this phrase feels no more than a routine thing to say throughout November. Although the pandemic lingers, so many things are returning to normal. So, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to be both authentic and thankful, particularly during the hustle and bustle of the holidays as we pass Thanksgiving and go into December. What feels right and true nowadays? What am I truly grateful for? How can I express thankfulness in a way that feels genuine and is well-received?
As career developers, you can probably relate. Self-reflection is common in our profession. And, for such insight, I’m truly grateful. Because of our interest, skills, and talents, we are positioned to not only challenge ourselves to grow personally and professionally but are capable and equipped to do the same for others. That’s a gift that keeps on giving!
This also reminds me of ideas shared in our recent conference, Back to the Future, hosted virtually earlier this month. Over 50 attendees were challenged to explore awkwardness to strengthen ourselves and our inclusive relationships. We learned how mindfulness is one of many ways we can combat pandemic brain. And, in the spirit of looking at things differently, we can flip the script on the traditional résumé.

So, what’s the connection to thankfulness and authenticity? The conference revealed humans can be both authentic and awkward at the same time. For me, I can be truly thankful under stress if I remain intentional. I can choose to see what used to be normal from a different lens and know that it’s OK. I can experience and express gratitude honestly because I choose this perspective.

Perhaps most importantly, I can acknowledge not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving for a variety of reasons. That’s fine. In fact, that’s great because I can learn from that and better understand the perspective and meaningful transitions of others.
So, as you say and/or hear “Happy Thanksgiving” each year, consider those around you. Think about it, and take it in. Smile and give yourself, your heart, and your brain a chance to experience it in the spirit of peace, love and belongingness we all long for.
I’m thankful for you!

Inspired by you,
Dr. Aimeé C. Carter, GCDF, CCSP

Back to the future
with virtual conference

“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.” Dr. Emmett Brown

That’s right. You don’t need a road, car, or time travel to participate in our next event. We’re keeping things virtual this fall with a conference sure to take you Back to the Future on November 10, 2021.Truth be told, we hoped to bring everyone back together, in person, like the good old days. But, we lived and learned in 2020, and delivering the content through your computer once again just makes good sense. While it may seem like we’re literally going backwards after experiencing such promise this spring, we must keep future focused as career developers. We can’t Marty McFly our way back in time and course correct history, but we can continue to develop ourselves and those around us so we are equipped for whatever the future holds.

So, registration is now open! You know what to do.

Inspired by you,
Dr. Aimeé C. Carter, GCDF, CCSP

Back to the Future: Getting Back to Developing the Workforce of the Future

This past year, the world of work has seen drastic changes that have impacted career development in many ways:

Prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace
Booming remote work opportunities
Pivoting from layoff to entrepreneurship
More free workforce training options to upskill/reskill

SCCDA’s Fall 2021 Conference focuses on how career practitioners can assist their clients with navigating these exciting opportunities and leveraging their own skills and passions to build a bright future.

Students in the Palmetto State Dominate poetry and art contest

South Carolina garnered nearly half of all national winners in the National Career Development Association’s 55th annual poetry and art contest celebrating National Career Development Month.

The theme for the 55th annual Poetry & Art contest was "My Future Career: Imagine the Possibilities!" And imagine the possibilities they did -- Palmetto State students had 23 winning submissions of the 48 at the national level, 9 of which were first place, according to state contest coordinator Kimberly Cartledge.

Cartledge is a member of the South Carolina Career Development Association, the local division of NCDA. The SCCDA is an all-inclusive and collaborative statewide organization of more than 90 industry professionals that connect on issues, policies and practices relating to career and workforce development, pathways, and transitions while inspiring one another to grow professionally!

The winning art and poetry entries for each division are displayed on the NCDA website, http://www.ncda.org, and at the upcoming Global Career Development Conference. National winners also receive a special certificate from NCDA.

Winners from South Carolina in each division are below:

Poetry:

Primary K-2

1st- Mackenzie Mallicoat 

2nd- Ashlynn Mallicoat 

Middle 6-8

2nd- Maricella Gonzalez 

Senior 9-12

1st-Cora Weems 

Adult -open

1st- Linda Maxwell 

2nd- Jamie Langston 

Art: Category C-1

Primary K-2

1st- Keyli Andrade

2nd- Ivanielz Melendez Gonzalez

Intermediate 3-5

2nd- Oliver Atkins

Middle 6-8

1st- Maricella Gonzalez 

2nd-Lucy Pruitt 

3rd- Jodi McHugh

Senior 9-12

1st- Ashley Felipe 

2nd- Alejandra Carranza-Lima 

Art : Category C-2

Primary K-2

1st- Isabella Jennings 

2nd-Kennedy Cooper

Intermediate 3-5

2nd- Emily Serna 

3rd- Adalyn Simmons 

Middle 6-8

1st- Willow Wrighton 

3rd- Madison Egge 

Senior 9-12

1st- Reagan Taylor

2nd- Madison Kudrick

3rd- Derek Burk

In addition to coordinating the state art and poetry contest, SCCDA provides state-specific services to public and professionals involved with or interested in career development, including professional development activities, industry related resources, professional standards, advocacy and recognition for achievement and service.

For more information on SCCDA or to become a member, go to https://sccda.wildapricot.org/join-us.

Thank you,

SCCDA

Announcing the 2021 NCDA Virtual Conference Scholarship!

Current SCCDA members in good standing with the organization are invited to apply for this scholarship award covering the cost of registration for the 2021 NCDA Virtual Conference. This award is given in honor of our SCCDA Past Presidents as they continue to INSPIRE.

The conference will be delivered virtually June 29 – July 1, 2021. Qualifications and requirements are detailed in the attached application. To be considered for the scholarship, the completed application is due by 5:00 pm on Monday, May 24. The awardee will be notified by Friday, May 28 at which time the process to register, cancelation policy, and other details will be reviewed. 

Complete this application and submit to oursccda@gmail.com by 5 pm on Monday, May 24, 2021.