Career
Development for the 21st Century!
by
Karen Quammen
Minnesota Career Development
for the 21st Century, a Minnesota Business Leadership Network (BLN)
sponsored event, will be hosted by Medtronic at the World Headquarters
Auditorium and Conservatory on October 20, 2004 from 8:00 am -
4:30 pm. Two hundred college students with disabilities are expected
to attend the event and registration is required. Disability Career
offices on college campuses will be notified of the details on
how students can register for this event by mid-September.
The agenda will include
the proclamation of Disability Mentoring Day in the state of Minnesota,
a panel of corporate executives, an employee panel and one on one
time with employees of American Express, 3M, Cargill, Medtronic,
Department of Employment and Economic Development and Minnesota
based Federal Government Offices.
Medtronic hosted Career Exploration day in January 2004 but this
event is a unique, first of its kind collaboration with a corporation
for career development for students with disabilities and the Minnesota
BLN is leading the way.
The Minnesota Business
Leadership Network is an employer-led endeavor that aims to promote
best practices in disability employment and enhance competitive
employment opportunities for skilled candidates with disabilities
The model for the Minnesota BLN was developed nationally in 1994
by the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
(now known as the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability
Employment Policy). The goals of the organization are to:
In April of 2004, Senator
Debbie Johnson and Patrick Cohburn wrote a resolution. ABE IT RESOLVED
by the Senate of the State of Minnesota that it recognizes October
20th, 2004, as Disability Mentoring Day in the State of Minnesota
and encourages local corporate leaders and job seekers with disabilities
to get involved with this important event. The resolution has been
passed and the governor's office has confirmed that the day will
be proclaimed Disability Mentoring Day in the state of Minnesota.
Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) is designed to bring students and
job seekers with disabilities into the workplace where they can learn
firsthand about career opportunities and specific jobs that can set
them on a career path. Mentoring takes more than one day; but DMD
can get the process started and draw national attention to the importance
of encouraging young people with disabilities to develop the skills
needed and obtain the experiences necessary to compete in today's
economy. Ideally, participation in DMD can translate into ongoing
relationships, internships, and even job offers.
