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From School to Career: A Strong Triangle Talent Pipeline

Our community continues to attract new companies and has become a hot spot that attracts high-quality talent. There are many reasons why these companies and individuals want to call the Triangle home. One major factor remains our strong education system. The Wake County Public School System is ranked No. 1 nationwide in “gold standard” teachers.

That strong education system feeds directly into the local workforce, creating a robust talent pipeline.

“If you’re not from this area, I want you to learn a bit about how wonderful our schools are here,” said Keith Poston, president of the WakeEd Partnership. “We have a phenomenal public school system.”

Poston was one of the speakers at our July Young Professionals Network virtual program. He was joined by Greg Eyman, K-5 STEM coordinator, Brentwood Magnet School of Engineering, and Bill Seyler, chair of the Wake County Public Schools School-to-Career Council. Ashley Cagle, assistant executive director with Wake County Economic Development, moderated the discussion.

“Wake County Schools are focused on the 4 C’s,” said Seyler. “Creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.”

These are critical soft skills to have as potential employers are looking for employees who have them, and can work well in teams that can produce solutions. The Wake County Public School System prepares its students to meet the demands of the workforce by implenting the 4 C’s as soon as students enter kindergarten.

Eyman discussed how students at Brentwood receive hands-on experience through the STEM program.  They gain experience through project-based learning, lead teams throughout their classroooms, and create solutions that they can share with the community.

But, a critical aspect of the talent pipeline is to ensure that it remains strong for the future. That means ensuring students want to remain in the area once they graduate.

Cagle said the business community plays an important role.

“If this interests you, I encourage you to reach out and find out if there is a role for you in Summer STEM,” she said.

She said interested businesses should learn more about the Summer STEM program.

Cagle also pointed out that businesses that want to get engaged could join a business alliance team at an area school.

Seyler agreed.

“The business alliances are working with the schools, being guest lecturers,” he said. “They’re able to do it from home with the virtual meetings. They’re looking for young professionals. There are a lot of opportunities to get engaged.”

The N.C. Business Committee for Education is looking for people to be virtual speakers in local high schools. You can create a profile on the North Carolina Business Committee for Education's website and be matched with teachers that need speakers with your skillset.

We want to thank our speakers for sharing their valuable perspectives about the school-to-career talent pipeline in our region. We also want to thank our sponsors whose support made this, and other, YPN events possible.

Our next YPN program will be on Sept. 15 where will we preview the 2020 election and what will drive results across North Carolina. Register today and we look forward to seeing you online in September.

It isn’t easy for Lindsey Boggs to talk about some of what she has experienced in life. But, she will be the first to tell you that it’s very important for her to talk about it.

Boggs shared her inspirational story at our virtual Young Professionals Network program.

“There is hope,” she said. “If I can get through it, anyone can get through it.”

Boggs educates on the stigma of mental health. In 2018, she discussed it during a TEDxRaleigh talk.

“I’m talking today about something very personal,” she said during her talk with YPN.

Boggs was on top of her game in her professional life. Her successful sales career garnered national recognition.
“I knew sales was for me because I am very driven by numbers and by a leaderboard,” she said.

Boggs even presented on the topic of social selling with Shaquille O’Neal. She had everything she could want.

But, an unexpected death in her family set off a chain of events that led to her having a mental breakdown. Her sister had died of a brain aneurysm.

“It was incredibly hard and the only thing I knew to do was work,” said Boggs.

She said she worked more hours than ever.

“I became a social selling pioneer to the outside world, but, in reality, I was really falling apart,” said Boggs. “My family life was non-existent. I had an addiction to social media and a desire to always outperform yesterday’s posts.”

She got help.

Now, she sees work and life in a completely different way.

“At the end of the day, remember, it’s just a job,” said Boggs. “Set boundaries at work. That’s the first thing.”

Boggs now is the digital sales and development manager at Citrix.

“I’ve created very healthy boundaries for myself,” she said. “I don’t have the Sunday scaries anymore. I work at a great organization.”

Boggs spoke about why self care is so important.

“Take email off your phone if possible,” she said. “Block off your lunch every day. Identify your limits and practice saying no. Delegate, delegate, delegate. Also, I recommend meditation. I meditate every day. It’s been very grounding for me.”

We want to thank Boggs for sharing her personal story with us. Especially during these challenging times, it is very important to hear a message of hope.

We also would like to thank our series sponsors, Greene Resources and UNC Kenan-Flagler Executive MBA Programs, for their continued support of YPN.
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Our next YPN program will be on July 9 where we will take a closer look at education in the Triangle, including K-12 education and the workforce pipeline.

In the last two months, all of us have seen our worlds change. No matter what our industry, technology has become an essential part of what we do, more so than ever before.

We planned to discuss a key theme, Tech in the Workplace, at our March Young Professionals Network program. Then, the world changed.

Like so many of you, we pivoted. We began to hold virtual events and it became even more clear that “Tech in the Workplace” is a topic that is front and center in today’s world. Our postponed March YPN topic became the topic of our first virtual YPN program in April.

“At Citrix, we’ve been hyperfocused on helping our customers adapt to these dramatic changes,” said Alysia Baker Eve, director of product marketing for Citrix. She was one of our panelists for the program.

Baker Eve discussed how the changing world is forcing organizations to change the way they think.

“Think about the elements that made your organization successful and how you can leverage technology for those elements,” she said. “This is making organizations manage in a much more personal level.”

Peggy Pranschke, senior director of Data Science and AdvanceAI at Advance Auto Parts, also spoke about the personal nature of work-from-home work dynamics during her presentation.

“Even before COVID-19, Advance gave employees the ability to work from anywhere,” said Pranschke. “Top talent wants to see the flexibility to learn and grow. That includes working from home. They need flexibility, strong healthcare options, and wellness programs.”

The moderator of our panel, Alan Cross, chief commercial officer for Diveplane Corporation, explained how it is important to embrace technology, but not hide behind it.

“Look at how your companies are adapting and consider what changes will be permanent in the future,” he said.
Phaedra Boinodiris with the IBM Academy of Technology pointed out how the disparity between those who have and don’t have internet and broadband access is even more exemplified during the pandemic.

“The disadvantage is for the people who don’t have access at home,” said Boinodiris. “They are truly disadvantaged. The pandemic highlights this digital divide.”

Baker Eve said “this situation highlights how pervasive this is. I hope that we come out of this and give everyone access to what is needed.”

We want to thank all of our speakers for sharing their great insights on this topic, as well as their flexibility so we could change the date of our program.

We also want to thank our sponsors for their continued support of YPN, making programs like this possible.

Our next YPN program on May 21 also will be virtual. You’ll discover ways to align your career and your personal life. You can learn more about the program and register on our event page.

By: Elizabeth Wilson, Client Support Specialist | Employee Health & Benefits
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC 

The Raleigh YPN kicked off the first meeting of the new decade with a great panel of speakers to educate us on “#Adulting.” The panelists provided their insight on managing your finances, planning, and even work life balance. There were a number of takeaway messages, firsthand experiences, and tips shared that everyone can start doing today.
 

• Adam Whitesell, a private wealth advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.,  talked about the importance of mastering your debt and saving until it hurts. He referred to this as the 100% rule. Everyone makes 100% of your paycheck, but what happens next? You can assume 30% is taken for taxes, so that leaves us with 70% of our paycheck remaining. What next? Debts. Debts include anything from car payments to mortgage, etc. His rule of thumb is to allocate no more than 20 – 28% of your paycheck towards debts. Now we are 50% of our paycheck amount. Now we need to take out 10% towards retirement, and, if applicable, allocate at least 20% to include education for dependent children. Finally, we are left with 30% to put towards all other expenses. Budgeting tools can be helpful but they don’t break the habit. Start to break your bad habits and build new ones.

 

• Have a good relationship with money and allow yourself to be able to unplug and recharge to affect change and self-care. Realize that no one can fully balance work, family, friends, finances, etc. The real goal is to integrate all areas of your life to work the best for you. Start to prepare now or as soon as you can, not when it becomes a necessity. That way you won’t be playing catch up later. 

 
If you are interested, check out a couple of the following books our panel of speakers recommended:

• “Chasing the Brightside: Embrace Optimism, Activate Your Purpose, and Write Your Own Story” by Jess Ekstrom
• “Mastery” by Robert Greene
• “Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It” by Christopher Voss and Tahl Raz 

By Josh VanNamee
Vaco, Director – Talent Solutions
 
The Young Professionals Network hosted its second annual conference on Nov. 21 at the Raleigh Convention Center. This year’s focus was “Capitalizing on Your Strengths.” Together, a group of nearly 300 young professionals welcomed Candice Webb as the keynote speaker. Webb is the Meredith College director of StrongPoints. She works with students and professionals to identify and use their strengths to reach their goals. Each participant took their own StrengthsFinder Assessment to learn which of the four strength domains best described them. Check out some of the biggest takeaways of the day:
 
Building Your Brand (Domain: Influencing)

• Social media IS connected to the hiring process. Your social media brand can impact your professional career whether it is getting or maintaining a position. Excessive pictures of drinking, drugs, violence, guns, illegal activity, bad mouthing employers, poor writing skills can all impact job opportunities as well as your current job. (Megan Johnson, career coach, Duke University – The Fuqua School of Business)

• You don’t have an obligation to “friend” your supervisor or colleagues. If you want your personal social media to stay private, your company/associates should respect that, but be mindful there are still ways they can see your activity through tags, mutual friends, screenshots, etc. (DeShelia Spann, marketing manager, Lenovo)

 
Designing Your Dream Team (Domain: Relationship Building)

• Finding mentors always needs to be in an area of development, both personal and professionally. It’s fundamental to find people who think differently than you. (Jim Kissinger, sales director, Nationwide Insurance)

• Don’t neglect the word “personal” in your personal advisory board. Your board is all about you and what you need to develop. (Rachel Hardin, director, SAS)

 
Measure What You Manage (Domain: Strategic Thinking)

• There are moments in your career where different opportunities present themselves. What are your strongest skills? Capitalize on them and listen to yourself. (Angela Connor, founder and CEO, Change Agent Communications)

• Understand what your habits are in difficult situations. Know yourself and know your weaknesses. Make sure your weaknesses don’t hinder your ability to make a leap forward. (Will Barfield, CEO, Barfield Revenue Consulting)

 
Making Moves (Domain: Executing)

• Lean on the power of your people. Surround yourself with a team of individuals that are different, yet similar. You will be amazed at how these folks will push you to be a stronger employee, a better leader, and a better person. (Maggie Kane, executive director, A Place at the Table)

• Don’t just do a job. Do something you love. Make the risky move even if people tell you that you’re going to fail. There were 50+ people that told us the North Hills project wouldn’t work, but we knew it felt right and knew it had potential. We took the risk, and reaped the reward. (Mike Smith, president, Kane Realty Corporation)

• Your business career is not linear. You will one day have to make a pivot. You will indeed make mistakes. Learn from them and fail forward. Every mistake you make is your roadmap to glory and success in the future. (Melisse Shaban, CEO, Virtue Labs)

By Spencer Lazzari
VP of Operations
Proforma BrandCentric Solutions
 
Raleigh YPN recently had a chance to peek at all of the exciting things happening at Dorothea Dix Park. The event was packed with members eager to see what the park had to offer. The event had many key takeaways, but the following stood out.

1.  A Park for Everyone, Built by Everyone. This great tagline sums up what this park is really about,  us. Sean Malone, president and CEO of the Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy, emphasized the importance of making an attraction from which everyone could benefit. To accomplish this over the course of 18 months, more than 65,000 residents were engaged for their input.
2. Once-in-a-generation Opportunity. As Adrian Benepe, director of national programs for The Trust for Public Land, put it, “Dorothea Dix Park is the most important and exciting park project in America today.” The park is located in the heart of Raleigh. It will feature vast open areas, as well as community gathering places with more infrastructure. Parks that are within a close proximity to a downtown with this much space are rare, making this project particularly exciting.
3. Get Involved. The easiest way to get involved is to stay in the know. By going to https://dixpark.org/get-involved, you can enter your email and receive updates. Additionally, people can sign up to volunteer. Volunteers are needed now and will continue to be needed as the project moves forward. Donations are also welcomed.

For more information, please go to https://dixpark.org/. Also, be sure to sign up for the next Raleigh YPN event for more exciting programs at raleighchamber.org/events.
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By Spencer Lazzari
​VP of Operations
Proforma BrandCentric Solutions

The Raleigh Chamber YPN recently went to a soccer match between the North Carolina Courage and the Houston Dash. Although the home team had a great win, that was not the only win for the night. Young professionals from around the area (and even beyond) gathered on the Party Deck of WakeMed Soccer Park. Members talked soccer, swapped cards, and mingled freely. Conversation topics ranged from the classic “what do you do,” to discussing Girl Scout cookie availability. First-time attendees meshed well with YPN veterans, proving that the Raleigh Chamber YPN continues to attract those who are true professionals, want to grow, and, most importantly, want to expand their network. Be sure to check out our next event, and seize the opportunity to be a part of this incredible group. 

By Spencer Lazzari
​VP of Operations
Proforma BrandCentric Solutions

The Young Professionals Network is an opportunity to meet people from all different kinds of industries. Recently, we’ve heard from several team members of CALYX Engineers and Consultants about their impressions of YPN events. We were delighted to hear what YPN has meant to them. Check it out below.

“YPN has offered a new and diverse avenue to meet and network with business professionals that are typically not in the network for engineers. The wide variety of programing and speakers at YPN events is also a refreshing change to the normal engineering seminars and conferences. Seeing and hearing lessons learned from some of Raleigh’s best business successes has allowed me to view my own engineering career and development in a new light.” – Chris Johnson, PE, Building Structures Project Manager 

“I’ve enjoyed the three YPN events I have attended thus far. My daily routine keeps me hunkered down in my cubicle while I’m busy designing. As I grow professionally, I find myself engaging in more interaction with others. The YPN events are giving me some great no-pressure opportunities to practice my networking skills. I felt a little uncomfortable approaching people at the first event because it was a different environment than I have grown accustomed to. By my third event, I felt completely at ease walking up to random people and introducing myself. I realized I had a lot more in common with the other professionals than I expected. The presentations at the events are filled with useful information that helps me be informed with current business trends. I look forward to attending again in the future.” – Caleb Robinson, Land Development Designer

“As a project manager for CALYX, I attend a fair amount of social events for work. By attending the YPN Conference and breakout sessions at the Convention Center, I have learned to use those events more efficiently to create and develop networking opportunities. I also enjoyed the real estate YPN event as I was in the process of buying a new house. Needless to say, both YPN events I’ve attended so far have been very relevant and useful to me.” – Dan Hesington, PE, Building Structures Project Manager
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As you can see, Raleigh YPN has value for all. No matter your position, be sure to register and attend our upcoming YPN programs! 

By Spencer Lazzari
​VP of Operations
Proforma BrandCentric Solutions
 
The message from the last Raleigh YPN event was clear: Raleigh continues to grow. While having more than 60 people migrate to Wake County every day has benefits, it also creates a logistical challenge. What exactly is the best way to transport all of these people? Several people from the transportation industry came to share some of the things currently in the works.

Andy Willard and Ashley Schultz from GoTriangle came to talk about all of the success of the bus program. From new routes to improved stops, there was a lot to discuss. One of the highlights was the Youth GoPass, which allows youth between the ages of 13 and 18 to ride the bus for free. There was a big focus on using buses to alleviate traffic, as well as planning for routes that make the most sense for riders.

Next Crystal Feldman, from the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, spoke about the airport’s plan to accommodate all of the growth in our region—Vision 2040. From adding new gates to replacing the runway, the airport authority is committed to serving more than 10 million passengers annually. Additionally, Crystal took a sidebar to explain some keys to her professional success. As vice president of communications, government & community affairs, Crystal shared an important message about challenging yourself, being resilient, and leaving a positive impression on everyone you encounter.

We then heard from Natalie Griffith Ridout from the Regional Transportation Alliance. Natalie shared some of RTA’s priorities, including alleviating congestion along I-40, and accelerating the 540 southeast extension. She mentioned GoTriangle’s efforts to get around traffic, specifically the Bus on Shoulder System.

Finally, all of the panelists returned to the stage to answer audience questions, ranging from allocation of funds to the recent surge of scooter transportation. Combine all the knowledge with a fun, transportation-themed icebreaker and you have an event that was one for the books. Be sure to join us for our Young Professionals Network Social on July 16!

Sources:
http://www.wakegov.com/data/bythenumbers/Pages/default.aspx
http://rduvision2040.wpengine.com/
https://goraleigh.org/

By Spencer Lazzari
Vice President of Operations, Proforma BrandCentric Solutions
 
Last Friday, the Raleigh Young Professionals Network held its biannual service day. This year, members assisted groups such as the North Carolina Museum of Art, Read and Feed, and Marbles Kids Museum. The day started off at Carolina Café in Cameron Village. YPN members were able to get some coffee, pick up a special t-shirt, as well as chat with fellow volunteers. This was a great networking opportunity, and allowed members to meet each other before starting for the day.

Once everyone had their fill of caffeine, members dispersed to their respective events. Attendees did tasks ranging from ranking and composting, to tying glitter-filled balloons. In a poll of members who attended, many enjoyed the personal satisfaction of volunteering, as well as meeting fellow YPN members. Several members learned more about the causes they chose to assist, and at least one member even expressed an interest in volunteering with their cause more in the future.
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At the end of the morning, members reconvened at Morgan Street Food Hall for lunch. This gave everyone the opportunity to further network, and try some great local restaurants. All in all, it was a phenomenal event. Next time you feel like giving back, be sure to join forces with YPN for an awesome experience.