The Professional Development Team is here to "Promote your Professional Success."
The team seeks to connect Young Professionals with opportunities to further enhance their learning, leadership skills, career development, and personal growth. As Young Professionals, we are energized by the fact that YPs have not yet become complacent and are continually striving to seek new knowledge, new challenges, and new opportunities. Whether it is a seminar on new-home buyers, a panel of experts debating a community issue, or a public speaking session the PD Team is here to connect you to the opportunities that matter most!
The PD Team is actively pursuing partnerships to deliver PD opportunities to the network. If you know of events that may be a fit for the network or are interested in joining this team, please e-mail the PD Team at pd@ypnetwork.org. Monthly meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of each month, from 11:30-12:30, at alternating locations. See the Professional Development Resource Page for additional information
Mission: To create professional growth opportunities for young professionals that contribute to their career success by addressing the unique challenges they face.
Goals:
- Connect members to professional development opportunities
- Create business networking opportunities
- Expose members to a broad range of community issues
Social Networking
Are you using Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or Linkedin to promote yourself or your business? If not, you should be! Using social marketing to network yourself or your business is the smartest thing to do no matter if you're 16 or 76, a mechanic, accountant, banker, or coffee shop owner. But what if you already have a social networking page? Do you realize people are Googling you before you're hired? Should you take down the party photos or let it go?
For those of you who were unable to attend Scott Wild's Power Dinner presentation on April 15, 2009 please visit http://www.webstrategyschool.com/free-downloads/ for Scott's presentation and other references on social media.
Professional Development - "Stepping Up" Program
Our Message: The PD Team has developed a "Stepping Up" program on career conversations with local high school students. This project allows YPs to speak personally about how they chose their university, a degree (reasons for changing degrees), moving out of state and coming back to ND, and building work experience which has lead them to their current job position. Our goal: build job experience to match your degree. The result: Our pilot project began in September of 2008 resulting in presenting to over 260 high school students in Bismarck and Mandan in one year.
Because of our pilot project success, the program is expanding to the other high schools in our local community. View an agenda of the Stepping Up program.
See more on the Stepping Up program on the NDYP website.
Volunteers Needed for Stepping UP!!!
Become Part of Our Success
- Prep Time is minimal (5-10 minutes) for the presentation
- Volunteer only one hour of your time
- Three to four YP volunteers are needed per session-you may offer to do more than one if you choose
- Speaking time is approximately 10 minutes individually
- Please contact molly.sullivan@kljeng.com if you are interested.
Professional Development Team Media Coverage
- PD Team featured on Prairie Public Broadcasting's 20 Under 40
- For media coverage on Stepping up, see these City Mag and NDYP articles.
- KFYR-TV's coverage of the Speed Networking event the PD Team co-sponsored with the Ambassador Team
- Speed Networking story from the Bismarck Tribune
- The Professional Development Team's "Stepping Up" program was presented as a success story at Dickinson State University's Community Field Day. Angil Wanner discussed this program and it how its outcomes positively affect the Bismarck-Mandan community. This gave an opportunity for others to hear the positive outcomes of the Stepping Up program so they could take it back to their community.
Power Lunches
Propel your professional career to the next level by attending a YP Network Power Lunch. Local professionals that are passionate about the personal growth of the area’s young professionals present various topics during a scheduled lunch hour. Past topics included networking, being a leader versus a manager, generational differences, and how to start your political career.
The YP Network Power Lunches provide a relaxed atmosphere for conversation, questions, professional development and networking. For more information about upcoming Power Lunches, click on "YPN Events," under the "Creating" heading on the YP Network home page, or click here.
Power Lunches are held over lunch hour at the Bismarck Country Club.
Cost is $10 for members, $15 for non-members and lunch is provided.
YP & Rotary Mentorship Program
The Mentorship Program is a partnership between the Young Professional’s Network (YPN) and the Bismarck Rotary Club. Its goal is to provide YPN members with experienced mentors who can assist them with planning for their careers, balancing their work/personal life, working with other people, ethical dilemmas, and so much more. This six month program requests a minimum of meeting one hour per month and completing a service based project. The program is designed to be very flexible so both members of the group can address their diverse and busy work schedules. The Mentorship Program is an excellent way to meet community leaders and professionals, form long term relationships, and get the “inside info” that only experience can provide.”
Click here to view sample Mentorship program questions.
Community project: Angil Wanner volunteered with Jan Nelson(coordinator) for the Holiday Home-Walk fundraiser for the Bismarck/Mandan Symphony Orchestra
"Sharing your opinions and experiences with others in a similar field is always helpful- and always a learning experience, no matter what the "age" difference is between participants. I enjoyed getting to know the Young Professional I was assigned, and would recommend this program to anyone who enjoys, sharing, listening and networking." -Jan Nelson, Rotarian, 2009 YP/Rotary Mentorship Progam Participants
“Being able to discuss real life lessons, situations, problem solving techniques, and opportunities with an experienced business woman like Jan Nelson, has helped me set the course for future learning and growth. The information we shared is invaluable. Our mentorship has not only grown into a business relationship, but also a lifelong friendship.” -Angil Wanner, YP Network member, 2009 YP Rotary Mentorship Progam Participants
Professional Development Team Members:
- Casey King (Co-Lead) – Odney Advertising
- Angil Wanner (Co-Lead) -- SIA Martketing
- Kayla Shafer – Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson
- Stacy DuToit – Brady, Martz & Associates
- Patty Teagle -- EAPC
- Justin Dever – ND Dept. of Commerce
- Eric Miller – Applied Engineering
- David Mason – American Bank Center
- Casey Jacobson – Basin Electric Power Cooperative
- Molly Sullivan -- Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson
- Rose Heeb - Point 2 Profit
- Kelly Johnsrud - Mary Kay Cosmetics
- Sara Kincaid - Bismarck Tribune
Meeting Information for 2010 (All meetings are held at 11:30am)
- April 20th - Fiesta Villa
- May 18th - The Walrus
- June 15th - Famous Dave's
- July 20th - Johnny Carino's
- August 17th - Peacock Alley
- September 21 - Ruby Tuesday
- October 19th - Ground Round
- November 16th - TGI Friday's
