National Career Development Month is November!

National Career Development Week: November 12th-16th
National Career Development Day: November 14th

Each year, the National Career Development Association hosts National Career Development Month in November. During NCD Month, each state is encouraged to promote career related activities and events through the state divisions. The Ohio career Development Association (OCDA) invites you to celebrate with us this year!

There are many ways to get involved and spread the word:

1. Promote career development activities in your everyday work with students and clients. Please see the handouts entitled NCD Month Ideas for K-12 and NCD Month Ideas for Higher Ed and Community.

Here are a few examples of what you can do to promote National Career Development Month:

K-12 Ideas:

  • Have students draw pictures of careers they see people doing in their everyday lives
  • Read career focused books during story time
  • Have students create a career family tree
  • Highlight a different career pathway each week
  • Prepare classroom guidance lessons on career awareness, decision making, research, etc.
  • Arrange a job shadowing day or a career assembly with community members

Download full list of ideas for K-12.

Higher Education Ideas:

  • Host a career fair with local employers
  • Host a Dress for Success event or an Etiquette Dinner
  • Help students set-up informational interviews to explore careers paths more in-depth
  • Encourage faculty to host classroom presentations on career content like choosing a major or resume writing

Community Outreach Ideas:

  • Provide free workshops to community members on resume writing and the job search
  • Encourage clients to join LinkedIn and start building their network
  • Host a networking reception for a specific career industry
  • Write a career article for the local newspaper

Download full list of ideas for Higher Education and Community.

2. Promote the annual Poetry and Poster Contest sponsored by the National Career Development Association. Celebrating their 100th birthday, NCDA coined the 47th Poetry and Poster Contest theme as “Inspiring Careers: Honoring History.”

***Each entry should celebrate and inspire career development with a positive tone while emphasizing the national theme.

Contest Division Areas:

Primary Grades: K – 2
Intermediate Grades: 3 – 5
Middle Grades: 6 – 8
Senior Grades: 9 – 12
Adult Student: 18 and older enrolled in school
Open Adult: 18 and older not enrolled in school (teachers, parents, professionals…)

Requirements for Poems

Poetic Form: Use of any acceptable poetic form (e.g. cinquain, free verse, diamante, haiku, limerick, metered, rhyming, blank verse).
Size: Submit each poem on a single sheet of paper, 8.5″ x 11″ in 12 point font.

Requirements for Posters 

Lettering: Simple bold lettering is preferred. Captions are to be used to convey the theme, attract attention, and to achieve goals of clarity, vigor and originality. All lettering will be considered part of the design.

Media:
Category 1 (C1): Standard use of ink, pencil, poster paints, magic marker, acrylics, and oils.
Category 2 (C2): Use of photos, clipart, graphic art software, collage, cut and pasted paper, and mixed media.
Size: Each poster must be created in 8.5″ x 11″ format, including matte, to be eligible.

All entries should be accompanied by an official entry form and a permission slip signed by a parent/guardian for students under the age of 18.

Download Official Contest Rules

CONTEST DEADLINE (POSTMARKED BY):
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012 

Please mail all entry materials to: 

2012 OCDA Poster Contest
University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College
c/o Carly Dennis, Career Services
9555 Plainfield Road
Cincinnati, OH 45236

If you have any questions, please call or email Carly Dennis at 513-745-5663 or carly.dennis@uc.edu.

WILL SOMEONE YOU KNOW BE OHIO’S FIRST NATIONAL WINNER?

National winners will be recognized with the winning entries placed on the NCDA website, www.ncda.org, by April 17, 2013. The winning entries will also be on display at the Annual Global Conference to be held in Boston, Massachusetts, July 8-10, 2013. In addition, National winners will receive from the National Career Development Association, a certificate and a special congratulations gift.