CHAMPS

CHAMPS “Columbians Highlighting Advancing Millennial Professionals Symposium”

The group’s idea is to introduce and engage young professionals (the “millennials”) in exposure to diversity at work, as there is a definite need for diversity training and exposure with this particular age group who are just starting out in their careers.

The diversity training would be new to most of these younger employees and help them gain a greater understanding of the various components of diversity and the changing nature of the workplace, plus give them helpful tools to learn that would be useful in their careers.  The content focus of the workshop would center on giving these emerging leaders a diversity “toolbox” and provide some useful and real life applications that they can use in their own organization or in the community.  The workshop will be led by Juan Johnson of DLI.

We plan to make available a 4-hour diversity training workshop to Columbia-area young professionals by approaching them through their own range of existing networks and young professionals groups. The workshop would take place over the course of a half day, and we are looking for about 40-50 professionals to take part. There will be a nominal registration fee requested of $20 per person, which includes the workshop, materials, and lunch.

The proposed timing for the half-day workshop is Friday morning, September 19, from 8:00-12 noon, followed by a light lunch with time to network.  It would take place in downtown Columbia at the headquarters of Elliott Davis on Main Street, so it would be a convenient and central location for the participants.