Registration is open for an online professional development program, Career Transformation Lunch-and-Learn Series, offered Fridays, April 9, 16, and 23, through the University of Maine Hutchinson Center in Belfast.

The three sessions, available à la carte or as a series, run from Noon – 1 p.m., via Zoom. The cost is $30 per person per session, or $75 for the series (a 20% discount). More information is available on the Hutchinson Center website.

Career transformation can only be successful with a strong network and preparation, according to the Hutchinson Center, in a news release. Whether you’re looking for a job now or in the future, the Career Transformation Series will increase your career success in these unprecedented times. Learn to differentiate yourself from the masses with specific, tangible, applicable strategies during these casual lunch-and-learn sessions.

Session One on April 9: “Building Your Professional Network: Letting Your Connections Work for You”

Session Two on April 16: “Resume Building Workshop: Making Your Story Come Alive”

Session Three on April 23: “Improving Your Interviewing Skills: It’s Not Bragging If It’s a Fact.”

Those who are currently in college or just starting their careers, recent graduates, people who have been laid off due to COVID-19, people thinking about career changes, those who are unemployed and underemployed, and prospective employees will all benefit from these sessions.

Global economic conditions have created a steep competitive landscape for employers, employees, unemployed, underemployed and future employees alike. Employers are making tough decisions every day. The goal of this online professional development program is to give participants the confidence to maneuver through these times and make it easier to not only survive but thrive.

Presenter Tom Dowd (DTM) (also known as “Transformation Tom”) received a communication degree from the University of Delaware. He is a prize-winning speaker, and an award-winning and Amazon best-selling author, trainer and coach. As a member of Toastmasters International, National Speakers Association, Maine Career Development Association, and Maine Adult Education Association, Dowd has exhibited consistent professional success with a growth mindset. 

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Michelle Patten, um.fhc.pd@maine.edu; 207.338.8002. For information about other upcoming professional development programs or to register, go online. Early registration is recommended as spots are limited. A limited number of need-based scholarships are available for people who live or work in Knox or Waldo counties.

About the Hutchinson Center:

The Hutchinson Center is an outreach center for the University of Maine in Orono, that serves as an educational and cultural center for the midcoast area. It is named for University of Maine President Emeritus Frederick E. Hutchinson. The mission of the Hutchinson Center is to broaden access to University of Maine academic and non-degree programs and services, lifelong learning opportunities, and professional and career development experiences using innovative approaches that increase synergy among University of Maine System entities, University of Maine departments and divisions, and that engage a wider Maine community. 

About the University of Maine: 

The University of Maine, founded in Orono in 1865, is the state's land grant, sea grant and space grant university. It is located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation.  As Maine's flagship public university, UMaine has a statewide mission of teaching, research and economic development, and community service. UMaine is the state's only public research university and among the most comprehensive higher education institutions in the Northeast. It attracts students from all 50 states and more than 70 countries. UMaine currently enrolls 11,561 undergraduate and graduate students who have opportunities to participate in groundbreaking research with world-class scholars. UMaine offers more than 100 degree programs through which students can earn master's, doctoral or professional science master's degrees, as well as graduate certificates. The university promotes environmental stewardship, with substantial efforts campuswide to conserve energy, recycle and adhere to green building standards in new construction. For more information about UMaine, visit umaine.edu.