For whatever reason you’re seeking a way out of your current job, you’re not alone.
About 6.2 million workers (4 percent of the total workforce), changed jobs from 2015 to 2016, according to Department of Labor Statistics data.
The good news is, locally, there are plenty of resources available if you’re thinking about a change of pace, or a new career altogether.
SteamWork Center
Tania Mulry, founder of the SteamWork Center here in Santa Clarita — a workspace and community for startup companies, freelancers and entrepreneurs offering flexible office space, coworking, workshops, and events — said she herself changed her career paths, and it’s something she tells people when she’s advising them on how they can reinvent themselves and their career.
“The days of the 30-year-long career at a single company are over, and you’ll always need to reinvent your skills or find the next opportunity, receive reeducation, or work on new personal development skills to keep up with new technology and a change in pace,” said Mulry. “And employers actually like it when they see people volunteering for new challenges.
“There’s more courses known to man in training and online programs,” said Mulry, referring to internet resources. “It’s usually out there, you just need to search for what you need.”
Second Career Center
While a new job path can be daunting at any time, the SCV Senior Center recently opened a Second Career Center with additional resources for those seeking new opportunities.
It’s not just about job fairs, there are also seminars that can inform job-seekers and help address concerns and common issues.
“We do workshops every month that deal with different questions that seniors have in reference to job leads, putting together resumes, putting together profiles,” said Nikki Cervantes, executive assistant for the Senior Center, in a previous interview with The Signal.
Get more information on the Senior Center online at myscvcoa.org; in Newhall, at 22900 Market St.; or by calling (661)259-4444.
College of the Canyons
There are two pathways when trying to find fresh career: entrepeneurialship and finding a new field, according to career training and job finding specialists at College of the Canyons.
“As an entrepreneur, you’d be looking to start a business based on your passions and gifts and abilities based on your ability to delivering a product or service to customers,” said Jeffrey Forrest, vice president of economic and workforce development at College of the Canyons. “For those who are looking for a new career, we have a career services department where individuals can explore a variety of different opportunities for their next career move.”
Forrest said that College of the Canyons offers services such as a small business development center, as well as questionnaires and surveys that can help people decide which commitment they want to make. He also offered a stat that some might find encouraging.
“Over 60 percent of our participants are between the ages of 25 and 64,” he said. “So, it’s never too late.”
To learn more SBDC, contact Catherine Grooms at [email protected].
