UNEDUCATED CONJECTURING! : December 2015

JOIN US IN CLOSING THE ADULT SKILLS, EDUCATION, AND OPPORTUNITIES GAP

In my late thirties, I made an uneducated conjecture [guess] in selecting a career change and re-entered the university to complete my education. In my past were multiple hits and misses to gain economic advantages with a quick certificate or continuing education course. The realization hit me while on a work furlough that I needed to select a career path and develop the full range of skills and education to advance on that path. Information Technology was my career choice; however there were multiple directions I could have taken in the medical, teaching and financial fields. Through uneducated conjecturing I made a decision and stayed with it.

What is "Uneducated Conjecturing"? The act of making a decision based on a hunch and without sufficient proof of a favorable outcome, but having a strong belief whatever the direction it would be positive.

As an adult learner, I developed tools that gave me the courage to take action even when there was not any hard evidence that my choice was the best action to take. The payoff was remarkable!

Through uneducated conjecturing I not only found the perfect career for me but I also developed behaviors to overcome perceived obstacles in both my personal and professional lives.

There is an opportunities gap in our nation that needs to be bridged. Our team is devoted to mentoring adult learners seeking to improve their employability or make a career change. You will find valuable resources for any middle-aged and older adults seeking to complete undergraduate studies or enter into a skills program to advance in a new career field.

The consortium is teaming with like-minded adults to address wage inequality through continuously learning, mentoring and positioning adult learners for the opportunities that are left on the table due to a lag in skills or education in our communities. Join us!

If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. –Booker T. Washington

***Mentoring Group Update***
The Genius Tribe participated in the Sister Talk Conference on 10/14 at The Georgia Convention Center. Judge Penny Brown-Reynolds facilitated an inspiring session. Judge Penny emphatically stated, "No one has the right to tell you not to dream!" and then every session in the event provided stories and people and resources to show you how.

Our next monthly meeting will be held in January 2016. Email me if you would like to join.

The Genius Tribe...Women who mean Business!

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Majestic Trees

I was traveling along I-285N to my grandson’s basketball game, when the sign above informed me there were lane closures for the next 10 miles. I decided to detour for lane onto a familiar inner city road to get to my destination without delays. As a native Atlantan, I made several trips along this road as a child. My father would take us to visit relatives and it was also the shortcut to our weekend K-Mart shopping trip after church on Sunday. I was driving.

Maneuvering down the winding road, I observed the majestic trees that lined both sides of the two-lane street. During the sixties and seventies, most residents walked and used public transportation. I reflected on how these trees have a legacy of providing a canopy of coolness and shade. These trees protected the foot travelers loaded down with packages from the southern sun. Alternately, during the fall season the tall oaks and pines shed their leaves to provide nourishment for the soil and helped to retain the Georgia rain to sturdy the shallow roots an. This offered a much needed protection from the ensuing winter freezes so the trees would remain standing as the majestic and spout new leaves in the next spring.

I thought this Adult Learning Advocacy program is much like those majestic trees. We are here to nurture and protect. We are the tall trees. We are here when our followers need someone to listen and offer support for their learning journey. We are that mulch, the leaves that have fallen on the soil. We are here share our wisdom and teach based on what we have learned with our mentees. We use our experiences to feed their creativity and dreams.

As you are nearing the end of the semester, If you need a sounding board for your career ideas or pondering decisions about what courses to take next semester. That is what this program is for---we are here to listen and we are here to share.