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News & Photos
 May 28, 2010
Spring Industry Tour
Portland Energy Conservation, Inc. (PECI)
Portland, OR
OCDA members enjoyed participating in the 2010 Spring Industry Tour on May 28th. As a result of several requests from OCDA members to learn more about "green jobs" and sustainability, the spring tour took us to Portland Energy Conservation Inc. (PECI). As with all our Industry Tours, it was a great mix of learning and networking. PECI is an non-profit environmental consulting company that was founded in Portland in 1980. PECI has grown dramatically over the past two years from about 150 employees to 300 employees. PECI hosted an outstanding “tour”, introducing OCDA members to all facets of the organization. In addition to meeting with the PECI Human Resources Recruiter, we heard presentations from various specialists including: Lighting Program Manager, Field Energy Analyst, Mechanical Engineer and a Senior Marketing Manager.
From the recruiting representative we learned about the various roles within the organization, from entry level positions (Data Entry Clerk, Project Assistant, Senior Project Assistant and Project Coordinator) to senior management roles (Director, Associate Director, Senior Program Manager and Program manager.) Participants listened to these PECI employees describe their own backgrounds, and gained valuable advice for individuals interested in working in this industry. We learned that PECI employees have a wide variety in educational backgrounds (particularly within marketing), but some technical background or math/science knowledge is often necessary. Industry experience related to energy conservation is also appreciated. PECI also offers a number of internship possibilities that span many interest and skill levels--great for students who may want to gain some initial exposure to the sustainable energy field.
PECI also attends a variety of recruiting events including career fairs, industry fairs (AEEE, ASHRAE, USGBC, AESP, IEPEC, Green Professionals Conference), and networking events (Future of Energy, Green Drinks). They can also be found on LinkedIn and Twitter (@PECIrecruiting).
Following PECI's stellar presentation, OCDA members walked on over to a restaurant across the street for some delicious lunch and time to connect with colleagues. We hope to see everyone in the fall for our next Industry Tour--location TBA! |
March 12, 2010
Annual Professional Development Institute "Keepin' it Fresh!"
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OCDA Board members Matt, Margie, Christine, and Dan preparing for attendees to arrive.
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PDI Check-in crew: Board members Andrea, Anne, and Dan.
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Breakfast and networking with colleagues
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Keynote speaker Dick Bolles shares his insights and perspective on our 2010 theme, "Keepin' it Fresh!"
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More than 60 career development practitioners registered for this year's PDI -- it was a great group!
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President Angela J. Doty wishing Dick Bolles a happy (early) birthday on behalf of OCDA.
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Mini cupcakes in celebration of Dick's birthday provided by The Sassy Cupcake.
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Board member Anne Lapour gets her copy of What Color is My Parachute? signed by the author.
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OCDA Board members with our keynote speaker Dick Bolles and wife Marci.
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Fran Moga received the 2010 Esther Matthews award in recognition of lifetime acheivement in the career development field.
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Board member Matt Morscheck with Fran Moga, recipient of the Esther Matthews award.
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Afternoon guest speaker Beth Landy provided an engaging and informative presentation on Dependable Strengths.
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Beth Landy and Fran Moga pose for a picture after the awards luncheon.
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October 23, 2009
2009 Fall Industry Tour at Sokol Blosser Winery
The 2009 Fall Industry Tour was quite a success! Thirteen OCDA members attended and enjoyed learning about the field of winemaking at Sokol Blosser Winery in Dundee. Sokol Blosser was recently ranked #6 in the Oregon Business 100 Best Green Companies to Work for in Oregon.
During the tour, as well as speaking to an HR representative and the Direct Sales Manager, we learned that the majority of the employees did not receive degrees in enology or viticulture. Enology is the science and study of all aspects of wine and winemaking and viticulture is the science and study of vine-growing and grape harvesting. However we did learn that there are colleges that have very strong programs in these areas, most notably U.C. Davis, Walla Walla Community College, and Chemeketa Community College. OSU is reportedly beginning a program. Higher up management tend to have MBA degrees, and this is even more common at larger wineries. In fact, some large wineries require their winemakers to have a MBA, as they control much of the business and make many large decisions for the company.
Approximately 30 employees work full-time at Sokol Blosser, ranging from two co-presidents, a chairman, the founder, a winemaker, assistant winemakers, sales representatives, tasting room specialists/tour guides, an accountant and controller, and more. Part-time seasonal harvesters often volunteer their time to gain experience and break into the field, as well as those who start out working in the tasting room.
Networking and volunteering are the best ways to land a job at a winery. Education is helpful but if you don’t have any experience, the likelihood of obtaining a position is very low. |
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July 2, 2009
OCDA Receives Award for Outstanding State Division!
Oregon Career Development Association received the Outstanding State Division Award for exemplary programming at the state level in the Western region from National Career Development Association (NCDA) at the Global Conference on July 2 in St. Louis, MO. Bonnie Jerke, Director of Career Services at George Fox University, accepted the award on behalf of the OCDA President, Angela J. Doty. Charles Lehman, NCDA Western Region Trustee, presented the award. |
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March, 2009 Professional Development Institute
Portland, OR
Photo Album
Thanks to everyone who attended and to those who helped to make the PDI a great success! If you missed it, we hope to see you next year! Here are a few photos from the day:
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August, 2008
President's Message
 Angela J. Doty, OCDA President 2008-2009
Fall happens to be one of my favorite seasons. Maybe it is first day of school or the changing color of the leaves. Fall represents both a new beginning and a transformation. As career development professionals, we interact with and come along side individuals who are experiencing change and transition. What an exciting and challenging opportunity – one that allows people to embark on a new journey.
As I write this letter, I am setting out on a new adventure myself. I recently accepted a promotion at Northwest Christian University, and with it comes the chance to establish goals and strategies that will benefit students in their educational planning and career development. At the same time, I commence my term as the president of Oregon Career Development Association. I am humbled and honored to serve you and the organization in this capacity. Together, we have the opportunity to advance and enhance our profession and the lives of those we touch. What we do makes a difference!
As your president, I hope to make a difference by implementing some ideas that will heighten awareness of OCDA, increase membership, and establish sustainability. One of the first things you will notice is the website. Thanks to one of our newest board members, Matthew Morscheck, we have a new and improved website. It will allow you to easily navigate and access information about upcoming events, including our annual Spring PDI and Awards Luncheon and industry tours, professional networking opportunities, and career development resources. I have also charged the Executive Board with the task of documenting processes and procedures for future board members in order to provide consistency and stability for the future of OCDA.
What we do matters, and I encourage you to share your expertise and experiences with the Executive Board. This year, we plan to coordinate a wide variety of excellent and timely events. We are here to help provide and support a network that contributes to the pursuit of your own career development. This can only be achieved successfully with your input, so I invite you to utilize our organization, to participate in our events and activities, to network, and to revitalize yourself both professional and personally, as you continue in your excellent work in the state of Oregon and beyond.
Sincerely,
Angela J. Doty |
Spring 2008 Professional Development Institute
Monarch Hotel, Portland, OR
Photo Album
March, 2008
2008 OCDA Emerging Leader Award goes to Laura McCoid
The Oregon Career Development Association (OCDA) Emerging Leader Award was established to recognize a career development/education leader whose emerging record of leadership in the career development profession is significant.
This year Oregon CIS User Services Representative Laura McCoid received this distinguished award on February 29, 2008 at the OCDA Professional Development Institute (PDI) in Portland, Oregon.
Laura’s commitment as a career development professional and leader emerged quickly in her position at Oregon CIS. She served on the OACTE board (2006-2008) as the representative for higher education. She also served on Oregon Department of Education’s task force for professional development for Perkins IV. At Oregon CIS, Laura has focused on developing ways in which CIS can meet the needs of special populations including people with disabilities, vocational rehabilitation clients, and other adult users of CIS. Laura is a CDF Instructor and trained as an education facilitator of Dependable Strengths. You will often find her working in the education professional circles in the state, consulting with schools and agencies, at workshops, trainings, and presentations. Laura is a team player and a focused worker who positively influences those who work with her.
Our congratulations to Laura McCoid! |
2007 Scholarship Recipient Darlene Fritz
Darlene Fritz having fun at the Career Conference in Madison, Wisconsin |
A Letter from the 2007 Scholarship Recipient
Darlene Fritz
I would like to formally thank the Oregon Career Development Association for standing behind its commitment to supporting professional development for its members. Earlier this year, I was granted the OCDA Professional Development Scholarship so that I could attend the Careers Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. After a career change a few years ago to become the Guidance Counselor at a small, private school, I had not been able to maintain my previous pattern of attending a professional conference each year due to financial restrictions. The OCDA Professional Development Scholarship gave me the opportunity to connect with career development professionals from all over the United States and the World, re-energize myself professionally, and gain specific tools to take back and immediately use in my job.
The Careers Conference in Wisconsin had an exceptional variety of workshops, general sessions, and industry tours for career development professionals from a variety of settings. Since I recently transitioned from working at a community college to working with 6th-12th grade students, I found the sessions specific to middle school and high school counselors most helpful. During the evening hours, it was also great to really explore the local community and try some new foods. Have you ever had deep-fried cheese curds? They’re amazing! Overall, I came away from this conference energized and inspired.
I would encourage all members of OCDA to make the commitment to participating in a national or international conference sometime soon. The Center on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin hosts an annual winter Careers Conference each year for career development professionals at all educational levels; next year’s Career Conference is January 26-28, 2009 http://www.cew.wisc.edu/careersConf/default.aspx . Other great conferences include the National Career Development Association in Washington, DC on July 9-11, 2008 http://www.ncda.org/ and the International Career Development Conference in Los Angeles, CA on November 5-9, 2008 http://www.careerccc.com/locationhighlights.html.
Darlene Fritz, MA, NCC, MCC, GCDF
Guidance Counselor
Western Mennonite School |
Spring 2007 Professional Development Institute
Photo Album
Mingling before the PDI
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PDI registration
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Meeting Participants
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Lunch was a time to catch up
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People enjoyed the poster sessions after lunch
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The raffle was a success
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Presentation activity
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Poster session activity
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Celebrating 30 years of CIS
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