Challenges in the Workplace and Strategies for Success

Date: 2011-09-07, Wed.
Venue: WINC Aichi, Room # 1204

Speakers:
Ms. Nao Geisler , President, Geisler Group, Kakuozan International Preschool.
Mr. Darrell Harris , Manager of the Secretarial Section Oak Lawn Marketing, Inc.
Ms. Michiyo Yakushiji , M.D., Graduate School Professor, Aichi Mizuho College
Mr. Hisashi Yokoi , Labor and Social Security Attorney & President of NPO BitL

Outline:
This was the sixth Canada Means Business event and our first collaboration with the ACCJ Chubu Chapter Women in Business Committee . The event was focused on " challenges faced by people who work, and overcoming them ". We had 4 speakers who have had some sort of challenge that they overcame (to do with being a working woman, or helping a woman work by being a house husband etc.). We gave each speaker 10 minutes to introduce themselves and talk about the issue that they had and how they got through it. Speakers and participants were divided into 4 groups and everyone could ask questions to the speaker and share their own experiences.

Review:
A lot of positive feedback from attendees was received. Most of them felt it was a unique and informative event. When we held discussion time, people could exchange their ideas and experience with speakers in a friendly atmosphere. The dinner and networking time at the beginning also helped to get acquainted.

Thanks to the speakers from a variety of fields, the discussions were quite dynamic. Some people hoped the future event would have more time to talk. Maybe such event could be held on a weekend.

Each discussion table had a volunteer interpreter, so people could feel comfortable speaking in both languages.