Guest panelists from the Boeing Black Employees Association will speak at a workshop, Career Insights for Black Students, on Tuesday, Feb. 21, to give advice on how to thrive in the workplace.
“We have hosted this workshop for the past, if I am not mistaken, two to three years,” said Rosa Trujillo, assistant director of Career Education and Counseling at Long Beach State.
The hosts of this year’s workshop decided to have a panel of professionals who will, “Talk about aspects in the workplace that are particular to Black students that they must be aware of,” according to Trujillo.
The workshop will focus on key factors in workplace success such as professionalism for Black professionals and dealing with microaggressions.
“What can you do as a student now in college to start searching for companies that can really help you celebrate and integrate your multiple identities?” Trujillo said.
Prior to this hybrid event, a ten-minute Zoom session will be shared from the #BlackProfessionals on TikTok.
The main focus of this workshop is to give students advice on how to thrive in a professional environment, but it is also a moment to celebrate Black History Month and acknowledge the success of Black professionals in the workplace.
While the workshop is focused on career insights for Black students and the intersectionality of additional identities, all students are invited to attend. Trujillo said that this would be a space for allies to engage, learn and show how to be a proper advocate for others.
“Many reports and data [continue] to show that, in comparison to our white counterparts, Black, African American folks are in disparity in terms of opportunities,” Trujillo said.
The Career Development Center aims to inform students on how to navigate the work system better and overall promote their success. The center does this by hosting workshops as well as providing a space for students to come and ask questions and be guided toward success.
The center, by promoting professional organizations such as the Boeing Black Employees Association, shows students why it is important to have these specialized groups within their workspace.
The CDC is a tool and Trujillo said she encourages students to take advantage of it and use it in order to help them succeed.
The hybrid event will start with TikTok reels which will be followed by the introduction of the panel. There will also be a discussion on the community rules for the workshop, with land and labor acknowledgments, and an opportunity at the end for panel questions where students can engage.
Trujillo said that, although the CDC is giving the workshop, she wanted to recognize Paul Carter, who introduced the Boeing Black Employees Association to the CDC. Carter is the assistant director of the Black Resource Center.
Trujillo said Terri Armstrong and her team in the office of Multicultural Affairs have shared feedback from students regarding the CDC. The general feedback included ways better to meet student needs in the resource centers and how to approach these more difficult topics.
The workshop will take place Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 12-1 p.m. For priority access, students can RSVP and either join via Zoom or in person.