It’s become over-stated at this point that 2020 brought many unique challenges with it. The COVID-19 pandemic that’s rocked the world since the spring has had wide-ranging impacts on varying facets of our world. Some of the impacts have been in economics and the job market And for many people, the spread of the virus disrupted their relationship with their career.
Canada-wide digital training school Lighthouse Labs, was in a unique position to try and help these people not only recover, but truly flourish. They have seven years of expertise in preparing Canadians for the world of work, through providing upskilling and reskilling, digital skills training, and a robust career services program. Since 2013 they’ve helped their students find their career values, set goals, find fulfilling careers, and develop into their most capable selves.
As they moved through 2020, Lighthouse Labs wanted to help different communities successfully make career shifts—not just out of a desire to help, but also in an attempt to make tech more inclusive and diverse. They’re continuously pushing for the tech industry to become more accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances or background.
Lighthouse began to tackle the barriers their communities were facing by releasing a total of $1,000,000 in scholarships for students that were financially impacted by the pandemic. But they wanted to do more to make tech more accessible across multiple angles. So in July, they launched their Career Accelerator initiative.
Lighthouse Labs’ Career Accelerator Community Resource
When Lighthouse launched the Career Accelerator, they wanted it to be different things to different people—a resource for job-seekers, a way to facilitate conversations about accessibility and inclusivity, and a space for anyone seeking to make a change in their careers. The Career Accelerator was created in a world in which work is being transformed at an ever-accelerating pace. Job-seekers are at risk of being cast adrift in the new reality of the workforce, unless they have the right guidance and expertise.
The Career Accelerator was also created with the acknowledgement that tech might be a frightening industry for some people. With its complex code, shiny products, and fast culture, many of those who would thrive in a tech career may feel intimidated at first. Helping their communities feel confident about their abilities is a part of everything they do Lighthouse Labs. So the launch of the Career Accelerator was a natural step for them.
Throughout 2020, people in Canada and all over the world tuned in to workshops and events to receive career guidance and advice. Many of these people are those who had lost their jobs, who were trying to make a career change, or who simply had more time to reflect on their goals and values. People seeking all kinds of different things have been helped by the Career Accelerator.
The Career Accelerator’s Global Impacts
Lighthouse Labs is committed to helping Canadians all over the country upskill and reskill through bootcamps and part-time courses, but the Career Accelerator helped them reach communities on an international level. Career Accelerator’s workshops, events, and speaker series were attended by job-seekers and changemakers from Vancouver to New York City, Montreal to the United Kingdom.
Through the Career Accelerator, Lighthouse also had the opportunity to connect with excited companies on the cutting edge of their industries. They’ve worked alongside speakers from organizations like LinkedIn and Shopify to provide their communities with career advice. They also had the chance to partner with groundbreaking companies like Dyspatch, First30, and CultureShiftHR to help attendees think creatively about their career trajectories.
Key Moments for the Career Accelerator in 2020
Though Career Accelerator was born halfway through the year, through it Lighthouse managed to accomplish a lot. They touched a lot of communities through their events, workshops, newsletter, and expert advice. Events were held on a variety of themes including workplace well-being, resume creation, succeeding at interviews, identifying career values, and more.
One series of events that really resonated with Lighthouse’s communities was on imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome can be defined as the persistent feeling of not fitting in or not being good enough at your career. These thoughts and feelings particularly resonate with people who work in the fast-paced tech industries. This series sought to open up conversations about peoples’ experiences with the syndrome and start dreaming up possible solutions.
The series saw people from many different backgrounds speak about their experiences, from CTOs and CEOs to professors. Demonstrating that even people from high-ranking positions experience imposter syndrome helps to break down stereotypes about these feelings, and start to work to alleviate them.
Also in 2020, through the Career Accelerator Lighthouse put on an event on hacking your career, with renowned “job hacker” Izzy Piyale-Sheard. Izzy is a public speaker and founder of the ClearCareer peer-to-peer mentorship community. Another of the year’s top highlights was hosting a workshop on creating a great LinkedIn profile—with Jake Hirsch-Allen himself from LinkedIn.
Moving the Career Accelerator into 2021
Moving into the new year, Lighthouse Labs is excited to continue providing their communities with insights, guidance, and thought-provoking statements that help them along their career journeys. They’re committed to facilitating a space that helps the tech industry feel more inclusive and accessible.
The Career Accelerator is kick-starting 2021 with Mentorship Month as the theme for January. Throughout the month, Lighthouse will be talking to you about everything related to mentoring: the meaning of mentorship, how to find a mentor, the importance of mentorship, and more. They’ll be engaging their communities in sharing their personal experiences with mentorship, and facilitating more creative and innovative conversations.
Want to attend more insightful events like these in 2021? Sign up for Lighthouse Labs’ Career Accelerator newsletter!
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