Kyra Abbott ‘24, Student Life Editor
November is the month credited for the awareness and celebration of careers. This month is known as National Career Development Month (NCD Month). Each year, professionals and citizens alike come together to promote personal growth, knowledge, and success in relation to careers. When explaining the importance of this month, career advice expert Don Sjoerdsma said, “We spend roughly one-third of our lives at work. That’s nearly 100,000 hours over the course of a lifetime, and it doesn’t take into account the 100 hours per year [that] we spend commuting. Those are high stakes, and that’s why it’s important to land a great job.” This being said, choosing the most beneficial job comes with exploration and education.
This year, NCD Week is Nov. 15 through Nov. 19, and NCD Day is Nov. 17. The National Career Development Association (NCDA) creates career opportunities and activities every year in order to provide fundamental knowledge and information on the steps towards professional development. For instance, this will be the 56th year that the NCDA has hosted their annual poetry and art contest. Regarding the contest, the NCDA said, “Every adult and student enrolled [in] school is eligible, as well as adult practitioners who are not in school.” The goal of the contest is to draw attention to individual career pathways and to inform others of various career-building methods: self assessment of abilities, career exploration, and planning out a life timeline as well as a career timeline.
Due to the ongoing effects of COVID, the style of work within the workforce is not the same as it was in the past; COVID has transitioned the world into a widely remote workspace. LinkedIn News senior editor Andrew Seaman said, “Our data shows that in the next five years, we’ll see 150 million more technology- related jobs across industries globally, so [the] demand for digital skills is very much on the rise.” Therefore, NCD Month will be an essential time to build up skills that are crucial for a post-pandemic worklife: web navigation, digital design, digital marketing, and software proficiency. November invites people of all ages to embrace career opportunities and create a realistic plan towards reaching specific career goals, while also developing helpful tools and skills. This month — when fully embraced — will benefit many people in their future endeavors.
Lyon Life 