Did you know that Jewish Family & Career Services embodies a strong spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation? How, you might ask?
Over the years, JFCS created many new programs and services, including counseling services to individuals and families, services to senior adults, and services to the international community.
Career and Workforce Development services include career management, college and educational advisement, employment, business start-ups, employer services, workforce development, and special projects.
The department helps individuals make sound career and employment decisions and enhance their career satisfaction and economic self-sufficiency. A variety of packages at different price points are available.
Years ago, JFCS created the Navigate Enterprise Center to focus on small business start-ups, geared to special populations. It has steadily grown, presenting self-employment as another career option.
Last year, JFCS’ Navigate Enterprise Center helped start more than 50 new businesses. JFCS has been in the forefront of metro Louisville’s current focus on entrepreneurship and job creation. The annual MOSAIC Awards on Thursday, May 21, will include a Business Showcase, featuring displays by several of those businesses.
JFCS uses the Strengths Finder as part of its career metrics system. Along with other assessment tools, this metric helps clients assess their major strengths in order to gauge which personal skills and talents can best be leveraged for optimal career and work satisfaction.
Strengths Finder is also used in leadership development and entrepreneurship workshops JFCS conducts. JFCS’ Entrepreneurial Discovery Workshops help both actual and aspiring entrepreneurs convert business concepts and ideas into productive action. Moreover, given that today many employers increasingly expect their employees to function more like entrepreneurs, this workshop is also beneficial for the “intra-preneurial” mindset.
We live in an ever-changing economy. The historical employer-employee contract has been dramatically altered. We’ve seen the emergence of the contingent workforce, also referred to as the freelance economy, which now approximates one third of the workforce. This trend typically equates to self-employment, project management, consulting, and more entrepreneurial driven efforts.
Career management and entrepreneurship often require and embrace similar behavioral dynamics including a clearly defined mission and vision, strategizing, branding, marketing, business networking and adaptability.
The next Entrepreneurial Discovery Workshop is set for Wednesday and Thursday, May 13 and 14, 5:30-8:30 p.m. both evenings at JFCS, 2821 Klempner Way. Participants will address 10 different talents that can be leveraged for business success.
All participants must take the Entrepreneurial Strengths Finder prior to the first session, and each individual’s unique results will provide the focus and foundation for the entrepreneurial discovery process that lasts far beyond the workshop.
Early registration fee is $55. To register, contact Janet Poole at jpoole@jfcslouisville.org or 502-452-6341, ext. 222.