Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY –  With local school districts planning significant job cuts to close budget gaps, Hofstra University is offering a one-day conference to help teachers who have been laid-off market their skills in new fields.

The conference, “Reinvent Yourself: Exploring Alternative Career Opportunities for Educators”, will be held Thursday, July 7, 2011 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The conference will begin in the Multipurpose Room, Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center, North Campus, with breakout sessions planned in various locations on North and South Campus. Registration is $25 per person, which includes lunch. To register, or see the full schedule, go to www.hofstra.edu/reinvent.

Experts in education, government and private industry, along with faculty and administrators from Hofstra’s School of Education, Health and Human Services, will provide a mix of professional, personal and practical advice for educators who have been recently laid-off, or the newly-graduated who are struggling to find teaching jobs. Hofstra’s Career Center and Graduate Admissions staff will also be on hand.

The sessions will address job trends -- including fields in which educators’ skills fit well, offer advice on how to stay motivated in a tough job market, and provide tips for putting together a standout resume and acing job interviews.

“Educators possess a strong skill set that is required in many other careers, said Donna Levinson, Assistant Dean of External Relations for the School of Education, Health and Human Services at Hofstra University. “Our goal by offering this conference is to help those who suddenly find themselves unemployed due to budget cutbacks by school districts and those newly graduated educators who have been unable to secure a first teaching position information on where to find new opportunities and alternative career choices that are applicable to their training and skills.”

A recent survey by Newsday found that across Long Island, school districts plan to cut more than 2,000 jobs – including 1,200-plus teachers, to absorb heavy losses in state school aid. The job losses are the worst in Long Island schools in 20 years. The picture is bleaker in New York City, which plans to lay off more than 4,000 teachers.

The current climate makes it imperative for teachers to figure out how their skills translate outside the classroom, said Suzanne Dagger, Hofstra’s Director of Career Services.

“Teachers tend to see themselves as just that, teachers,” Dagger said. “However, our educators have a wealth of skills to offer employers in many industries. Our teachers can retool their outlook and their job search strategies and find a multitude of employers searching for candidates with their experiences and skills.”

The conference is co-sponsored by the School of Education, Health and Human Services, the Office for Development and Alumni Affairs, the office of Graduate Admissions and the Career Center.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 140 undergraduate and more than 150 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business; engineering; communication; education, health and human services; and honors studies, as well as a School of Law and the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. The University also provides excellent facilities with state-of-the-art technology, extensive library resources and internship programs that match students' interests and abilities with appropriate companies and organizations. The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.
                                                                                              ###