Chinese delegation visits CDC, studies career counseling methods
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Chinese delegation visits CDC, studies career counseling methods

By Dev Meyers April 22, 2009, 6:10 pm 0 Edit

A delegation of Chinese career counselors visited the Career Development Center of Jewish Family and Children’s Service in Squirrel Hill on Friday.
The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations selected the CDC as a model site visit for the group’s four-city tour.
The 12-member delegation, which is comprised of university career counselors, is visiting the United States from April 11 to 24 at the invitation of the U.S. Department of Education.
Following the protocol for such occasions, the delegation addressed the CDC staff during its visit. Then JF&CS and CDC officials spoke to their guests.
Although the entire meeting was conducted with the assistance of interpreters, both sides were very excited about the visit.
“The U.S. has a long history of doing career counseling at the university level,” said the head delegate, Wang Hui, director, Department of Student Affairs, Ministry of Education in Beijing. “We are here to see how that is done and to incorporate it into the Chinese system.”
Julie Marx, director for the Career Development Center, said she was fascinated with the interaction between two people speaking two different languages.
“How to turn this into a cohesive whole,” she asked.
Answer: “We learned a lot from each other through the information that was sent in advance,” she said. “And there will sure be follow-up by e-mail.”
Also during the visit, Jordan Friedman, CDC community programs specialist, discussed the importance of social networking tools such as Facebook and MySpace. Joe D’Anna, job search
Counselor, covered what recruiters look for when selecting candidates for
employment.
The Americans and Chinese also compared notes on how each group does its job in their respective countries.
The Career Development Center, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in October, addresses current and emerging needs for career services in the Pittsburgh region. It connects young people, displaced workers and career changers with job skills and career guidance while furnishing local businesses with expert employment consultation services.
Programs and services address the needs of people seeking employment, people changing careers, people with disabilities, immigrants and refugees, college students and recent graduates, baby boomers and mature workers.
CDC is the only nonprofit that the Chinese delegation is scheduled to visit.
The delegation is also scheduled to visit federal, state and municipal government agencies involved in workforce development, as well as college campuses and nongovernment organizations to discuss career counseling and employment services.

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