Untapped Potential
2023 Conference
Breaking Barriers in the Workforce
October 4th, 2023
Fantasyland Hotel and Conference Centre
17700 87 Ave, Edmonton, AB
8:30 am – 4:30 pm (Breakfast & lunch will be provided)
Address barriers in the workplace to create a more supportive and inclusive environment.
Untapped Potential
2023 Conference
Breaking Barriers
in the Workforce
October 4th, 2023
Fantasyland Hotel
and Conference Centre
17700 87 Ave,
Edmonton, AB
8:30 am – 4:30 pm
(Breakfast & lunch will be provided)
Address barriers in the workplace to create a more supportive and inclusive environment.
EVENT OVERVIEW
Learn more about best practices to foster a more inclusive and collaborative work culture.
Topics include:
- Recognizing our unconscious bias
- Understanding disabilities using groundbreaking technology
- Learn about DRES (Disability Related Employment Support) and how they can support your employee(s)
- Implementing workplace accommodations in effective ways
- Become aware of how emotional intelligence can influence employee moral
- How to embrace and support disabilities through inclusion
EVENT OVERVIEW
Learn more about best practices to foster a more inclusive and collaborative work culture.
Topics include:
- Recognizing our unconscious bias
- Understanding disabilities using groundbreaking technology
- Learn about DRES (Disability Related Employment Support) and how they can support your employee(s)
- Implementing workplace accommodations in effective ways
- Become aware of how emotional intelligence can influence employee moral
- How to embrace and support disabilities through inclusion
JOIN US FOR ONE FULL DAY
This conference will elevate your understanding and impact by:
Gaining knowledge knowledge that will enhance your employee retention.
Connecting with other employers
Discovering the unconscious bias and how to navigate this as an employer.
Exploring resources and supports that are available to assist your company.
Unlocking an entire untapped and under-utilized labour force.
Engaging in the first step of change management through self-awareness.
JOIN US FOR ONE FULL DAY
This conference will elevate your understanding and impact by:
Gaining knowledge knowledge that will enhance your employee retention.
Connecting with other employers
Discovering the unconscious bias and how to navigate this as an employer.
Exploring resources and supports that are available to assist your company.
Unlocking an entire untapped and under-utilized labour force.
Engaging in the first step of change management through self-awareness.
2023 SESSIONS
Listen to the experts and unlock your company’s potential as a fully diverse workplace.
KEYNOTE
The Human Side of Unconscious Bias
We are not all born with bias, but learned through our experience, background and culture. Unconscious bias typically exists towards gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, (both physical and mental) and weight. Recognizing, managing and migrating, unconscious bias, promotes diversity and inclusion, therefore changes the workplace culture.
KEYNOTE
Inclusion: How to Embrace and Support Disabilities
Disability is only a disability when the requirements of the occupation mismatch the ability. Our keynote speaker will discuss the reality of inclusion, and how organizations can utilize nonprofit to support the movement towards a more inclusive workforce to embrace folks from many walks of life.
MAIN SESSION
Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Safety
Everyone has emotions, we need to know how to act on those emotions to get more positive results and interactions with others. The keynote speakers will touch on the basic elements of emotional intelligence and psychological safety.
MAIN SESSION
Success Stories
This session will feature an employer and employees sharing their success stories about integration of individuals with disabilities into the workplace. Covering topics such as how to start the hiring process, what fears they had and how they overcame them, how they developed/created/updated hiring policies, job carving, the pro/cons of the hiring experience and much more. Bring your own questions because there will be a Q & A session following the presentation.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Understanding Disabilities using Ground Breaking Technology
As Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence move from simple buzzwords into practical business applications new opportunities are being explored on how employers and the organizations they represent can grow, learn, and work smarter not harder.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Accommodations in the Workplace
Be involved as the employer tells you the story of how this company recognizes individuality and creates an all-inclusive workplace. Additionally, learn ways that a workplace can successfully include accommodations that do not equate to an absorbent amount of funding allocation.
Named one of Canada’s Top 10 Notable Speakers by Ignite Magazine, Tina cleverly tackles hot button topics, like diversity and inclusion, in today’s complex climate.
Tina’s work has been featured in the Toronto Star, TSN, CBC Eyeopener, Adrenaline Magazine, and Alberta Venture. Clients include Pfizer Canada, KraftHeinz, Hockey Canada, Hyundai Canada, Canadian College of Health Leaders and Canada Life. She is the President of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (Calgary). She was recently appointed to McMaster University’s Future of Canada Project Council. She has a strong professional background in immigration where she spearheaded international recruitment missions. As well, she ran her own successful relocation and settlement firm prior to speaking professionally.
Tina has been the face of diversity, literally, when she was chosen to be in Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty representing beauty in diversity. With two kids, five fish and one husband, she resides in Calgary where she recently took hip hop classes but has opted to buy an oversized hoodie instead.
Steven Fletcher works tirelessly for the people of Manitoba. Our province and our country helped Steven to live and to heal after a traumatic automobile collision with a moose. He was 23. It is through public service where Steven has dedicated his life to repay society for everything that society has allowed him to achieve.
At the age of 32, Steven Fletcher was elected to the Parliament of Canada in June of 2004 in the west Winnipeg riding of Charleswood – St. James – Assiniboia – Headingley.
He served 4 terms as a Member of Parliament (2004 – 2015) including 5 years in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. In his 11 years as MP and/or Cabinet Minister, Steven played many key roles in the formation of the framework for many of our most cherished social and economic programs.
Brittany Olinek (she/they) is a Human Resources Professional with a passion for Learning and Development. Brittany started her own company in 2017, Bea Riveter Consulting (pronounced be a riveter, play on Rosie the Riveter), to ensure that folks could experience engaging and life changing training opportunities. The slogan at Bea Riveter Consulting is “If we know better, we can be better.” Brittany utilizes coaching techniques, personal stories, and humor to engage participants in the topics and to challenge self-reflection throughout. Brittany strives to create a safe and non-judgmental space with a focus on psychological safety in all training and speaking sessions.
With experience spanning public, non-profit and private sectors, including energy, construction, airlines & airports, healthcare, post-secondary education, industrial distribution, legal and sales to name a few, Kerrie has a natural ability to lead positive change as a team leader, relationship builder and project manager.
Kerrie is recognized for her innovative leadership and counsel as an executive coach. By forging courageous communication and change management systems, Kerrie prides herself on providing simple, culture driven people strategies to ensure clients have an unprecedented leadership and human resources experience.
This session will feature an employer and employees sharing their success stories about integration of individuals with disabilities into the workplace. Covering topics such as how to start the hiring process, what fears they had and how they overcame them, how they developed/created/updated hiring policies, job carving, the pro/cons of the hiring experience and much more. Bring your own questions because there will be a Q & A session following the presentation.
Gail Kesslar – VR Soft Skills Training Program, NorQuest College
Gail Kesslar, is an Applied Research, Business Development Officer at NorQuest College with over 20 years of project management and administration experience. Known for her relationship building skills and her ability to collaborate, Kesslar is also known for her ability to ideate and activate projects from the ground up, including NorQuest’s VR Soft Skills Training Program. Aimed at helping individuals from equity seeking groups find meaningful employment, the program uses Virtual Reality to build interview and communications skills in job-seekers, while also training employers on how to better work with individuals from these groups. Using common scenarios and experiences employers may encounter, the training offers both the education and language to navigate situations to help remove any feelings of uncertainty. The training will also help employers to identify unconscious expectations and biases to build awareness and offer solutions.
Speaker(s) from DRES will present information on how employees can apply for the funding and support; how and what DRES can support employers and much more.
Norquest HR – 2 pictures, 2 bios and the write up are coming.
Norquest HR – 2 pictures, 2 bios and the write up are coming.
2023 SESSIONS
Listen to the experts and unlock your company’s potential as a fully diverse workplace.
KEYNOTE
The Human Side of Unconscious Bias
We are not all born with bias, but learned through our experience, background and culture. Unconscious bias typically exists towards gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, (both physical and mental) and weight. Recognizing, managing and migrating, unconscious bias, promotes diversity and inclusion, therefore changes the workplace culture.
KEYNOTE
Inclusion: How to Embrace and Support Disabilities
Disability is only a disability when the requirements of the occupation mismatch the ability. Our keynote speaker will discuss the reality of inclusion, and how organizations can utilize nonprofit to support the movement towards a more inclusive workforce to embrace folks from many walks of life.
MAIN SESSION
Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Safety
Everyone has emotions, we need to know how to act on those emotions to get more positive results and interactions with others. The keynote speakers will touch on the basic elements of emotional intelligence and psychological safety.
MAIN SESSION
Success Stories
This session will feature an employer and employees sharing their success stories about integration of individuals with disabilities into the workplace. Covering topics such as how to start the hiring process, what fears they had and how they overcame them, how they developed/created/updated hiring policies, job carving, the pro/cons of the hiring experience and much more. Bring your own questions because there will be a Q & A session following the presentation.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Understanding Disabilities using Ground Breaking Technology
As Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence move from simple buzzwords into practical business applications new opportunities are being explored on how employers and the organizations they represent can grow, learn, and work smarter not harder.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Accommodations in the Workplace
Be involved as the employer tells you the story of how this company recognizes individuality and creates an all-inclusive workplace. Additionally, learn ways that a workplace can successfully include accommodations that do not equate to an absorbent amount of funding allocation.
CONFERENCE PARTNERS
Selections Career Support Services is a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to individuals with disabilities and other barriers by assisting them in finding and maintaining opportunities for employment and volunteering. After four decades of serving individuals in the Edmonton area, the heart of Selections’ vision is the conviction that every individual possesses an abundance to offer their community. Selections strives to provide holistic services designed to support individuals to live fulfilling, enriched, and inclusive lives.
CONFERENCE SPONSORS
To become a sponsor, please reach out to us via email at upconference@selectionscareer.com. Our event sponsors are forward-thinking entities dedicated to nurturing inclusive workplaces and catalyzing a positive transformation in the employment realm for individuals with disabilities.
CONFERENCE PARTNERS
Selections Career Support Services is a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to individuals with disabilities and other barriers by assisting them in finding and maintaining opportunities for employment and volunteering. After four decades of serving individuals in the Edmonton area, the heart of Selections’ vision is the conviction that every individual possesses an abundance to offer their community. Selections strives to provide holistic services designed to support individuals to live fulfilling, enriched, and inclusive lives.
CONFERENCE SPONSORS
To become a sponsor, please reach out to us via email at
upconference@
selectionscareer.com.
Our event sponsors are forward-thinking entities dedicated to nurturing inclusive workplaces and catalyzing a positive transformation in the employment realm for individuals with disabilities.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the purpose of the Untapped Potential Conference?
The conference aims to raise awareness around barriers to employment, foster understanding, promote inclusive and equitable hiring practices for employers. It serves as a platform to discuss best practices, share learning experiences, and explore solutions to enhance your company’s workplace culture.
Who should attend the conference?
The conference is geared toward company owners, CEO’s, Human Resources, Management, and other decision makers within the organization.
What topics will be covered during the conference?
The conference will cover a wide range of topics related to inclusive hiring practices such as:
- Recognizing our unconscious bias
- Equitable hiring strategies
- Understanding disabilities using groundbreaking technology
- Implementing workplace accommodations in effective ways
- Become aware of how emotional intelligence can influence employee moral
- How to embrace and support disabilities through inclusion
Will the conference be accessible to people with disabilities?
Yes, the conference is committed to accessibility. We will provide closed captioning for the main conference room, accessible venue, and additional support for those who request it. Please inform us of any specific accessibility requirements during the registration process.
How can I register for the conference?
Registration details will be available on our conference website. You can register online by clicking “Get tickets” or contact our conference organizers for further assistance.
How long should I expect to be at the conference?
The conference will run from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.
Will there be food available at the conference?
Yes, we will be providing light breakfast and lunch as well as coffee and other refreshments throughout the day. If you have any allergies, please let know upon registration.
Is there parking available?
Yes there is an abundance of parking available at the Fantasyland Hotel. The closest doors to the conference is Entrance 1 on level 2. This parking zone has a large number of stalls available to the public for free as well as a few accessible stalls for those who require them. The Fantasyland Hotel is also a DATs accessible location.
Will there be networking opportunities at the conference?
Yes, the conference will feature a resource fair as well as social opportunities during breakfast and lunch to connect with like-minded individuals and experts in the field.
Will there be keynote speakers or special guests?
Yes, the conference will feature keynote speakers and session speakers who are excited to share their insights, experiences, and expertise with all who attend.
Can I present my research or work at the conference?
Please reach out to us directly to get more information about booking a table at our resource fair.
Will there be resources and materials available for attendees?
Yes, we will provide additional information on relevant organizations and support services as requested.
Can I become a sponsor to support the conference?
Please reach out to the conference committee to receive our sponsorship package: info@selectionscareer.com
How can I stay updated on conference news and announcements?
You can follow our conference partner social media channels to receive the latest updates, program schedules, and important announcements related to the conference. Additionally, the conference website will stay up to date as more information becomes available.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the purpose of the Untapped Potential Conference?
The conference aims to raise awareness around barriers to employment, foster understanding, promote inclusive and equitable hiring practices for employers. It serves as a platform to discuss best practices, share learning experiences, and explore solutions to enhance your company’s workplace culture.
Who should attend the conference?
The conference is geared toward company owners, CEO’s, Human Resources, Management, and other decision makers within the organization.
What topics will be covered during the conference?
The conference will cover a wide range of topics related to inclusive hiring practices such as:
- Recognizing our unconscious bias
- Equitable hiring strategies
- Understanding disabilities using groundbreaking technology
- Implementing workplace accommodations in effective ways
- Become aware of how emotional intelligence can influence employee moral
- How to embrace and support disabilities through inclusion
Will the conference be accessible to people with disabilities?
Yes, the conference is committed to accessibility. We will provide closed captioning for the main conference room, accessible venue, and additional support for those who request it. Please inform us of any specific accessibility requirements during the registration process.
How can I register for the conference?
Registration details will be available on our conference website. You can register online by clicking “Get tickets” or contact our conference organizers for further assistance.
How long should I expect to be at the conference?
The conference will run from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.
Will there be food available at the conference?
Yes, we will be providing light breakfast and lunch as well as coffee and other refreshments throughout the day. If you have any allergies, please let know upon registration.
Is there parking available?
Yes there is an abundance of parking available at the Fantasyland Hotel. The closest doors to the conference is Entrance 1 on level 2. This parking zone has a large number of stalls available to the public for free as well as a few accessible stalls for those who require them. The Fantasyland Hotel is also a DATs accessible location.
Will there be networking opportunities at the conference?
Yes, the conference will feature a resource fair as well as social opportunities during breakfast and lunch to connect with like-minded individuals and experts in the field.
Will there be keynote speakers or special guests?
Yes, the conference will feature keynote speakers and session speakers who are excited to share their insights, experiences, and expertise with all who attend.
Can I present my research or work at the conference?
Please reach out to us directly to get more information about booking a table at our resource fair.
Will there be resources and materials available for attendees?
Yes, we will provide additional information on relevant organizations and support services as requested.
Can I become a sponsor to support the conference?
Please reach out to the conference committee to receive our sponsorship package: info@selectionscareer.com
How can I stay updated on conference news and announcements?
You can follow our conference partner social media channels to receive the latest updates, program schedules, and important announcements related to the conference. Additionally, the conference website will stay up to date as more information becomes available.