6/7/2012 11:43:48 AM
Executive assistants from the Atlantic colleges gathered at College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville on April 27 for a workshop and networking session. The meeting rotates host locations each year. This third annual event focused on change management.
Change was the name of the game on April 27 as 19 executive assistants from colleges in the Atlantic region gathered at College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville for a change management workshop and networking session.
This third annual event, which rotates host locations each year, was the brainchild of the former presidents of Nova Scotia Community College and CNA through the Atlantic Provinces Community College Consortium. The workshop provides the opportunity for executive assistants to network with colleagues in the Atlantic provinces.
Change management is a common theme among colleges, according to Sheldon Brown, CNA’s coordinator of professional development, who facilitated the workshop..
“Executive assistants from colleges across Atlantic Canada are often aware of changes coming to their organizations prior to the rest of us knowing. With that comes some degree of responsibility, but also a degree of stress, in that they are often impacted by this change as well,” says Brown.
“The intent of the workshop was to validate that they were in those positions, to help them recognize the signs of change and various stages of transition they and the people around them are going through, so they can understand where they are in the process, and do what they can to help other folks through the process.”
Giselle Borden, executive assistant to CNA President Ann Marie Vaughan, says participant feedback has been extremely positive and attendees indicated the event was beneficial.
“The CNA organizing team would like to extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to all the CNA employees who helped make this event an enjoyable experience for all,” says Borden. “We also want to thank the two former Music Industry and Performing Arts students who performed during lunch on the day of the event.”
Borden says many of the participants, were experiencing their first visit to Newfoundland, so the CNA host team treated them to some Newfoundland hospitality by providing a guided bus tour of local attractions on the Port au Port Peninsula as well as dinner at a local establishment.