October 5, 2020 at 10:44 a.m.
New group for young professionals facilitates career development
New group for young professionals facilitates career development
As newcomers to the Northwoods, Baum and Carlson came to the area without knowing many others in their age group. But having worked at the Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce, Baum was familiar with the idea of local Young Professionals chapters.
While there were former Young Professional groups in the area, Baum said most had disbanded, which is why the duo joined forces to start their own group which encompasses all Northwoods communities.
The Northwoods Young Professionals targets 21 to 40-year-olds from Rhinelander, Minocqua, Tomahawk and Eagle River, but they also have participants from as far away as Merrill, Prentice and Wausau.
Their vision is to showcase what the area has to offer recreationally and professionally via social events designed to engage residents and newcomers in the hopes they will want to put down roots in the Northwoods.
"Our events help people connect and create relationships," Baum explained. "If you connect professionally with other people, it could give you opportunities to maybe develop your career or get to know about different opportunities."
"There's a lot to offer up here, but if you're new here, sometimes you don't want to go hiking by yourself on a trail," she continued. "So this way maybe we can get people to explore places they wouldn't have gone on their own, and now they can go back to these areas confident and comfortable."
Baum and Carlson established the group in early December.
By the end of that month, the duo had already coordinated their first social meetup at the Catalyst wine bar in Rhinelander. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March, the group hosted two more events, one in Tomahawk at the Tilted Loon and another at Rocky Reef Brewing Co. in Woodruff.
More recently, in late September, the group hosted a hike and bike at the Washburn Lake Silent Sports Trails.
Baum said the group is looking to plan more outdoor events, such as a ski and snowshoe night, in the near future. Facilitating social events that allow for ample distancing such as these have been welcomed with open arms by new members, especially in the midst of the current pandemic.
Baum said those who have participated in the group's past events have reported positive feedback and many have been asking when their next events will take place.
"I've seen a lot of people who have been up here for a year already and seriously didn't know anybody," she commented. "They've lived here for a year, worked here for a year, they don't really have a group of friends to go do stuff with and they're sorta stuck; it's hard for them to meet people. Then through the Young Professionals events, they now have friend groups, they're going and doing stuff, they're busy every weekend doing something now, which I think is really cool to see."
Baum said the group will continue to focus on social engagement events to help young people connect socially and professionally. Down the road, she said she hopes to add more experiential and professional development programming as well.
Since a major goal of the Northwoods Young Professionals is to retain young community members who can contribute to the livelihood of local industries, Baum added she hopes to solicit sponsorship from local businesses who may benefit from the talents these young professionals have to offer. But given the current landscape in the coronavirus pandemic, she said those plans will be put on hold for a bit longer.
"We wanted to start off small and simple and just see how things would go, see where the interest was, and that's why we started with just the social events where people can come to hang out, talk and socialize, mix and mingle," Baum said. "Then as things improve and get more back to normal, we'll probably start expanding."
Since all who attend these events are in a different place professionally and socially, each has a unique perspective and skill set to bring to the table in a way that allows members to learn from each other, share tips and tricks and create professional connections along the way.
New and returning members attend every event, Baum noted, so there's always both fresh and familiar faces.
"Each month we've been rotating to either Tomahawk, Minocqua, Rhinelander or Eagle River so that we can reach more young professionals in the area, and so that they don't always have to drive far to the events," Baum said. "This way we can mix it up, which is nice, and we get new people at every event so it makes it a little more interesting."
"These (events) are designed so you can show up on your own and still feel very comfortable," she added.
"Everyone that comes really wants to meet people, so they're always happy to talk. A lot of people who show up don't really know one another, so it's not like you're walking into a room where everybody knows everybody and you're the only one who doesn't; everybody is willing to talk and put themselves out there."
For information on how to join the Northwoods Young Professionals group, visit northwoodsyp.com.
Visit the Northwoods Young Professionals Facebook page to stay up-to-date on future events.
Stephanie Kuski may be reached at [email protected]
WEATHER SPONSORED BY
E-Editions
Latest News
E-Editions
Events
August
To Submit an Event Sign in first
Today's Events
No calendar events have been scheduled for today.
Comments:
You must login to comment.