Career Transition Program: A Discussion with Fareeda and Chidindu on Arts, Economic Development and Public Health
In April and May, I had the opportunity to chat with Fareeda and Chidindu on Twitter Spaces for the career transition program (CTP). Wondering what CTP is, I did a brief introduction in an earlier conversation with Evelyn and Evans. Check it out here.
The central theme that emerged from this conversation was that both speakers were open to learning from mentors, groups, and through educational materials during and after their transition period.
Profile Fareeda
Fareeda Abdulkareem is a development practitioner and creative writer and has worked as an art and film curator. Following her stint in both areas, Fareeda became a project manager and doubled as a Special Assistant to a Governor while serving as a Kashim Ibrahim fellow.
A prolific writer, seen featured in Quartz, Ozy, Brittle Paper, Wasafiri, Africa is a Country. Fareeda is currently a McHenry Fellow at Georgetown University, studying development economics, with research and concentration in international business.
“Do not be afraid to ask for help.”
On Twitter spaces, I asked about her ability to navigate across sectors and fields with ease. Here are a few takeaways from Discussions with Fareeda
- Seek out Mentors that care about your career growth
- Mentors are likely to get more involved when mentees listen to and implement feedback or criticism
- Filling in service gaps (areas where marginalized communities are affected) can be an entryway to a new career path.
- Use past skills and experiences to navigate new careers, and ask questions when in doubt.
- Do not be afraid to ask for help.
Fareeda is a good segue to my next speaker.
Profile Chidindu
Chidindu earned her bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory (biomedical) science and practised for 2.5 years before getting her licence in 2013. In 2016, while between jobs, she took up freelance writing, and that was her opening to transition to a new field. In 2018, she decided to focus on writing about health and now covers stories on health and agri-tech start-ups. She is open to future opportunities.
Online courses are helpful when you are open to collaborating and sharing your experiences.
Below are five (5) takeaways from our conversation.
- Join career groups that accommodate the learning and growth of beginners.
- When you pivot, take courses that strengthen your skills with a focus on deficient areas.
- Online courses are helpful when you are open to collaborating and sharing your experiences.
- Create a calendar of all professional events happening in your new field of interest.
- Create a spreadsheet of resources.
Chidindu shared an open source material for freelance writers, check it out here.
Thanks for reading, and if you enjoyed this article please share with your network. Send me an email on gracealex.ga@gmail.com if you are open to sharing your career transition journey.
