Universities Offer Programs for Next Career Moves

From the New York Times, reporter Kerry Hannon wrote “Refreshing Your Career to Gain New Opportunities” covering universities with programs meant to prepare the 50+ students to work on their next chapter.

Stanford, Harvard, and later this year The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Notre Dame have programs for leaders who are transitioning from their seats as leaders in their industries. The one year programs offer access to classes and  professors. Participants can also launch new projects using the resources and colleagues at the universities.

One graduate Susan Golden age 64 sings the praises of what she got from her Stanford stint.

For me, the program was an ideal way to restart my career,” she said. “It totally reset my clock, and I felt like I was in my 20s and 30s again.

At Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative selected corporate executives and professionals work on applying their skills to social problems.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a Harvard Business School professor who is director of the initiative, said the program was started

to deploy a new leadership force of people transitioning from their main career to their next years of service.

Todd Fisher, 52 left his job at a private equity firm and comments,

I did not retire in the classic sense of the word. I do want to throw myself into something else: a true second career.

His goal was to find the “next direction, to have a little bit of fun, make some new friends and to broaden my perspective and life,” he said. “I did not retire in the classic sense of the word. I do want to throw myself into something else: a true second career.

The story underlines the trend to find learning, reinvention and growth opportunities for 50+ populations whether associated with prestigious universities or in programs springing up across the country.

Read the full article: Refreshing Your Career to Gain New Opportunities

Photo by: Niklas Tenhauf