GMS- Harper College,Workforce Development

Harper College offers organizations a comprehensive and integrated approach to workforce development. Whether a start-up or a Fortune 500 company, Harper College can help grow any workforce with a flexible, proactive strategy. This Good Morning Schaumburg will outline services including: The Harper College Job Placement Resource Center (JPRC), Harper’s apprenticeship programs, and the Illinois Small Business Development Center. In addition, Harper offers Community, Career and Corporate education aimed at keeping employees and businesses competitive in this ever-changing landscape.
Whether you are new to Schaumburg, or have been in business for many years, Harper College stands ready to serve as a provider to the greater community. No matter your needs, Harper College means business.

Speakers:

Dr. Michelé E. Smith has worked for William Rainey Harper College since 2002 and is currently serving as Vice President of Workforce Solutions. Prior to serving in her current role, Michelé held positions at Harper College as the Associate Provost for Curriculum, Special Assistant to the President for Diversity & Inclusion, Dean of Business and Social Science, Coordinator of the campus Child Learning Center, and faculty in the Early Childhood Education department. As an Aspen Presidential Fellow, Dr. Smith has advocated for lifelong learning because she believes that education is the key to social mobility. In 2015 she began serving as the executive lead for the Harper College Promise Scholarship Program. Harper’s Promise Program provides every student, attending one of Harper’s public high schools, with an opportunity to earn two years of college tuition free. In 2016, Michelé co-authored the book Inclusive Directions: The Role of the Chief Diversity Officer in Community College Leadership. Her ability to engage audiences has led to opportunities for her to present on the local, regional, and national level. Dr. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Northwestern University, a master’s degree in early childhood education leadership and advocacy from National Louis University, and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Northern Illinois University.

Kathleen Canfield has been with Harper College for 22 years starting as the Director of the Career Center & Women’s Program.  She created a new center in 2014, the Job Placement Resource Center and took on the duties of the Registered Apprenticeship program in 2020.  As the Senior Director of Job Placement and Workforce Solutions and Adjunct Faculty she casts a wide net for employer engagement and student success. A National Certified Counselor: Licensed in Illinois, she received a Master of Science in Career Counseling from Northeastern Illinois University and also holds a Master of Arts in Education from Northern Illinois University.