Lakeland Business Guide 2019 Chamber Guide_2019 | Page 62
EMERGE, meeting someone new can often
be intimidating, especially when a main goal
may be to leave a lasting impression. “So you
build that network, and now you all together
can go to a Chamber event or volunteer event
or whatever it may be, and you’re going to be
more comfortable meeting those owners or
those managers and maybe get a job out of
it,” says Hamid.
Along with an expanded network, the
connection with the Chamber is also greatly
beneficial as it resources EMERGE leaders
with helpful tools through a number of
programs and events. The Chamber’s annual
programming better prepares professionals
in their careers, and EMERGE has come
alongside these initiatives to make them
accessible to young professionals as well. “We
hold multiple events every month, and one of
the things we started last year was subsidizing
some professional development,” says Hamid.
Another unique program is EMERGE
Serves, which is designed to give
comprehensive training for professionals
interested in community service. “[EMERGE
Serves] teaches us the value of building a
board that has different perspectives to help
determine better direction for the future,”
says Hamid. This 12-hour course details the
fundamentals behind effective board service.
The program is taught by well-respected
community leaders and nonprofit directors
from a diverse range of backgrounds and
professions. At the end of the program,
participants are to complete service
résumés that will be used to match them to
agencies and volunteers for board service
opportunities.
In addition to better preparing young
professionals with connections and leadership
skills that will serve them throughout
their professional careers, EMERGE also
facilitates events such as the Polk Emerging
Leaders Awards (PELA) to continue to
connect with other professionals and celebrate
the significant contributions made by young
leaders to our community. This annual event
is a collaborative project partnered with the
Winter Haven Chamber’s young professional
group, Endeavor, and the Bartow Chamber’s
young professional group, Engage. “At Polk
Emerging Leaders Awards, we’re saying ‘look
at our members who are doing a lot. We want
to recognize you,’” says Hamid. Along with
providing another networking opportunity,
the recognition given at this event inspires
other young professionals to give of their
time and resources to serve their local
communities.
EMERGE believes greatly in instilling
into young professionals an appreciation
for volunteerism and philanthropy. “We
participate in volunteer opportunities with
local nonprofits,” says Hamid. Among these
nonprofits are VISTE, Big Brother Big
Sisters, American Cancer Society, Central
Florida Speech and Hearing, and many more.
No matter what you’re interested in,
EMERGE provides countless opportunities
for young professionals to grow. “You can
start getting experience in leadership roles
before you’re on a board, before you get that
position at work,” says Hamid. “So, truly,
from meeting people your age to developing
yourself as a leader, to then finding successful
positions utilizing the talents and résumé
builders within Lakeland — that keeps you
here, engaged, and holds the talent.”
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