Pictured, from left, are Anthony Juliano from Asher Agency and Point Six Four Consulting; Anne Hill from DePuy Synthes; Tara Kuhmichel from Ivy Tech Community College; Erin Morris from Zimmer Biomet; and Dustin Hickle from 212 Media Studios.

KOSCIUSKO — OrthoWorx recently hosted its first professional development of the summer for interns, co-ops and young professionals in the orthopedic industry. The event, “Social Media and Self-Branding,” was organized by the Orthopedic Young Professional Advisory, and was held at Grace College. OYPA is managed through OrthoWorx and professional development events are done in collaboration with Ivy Tech Community College.

“Our summer events are so important as we welcome over 200 interns and co-ops this summer in the orthopedic industry alone,” states Nichole Rouached, manager of communications and projects with OrthoWorx. “By bringing local industry leaders and topic experts together around a specific topic, we aim to better connect young talent to our community and provide them tools for their professional growth.”

The event included a presentation by Anthony Juliano, vice president of Asher Agency and founder/CEO of Point Six Four Consulting. Juliano states, “Young leaders are dealing with a challenge that previous generations never faced: how to shift their use of social media as it begins to affect both their social and professional lives. It’s a complex issue, but events like this one give college students and young professionals the opportunity to understand that shift, define their goals, and start telling their authentic stories. It was an honor to participate and hear what’s on the mind of the next generation of leaders.”

Following Juliano’s presentation on self-branding and tips on how to use social media, the event went into a panel that included Juliano, human resource professionals Anne Hill from DePuy Synthes and Erin Morris from Zimmer Biomet as well as Dustin Hickle from 212 Media Studios. The panel was moderated by Tara Kuhmichel from Ivy Tech Community College and addressed questions on the hiring processes and what candidates can do to stand out in a digital age. The panel all expressed how regardless of your presence on social media, relationships are a key part to building a network and finding jobs that align with young talent’s career goals.

OrthoWorx is partnering again with Ivy Tech Community College for the next OYPA event on Wednesday, July 16, which will focus on networking. Kuhmichel stated, “Investing in professional development of our interns is a strong indicator of future success of our workforce here in Kosciusko County.” Interns, co-ops and young professionals will have an opportunity to socialize after the event and network with fellow industry professionals.

If your company is interested in partnering with OrthoWorx for summer programs for interns, co-ops or young professionals, please reach out to Nichole Rouached at [email protected]