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Freelancers Training Up During Covid and Beyond

September 30, 2020 By wordpress

By: Gabby Fisher, ACE Digital Media Manager & Entrepreneur, in conjunction with Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) Career Launchpad.

We freelancers are versatile, hardworking and known for their ability to adapt to dynamic work environments and demands. To remain marketable and relevant in their fields, we prioritize professional development and and constantly engage in training and courses geared toward building modern skills. Over the past six months, more than 50% of freelancers have participated in skill-related education or training.

As mentioned in last week’s article, I’ve heard firsthand from many local freelancer’s and entrepreneur’s who have been using this period of uncertainty to “train up” and sharpen their professional tools. Kirsten Voege, Marketing & Communications Consultant and Owner of KiRated Communications, is one of those individuals.

Kirsten with her work from home setup!

Last week, Kirsten held her own Professional Development Day, where she blocked out her schedule – no calls or meetings – allowing her to hyper-focus on searching for online trainings and courses, setting goals, and looking for other new types of learning opportunities. She usually has two webinar trainings on her calendar each week.

I asked her why it’s so important for her to invest in professional development and she said “As actress Helen Hayes said, “if you rest, you rust,” I’m always trying to learn something new. I’m constantly finding new trainings/courses on LinkedIn, through podcasts, Eventbrite and in digital newsletters. It seems like many of the newsletters end up in my spam folder, so when I run out of new ideas, I check there too.”

Just a few of the books Kirsten’s read throughout the pandemic. Follow her on social media for her extensive book, podcast, & study music recommendations! FB / IG / Twitter

Freelancers spend a lot of time searching for worthwhile professional development opportunities…programs, courses, and experts that they trust.

We know a better way. Hudson Valley Community College’s (HVCC) Career Launchpad has fast-track options to provide you the education necessary to enhance skills or develop new ones. Their training sectors include the following:

Get in touch with HVCC today. Opportunities for tuition funding may be available. Yes, 50% of freelancers have engaged in some training over the past six months, but that number should be higher. Invest in yourself. Invest in your career. Invest in marketplace stability. Get started in less than a minute by filling out the form of the bottom of the website page. Let’s launch!

Check out “Training Up With Gabby: Build Your Skills, Knowledge & Earning Power!” here!

Free Flu Shots for the ACE Community!

September 28, 2020 By wordpress

We are thankful that The Occupational & Environmental Health Center of Eastern New York (1873 Western Ave., Albany) is offering our ACE community free flu vaccines.

You must schedule your appointment by calling 518-690-4420. Appointments are being offered through Thursday, November 19th.

REQUIRED PAPERWORK

You must fill out all required paperwork and bring it with you to your appointment.

  1. Privacy notice
  2. Medical Consent Form
  3. Demographic Information


You must schedule your appointment by calling 518-690-4420.

Freelance Lifestyle Writers Wanted

September 24, 2020 By Maureen Sager

ACE is looking for Freelance Lifestyle Writers for a new project launching in 2021.

As a Freelance Lifestyle Writer you will:

  • Stay on top of and report on Capital Region trends and topics of interest to a diverse mix of millennials and Gen Zs, using existing templates and maximizing content for web, video and social media.
  • Propose your own story ideas and angles based on your insight and knowledge, as well as receive assignments from editors and managers.
  • Understand what does/doesn’t work for a story on our site, and demonstrate flexibility and willingness to re-focus ideas.
  • Dive into research, making use of internal and external links, to show your stories are based on more than just one person’s opinion.
  • Take a data-driven approach to writing, to gain insights on article performance.
  • Ability to work in an independent environment.
  • Consistently deliver high-quality, self-edited, and professional articles.
  • Work in a fast-paced, ever-changing, and demanding remote environment.

What you will need to be successful in this role:

  • Experience and background in — and passion for! – writing and reporting on a variety of topics including: Culture, News Trends, Travel, Food, and other Lifestyle topics, as well as a distinctive voice that resonates with our target audience.
  • A strong grasp of proper grammar and punctuation (e.g., Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style). Knowledge of AP Style is a plus.
  • The skill to recognize interesting news elements, come up with story ideas, and have these appeal to our audience.
  • A willingness to learn quickly and adapt to the varying and ever-changing demands of the job.
  • A working knowledge of search-engine optimization and previous experience using WordPress is strongly preferred.

If this opportunity interests you and you fit the job description, please send resume, articles, and published writing samples to capregionny@gmail.com.

Training Up With Gabby: Build Your Skills, Knowledge & Earning Power!

September 22, 2020 By Maureen Sager

By: Gabby Fisher, ACE Digital Media Manager & Entrepreneur, in conjunction with Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) Career Launchpad.

Hey, it’s me!

I’ve had some extra time on my hands due to the limitations of COVID-19. I’m sure you can relate. The question is, what have you been doing with the extra time? Some of us have been brushing up on our cooking techniques, exercising more (or watching a lot more TV – that’s cool too), or have been using this time to reflect and explore my professional goals (me!).

What do I want out of a career? What do I want to achieve in the next 5-10 years? How can I make myself more marketable? How can I make more money?

Sure, I have a Bachelor’s Degree and work experience in different fields – but there is SO much more to learn. Technology is changing. The way people work and consume is changing. Everyday! The only way to keep up is to invest in continued learning and professional development. Whether it’s to enhance your skills in the field you’re currently working in or to learn new skills for a better career.

Don’t take my word for it…here’s what I’ve heard from fellow freelancers and business owners during the COVID-19 crisis…

But wait, there’s more…Did you know?…

Bottom line…to be marketable and excel in your career, you need to launch yourself to the next level by investing in yourself and education.

Don’t know where to start? I do. Career Launchpad by Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC).

Why did I choose this route? To name a few reasons…the education comes from a nationally accredited institution, it’s online, it’s easy to get started, and it’s affordable. Invest in yourself. I’m going to. Follow my journey as I jump into the Career Launchpad program at HVCC and take my skills, knowledge, and earning power to the next level.

First step: fill out the interest form! It takes less than a minute. Check it out below and click here to fill yours out today!

Stay tuned for more!

CapNY Apple Picking Map (Plus Craft Beverages, To Boot)!

September 20, 2020 By wordpress

By: Gabby Fisher, ACE Digital Manager

Me on my 3rd or 4th hot cider donut…

There is nothing that says a CapNY fall like being out in the orchard on a crisp sunny day! Whether you’re competing for the best looking apple or chowing down as many cider donuts as your stomach will allow, it’s a great day out for families and friends. The only hard part is trying to save room for the homemade apple crisp later.

Upstate New York is known for some of the best apple picking IN THE WORLD. Even though you may have a favorite spot, I challenge you to visit a new spot this year! Try our downloadable Google map of the “U-Pick” locations all over the Cap Region, which you can find at the bottom of the page.

We’ve also marked all of the nearby local brews and ciders, to check out before or after your orchard adventures.

Here are some of our orchard and craft beverage combo picks…

Albany County: Indian Ladder Farms & Meadowdale Winery

My nephew and I…see what I mean about the views from the farm!

A visit to Indian Ladder Farms is an annual tradition in my family. There are so many things to see and do at this farm aside from great apple picking (Honeycrisp are my favorite by the way). They have farm animals that you can pet and feed, incredible scenery, drool worthy cider donuts, a restaurant, brewery…and the list goes on… You could spend the whole day here, but if you’re looking to explore more of the Altamont area, there are a few spots I’d recommend exploring.

Beautiful Thatcher Park. You can see Meadowdale Winery from the lookout spot.

Head on over to Meadowdale Winery to try one of their nine wines (some award winning!) made wholly of New York ingredients. You might be happy to know that this spot is an ultra-low-carbon, zero-waste winery. Win-win! Then, you HAVE to venture right nearby to Thatcher State Park to see enjoy the beautiful fall foliage and if you’re feeling up to it, explore one of the trails and you might see a few small waterfalls!

Rensselaer County: Windy Hill Orchard East & Stable Gate Winery

I think I am just going to let these next few photos speak for themselves…

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! These are just a few of homemade desserts you can enjoy at Windy Hill Orchard East after you pick your apples. They also have wagon rides, a corn maze, sunflower field, fire pits and frequently have food trucks and live entertainment to enjoy! This place has it all.

Stable Gate Winery

If you’re looking to maximize your time in the area, head on over to Stable Gate Winery. Stop by for a wine tasting, some live music, yoga on the farm, or even brunch! Their events calendar is always jam packed.

Between these two spots, you’re guaranteed to have an unforgettable day.

Enjoy & don’t forget to tag us in all of your Instagrammable moments, @upstatecreative and use #CapNY #getCAPtivated #UpstateCreative!

Click HERE to download a PDF list of all of the Apple Orchard locations


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