I absolutely cannot wait for ISHI 34 in Denver, Colorado! ISHI is one of the best conferences and I always look forward to attending the presentations, learning new things, and networking.

These past three years have been a challenge for all of us – how to navigate a pandemic and the social distancing, remote work, and mental health situations that came with it. Pair this with our routine tasks in the forensic setting and it has made for one of the most challenging times in our lives.

In fact, the COVID pandemic impacted all of us in different ways. In academia, student mental health moved to the forefront of education. Educators in forensic science programs struggled to find ways to deliver content and hands-on laboratory experiences in a remote format, with internships dissolving at most laboratory agencies, and other challenges (like maintaining high and rigorous standards for accreditation), all while supporting our student’s well-being. These students are now graduating and preparing for the workforce; many of them are prepared academically but may not be ready to face the workplace and the day-to-day trauma that is encountered in a crime lab.

This is the focus that my colleagues and I will be presenting in our one-day workshop titled, The Other NGS: Next Generation Scientists and How to Prepare Them for the Workforce, on Monday, September 18th. As your facilitators, we will discuss best practices in the training of new hires and the onboarding process, and share ways to develop a more resilient workforce. Participants will engage in an interactive workshop to network and bring their own challenges and questions to the peer group. Our goal is to elevate your awareness of the unique challenges with new graduates, while also presenting strategies and solutions for helping new hires cope with their complex roles in the forensic science setting.

As an academician and program director for nine years, I have had the opportunity to get to know this next generation firsthand. I have learned of unique and complex challenges facing students today, even more so in light of the pandemic. And as a former forensic science practitioner, I know exactly what laboratories expect in their new hires.

This interactive workshop is designed for individuals who are responsible for hiring and training new employees, offering them an understanding of these challenges along with tools that they can implement in their own operations, starting with the interview process.

The reality is that the new graduates are smart! It’s not about the science – if it was, we would have it easy. The struggle comes with overcoming a fear of being wrong, the fear of making a mistake, building confidence, critical thinking, and dealing with pressure, on the job and in the courtroom. Our workshop will provide well-being resources and strategies that can be incorporated into your own laboratory.

Let’s face it, hiring is a time-consuming process and training is costly. We want to help you develop strategies to find the right fit while also recognizing that onboarding is a difficult journey. Finding the right balance of constructive criticism, positive feedback, evaluation, and the try/fail/repeat method that is science, all while navigating the mental toughness of a new hire, can be an exhausting process. But in the end, when it works, and you have someone who considers their role to be a career investment and not just a job, who looks to their next testimony with confidence and not fright, who looks at mistakes as opportunities to learn, you’ll have your reward. And you can say that you have better prepared your workforce for the difficult days on the job.

We look forward to seeing you at ISHI 34 and we hope you join us for this thought-provoking and strategy-building workshop!

Workshop Team:

John M. Collins, Executive Leadership Coach

Julie Conover Sikorsky, M.S., Manager, Forensic Biology Unit, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Dr. Ray Wickenheiser, Director, NYSP Crime Laboratory System