Skills to Pay the Bills

Are your skills workplace ready? Sharpen your soft skills and workplace knowledge with engaging presentations and collaborative workshops led by TU alumni and regional business professionals.

Resume review with student

About the Event

Skills to Pay the Bills is a workshop-style student event hosted by CBE's Young Alumni Advisory Council. The event kicks off with a keynote speaker followed by four breakout workshop sessions emphasizing different soft skills. Students can choose two sessions out of the four to attend based on their interests. Students will also have the opportunity to:

  • Have a professional headshot taken
  • Get your resume reviewed by an industry expert
  • Network with business professionals in your desired field 

2025 Skills to Pay the Bills

The StarTUp at the Armory
307 Washington Ave, Towson, MD 21204
A quick 5 minute drive or 10 minute walk from the center of campus

All TU students are welcome. Juniors and seniors in the College of Business and Economics are strongly encouraged to attend.

Registration will open in January 2025. 

Breakout Sessions

These four breakout sessions will focus on soft skills such as communication, professional life and personal finance and will be led by industry experts.

  1. Assessing Company Culture and Workforce Expectations - Covers topics such as: Evaluating company culture (mission/values, DEIB, etc.), aligning your values with workforce expectations, and how to decide if a job is the right fit for you.
  2. Navigating Negotiations and Hard Conversations - Covers topic such as: how to effectively negotiate (salary, projects, and competing priorities), developing conflict resolution skills for personal and professional situations with effective communication and active listening.
  3. Professional Communication Etiquette - Covers topics such as: the essentials of workplace communication, coaching on how to convey messages clearly and respectfully in a business environment, understanding the nuances of verbal and non-verbal cues.
  4. Investing in Your Future - Covers topics such as: financial literacy including basic budgeting, credit, FICO scores, and retirement options; professional growth opportunities (conferences/certifications); and tools to invest wisely in your future.

Why You Should Attend

Whether you're a soon to be graduate or just looking to get a jump start on your workforce skills, Skills to Pay the Bills is a unique opportunity for TU students to sharpen their soft skills prior to entering the workforce. 

Soft skills are personal attributes that enable you to work effectively as an individual and with others. Soft skills include communication, problem solving, teamwork, time management and more.

Let us know you're coming. Sign up for a headshot, resume review, and 2 breakout sessions.

Questions? Contact the CBE Young Alumni Advisory Council at CBEYAAC@gmail.com.