Get Worked Up is a one-day conference for emerging and student designers. This conference is part of the AIGA Emerge initiative focused on designers who are just launching their careers to those who have up to five years of experience in the field. Participants will have the opportunity to: (1) meet, interact and collaborate with their Upstate New York Peers; (2) Sharpen design skills during the hands-on design workshop; (3) prepare to dive deeper into the design profession with talks on the importance of finding a mentor, public speaking, the business of design, landing a job, and being involved in the design community; (4) Q&A about the design profession with the speakers -- don't be shy, ask what you really want to know.

This year's conference features Keynote speaker, Ram Castillo. Ram is an award winning Design Director, Blogger, top-ranking Podcaster, Speaker, CreativeLive.com Instructor and Author of two internationally acclaimed books; 'How to get a job as a designer, guaranteed' and 'How to get a mentor as a designer, guaranteed'. He's based in Sydney, Australia and in 2012, started the blog (and now also a podcast) GiantThinkers.com which helps thousands of design students and graduates be employed. Ram has since been featured in Communication Arts, HOW magazine, Herman Miller, AIGA.org and Apple.

SCHEDULE (more details coming soon)

9:30am - 10:00am
Check-in and Coffee/Tea

10:00am -11:00am 
Maker Workshop, Chris Harrold

11:15am - 12:15pm
Keynote Speaker, Ram Castillo (Giant Thinkers, Sydney, Australia)
"How to Get a Mentor as a Designer"

12:15 - 1:00pm
Lunch

1:10pm - 1:30pm
Karl Heine (creativeplacement®, South Norwalk, CT)
Beyond the Black Hole

1:30pm - 1:50pm
Jennifer Wilkerson (Aurora Design, Niskayuna, NY)
Freelance Isn't Free

1:50pm - 2:10pm
Michelle Roberts (Novus/Messenger Birds, Rochester, NY)

2:10pm - 2:30pm
Break

2:30pm - 2:40pm
Theresa Hans (IBM, Poughkeepsie, NY)
What You Say Is Important. How You Say It Is Essential

2:40pm - 3:00pm
kHyal (Fizz Agency, NY/CT)
Personal Branding and the Evolution of the Pink sKwirl

3:00pm - 3:20pm
Samantha Fuller (Raymour & Flanigan, Liverpool, NY)
Under One Roof: working as an in-house designer

3:20pm - 3:40pm
Doug Bartow (id29, Troy, NY)
Get Hooked Up

3:40pm - 4:00pm 
Break

4:00pm - 4:30pm 
Q&A with Design Professionals

4:30pm Wrap Up

Registration includes lunch and a copy of Ram Castillo's book, How to get a mentor as a designer, guaranteed.

Parking in Syracuse doesn't have to be a challenge. The SUNY Oswego Metro Center has a guide to parking!