NEWaukee's Young Professional Week (YPWeek) 2018 is April 20-28 across the state, creating a week-long platform for discovery, adventure and meaningful conversations about the issues that matter among young professionals in Wisconsin. There are plenty of events scattered throughout the eight-day event, but here are the top picks, in no particular order, from NEWaukee itself.

The Interview

Monday, April 23, 6-8:30 p.m., Stamm Technologies

Not only will you be able to hear directly and honestly from some of Milwaukee’s best and brightest companies about what it’s like to work for them, they’ll be interviewing on the spot for available positions! Explore Stamm Technologies’ new location in the Menomonee Valley while you explore what your future could look like with any of these amazing employers. With open positions in all different sectors, this is the place to be if you’re looking to change it up a little or start something totally new!

• 6-6:30 p.m. – Registration and networking
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. – Presentations with company executives
• 7:30-8:30 p.m. – On-site micro interviews with company representatives

The Speaker Crawl

Tuesday, April 24, 5:30-8 p.m., Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum

NEWaukee’s Speaker Crawl is an interactive professional development program that simultaneously features numerous speakers and a cultural institution to a young professional audience. The participants never sit during the presentations as they traverse the program exhibitions to hear from the diverse lineup of speakers. The Speaker Crawl is social in nature while it also imparts a wide array of information about the important issues facing our city as well as tips for personal and professional growth. Please note that it is a cash bar for the evening; complimentary apps from Screaming Tuna will be available while they last.

• 6 p.m. – Registration and networking
• 6:30 p.m. – Opening Keynote by Northwestern Mutual
• 7 p.m. – First Speaker Session
• 7:20 p.m. – Second Speaker Session
• 7:40 p.m. – Third Speaker Session

Political Open Mic

Wednesday, April 25, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Good City Brewing

Join us as we dive deep into different aspects of Milwaukee’s education system, the highs and the lows. We’ll hear from both parties and beyond on their thoughts and ideas for improvements and what the future of education looks like in Milwaukee.

What Political Open Mic is:

• A place for constructive ideas and feedback
• A forum to hear from all walks of life
• A discussion around important and complicated issues
• An avenue for people with an open mind and ability to listen
• For people on the right, left and center

What Political Open Mic is not:

• A place to ridicule the other side
• A forum for political spin
• A discussion for one side
• An avenue for divisiveness

Program format:
11:30-11:50 a.m. – Networking
11:50 a.m.-Noon – Introductions and rules
Noon-12:10 p.m. – Keynote Speaker 1: Justin Moralez
12:10-12:20 p.m. – Keynote Speaker 2: Mandela Barnes
12:20-12:30 p.m. – Q & A
12:30-12:50 p.m. – Open Mic: Audience members have two minutes to share their thoughts and ideas for the education system.

This will be a respectful, positive and productive thought and idea sharing platform, come with an open mind ready to learn from different perspectives. Appetizers will be provided by our friends at Good City Brewing, first come first served! Drinks will be available for purchase.

Open Source featuring Penrod

Wednesday, April 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Penrod

Go behind the scenes of Milwaukee’s tech community! Each month we’ll be exploring how companies around the city create a meaningful and positive culture in their organization. We’ve all seen the "Coolest Offices" list, but it doesn’t truly capture the culture of a workplace.

The purpose is simple. In order to grow Milwaukee’s tech community, we need a space to connect and have real conversations around:

• What is needed to move our tech community forward.
• How to make environments that create excitement and attract technologists.
• Space to tear down the barriers that divide us.

This revolving series includes the following:

• Company leaders discussing how they make their company’s culture something all levels of a company can enjoy.
• Q&A where both the company leader and an employee living the culture will answer questions.
• Complimentary food from a local Milwaukee restaurant while it lasts.
• Complimentary beverages, cocktails or beer from local makers.

Schedule for the night:

• 5:30-6:30 p.m. – Happy Hour
• 6:30-7 p.m. – Talk
• 7-7:30 p.m. – Open Source & Open Conversations

Investing in Your Future

Thursday, April 26, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Hoffman York

Every day during YPWeek, ditch out of your cubicle and fill your mind and your belly with us! Meet us at Hoffman York for some great food and a healthy discussion about investing in your future. The panel will be discussing the importance of getting all your ducks in a row when it comes to preparing for your future, be it health, financials or education. Lunch will be provided by Rumpus Room!

Food Prize

Thursday, April 26, 6-9 p.m., 330 East Kilbourn

During YPWeek, NEWaukee invites restaurateurs, food trucks caterers and chefs to compete in a signature showcase of their skills at the first ever Food Prize! With $500 as seed money to wow the crowd, area chefs will get creative and share their personal food mission statement on a plate. In a dynamic and lively event, guests have the opportunity to sample each of the competing chefs’ plates and vote on their favorite. The chef with the most votes at the end of the night takes home a cash prize of $5,000 and the glory of being the 2018 Milwaukee Food Prize winner!

We are excited to announce the featured chefs for Food Prize:

• Chris Xiong of Mason Street Grill
• Elijah Loebbaka of Birch + Butcher
• Martin Magana of Tess
• AJ Dixon of Lazy Susan

Along with sampling food from Milwaukee’s best chefs, guests will experience live art, live music and craft beer. Tickets are $20 and include samples from all selected chefs. This unique pop up experience connects people to the culinary arts, neighborhoods, and local small businesses in a new and delicious way!

The Layover

Friday, April 27, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Bacchus

As a Milwaukeean, it’s hard to miss the Funjet Vacations billboards scattered through town or avoid the radio station DJs who join you live from the Caribbean on a Funjet vacation, but did you know there’s more to Milwaukee’s travel scene than that little yellow sun? Join hometown travel industry leader La Macchia Enterprises (LME) – the parent company of Funjet, four other major travel brands and travel technology provider Trisept Solutions – as we dive deep into the trends, tech and tips to consider as a millennial who loves to travel.

The Layover will feature a panel of travel professionals who will leave you feeling inspired to travel the world, intrigued by the power of travel agents and maybe even ready to take flight with your own career in the travel industry. We’ll discuss insider travel tips, travel trends, getting off the beaten path, avoiding vacation mishaps and more. Lunch will be provided by Bacchus – A Bartolotta Restaurant.