Creating Engaging Content for Workforce Needs
About Me
I am Christopher Parsons studying the OLID (Organization Learning Innovation Development) program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, set to graduate in Spring 2026, with a strong foundation in visual storytelling and design. Holding an Associate’s Degree in Graphic Design from Rend Lake College, I bring extensive experience in crafting compelling content and graphic designs tailored for workforce and educational environments.
My work blends creativity with strategic communication, delivering impactful visuals that engage and inspire diverse audiences. Passionate about pushing creative boundaries, I’m dedicated to honing my skills and contributing innovative solutions to real-world challenges.
Writings
In the OLID program, I have refined my writing skills by creating clear, engaging content for workforce education. Through career profiles for roles like Human Resource Specialist and Instructional Designer, I synthesized research from O*NET and interviews into concise, professional reports. Discussion posts for OLID courses showcase my ability to articulate educational philosophies and HR principles in an accessible, authentic voice. These experiences have strengthened my capacity to develop impactful training materials and leadership resources, equipping me to design effective programs in workforce development.
Presentations
In the OLID program, I have developed my presentation skills by creating engaging, visually appealing content for workforce education audiences. Through assignments like a narrated video presentation for the Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board and a slideshow on Human Resource Management based on professional interviews, I crafted clear, structured slides with compelling visuals and concise scripts. These experiences enhanced my ability to communicate complex ideas effectively, using tools like PowerPoint, Adobe Creative Suite, Presonus StudioOne and Canva, preparing me to deliver impactful training and leadership presentations in professional settings.
Presentations
This group project for OLID 461: Workforce Education Needs Assessment was based on improving a local chapter of the American Legion, Post 127 of Murphysboro, IL. My contribution was creating the presentation and covering narration.
I created a mock commercial to advertise a fictional H.R. Instructional Designer position at 'Excitement Corporation.' Using stock video and mixed media, I produced an engaging and informative commercial that effectively highlights the job's key details and responsibilities.
In response to a project prompt requiring the development of a linkage plan for an organization specializing in workforce development, I conducted in-depth research and selected the Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board (SIWDB) as the focus. Leveraging local resources, I designed a strategic plan to enhance the board's capabilities, foster community partnerships, and drive sustainable growth in regional workforce initiatives.
My SWOT analysis presentation evaluates UnitedHealth Group’s Compliance and Ethics Training Program, identifying strengths like scalable e-learning and governance, and weaknesses such as high costs and limited impact metrics. It highlights opportunities for analytics training and scalability, while addressing threats like turnover and regulatory changes. The presentation aligns training with business goals, using clear visuals and a structured narrative to engage viewers.
Assorted Media
In the OLID program, I developed diverse multimedia submissions to enhance workforce education initiatives. I created entertaining and informative radio commercial advertisements using PreSonus Studio One, blending humor and clarity to promote professional development. Art diagrams, crafted with Canva, visually communicated training concepts, while poems added a creative, motivational touch to leadership materials. These projects honed my ability to produce dynamic, audience-focused media, equipping me to design impactful content for training and engagement.
Assorted Media
Produced a nostalgic audio commercial for "Organization Design and Development Interventions," infused with an energetic 1980s wrestling theme. I crafted an engaging and informative piece, incorporating dynamic sound effects to captivate listeners while delivering key content in a fun, memorable format.
Crafted an engaging old-time radio program to educate listeners on Andragogy, collaborating with my wife to authentically recreate the nostalgic style of classic radio shows. The program explores key concepts such as self-directed learning, margins, and McClusky’s Theory of Margin, blending educational content with a vintage broadcast aesthetic.
Capstone Project
In the OLID 498 Capstone Project, I developed the Event Planning and Self-Empowerment Manual for Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton, Illinois, to address the church’s demographic gap in engaging adults aged 22-35, both single and married. The project proposal focused on conducting a needs assessment through surveys and interviews to identify barriers like work commitments (52%) and disconnection (39%), as well as preferences for casual events (74%) and small group discussions (61%). I then created a comprehensive manual with sections on biblical foundations for outreach (e.g., Matthew 28:19), adult living statistics tied to community building (using Pew Research and local survey data), self-empowerment principles (inspired by Isaiah 6:8 and self-efficacy theory from VeryWellMind), practical event planning strategies (Galatians 5:13 theme), and expected outcomes. Supervised by Associate Pastor Greg Whaley, the project involved 90 hours of work over nine weeks, including a pilot pool party (June 22, 2025) to test engagement and a coffee mixer (July 22, 2025) to gather feedback.
This capstone experience honed my OLID skills in needs analysis, strategic planning, and instructional design, resulting in a 15-25 page manual that empowers believers to lead low-cost, inclusive small group events like coffee mixers and service projects. Lessons learned include the importance of flexibility in event scheduling to overcome barriers and the value of biblical grounding to motivate leadership. The manual has potential for ongoing use at Immanuel Baptist Church, and Pastor Whaley expressed openness to future projects with connected students. Through this, I gained confidence in applying OLID principles to real-world workforce and community development, preparing me to create effective training resources in professional settings.
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