Human Resources

Training and Professional Development

Talent Training and Professional Development

Talent Training and professional development is a continuous process of acquiring new knowledge and skills that relate to one’s profession, job responsibilities, and work environment.  Training and development plan a strategic role in maintaining trained, informed, and motivated employees, regardless of job classification.  The quality of COM employees is as important as the quality of education provided to our students.

COM is committed to building leaders at every level.  Employees are encouraged to participate in training and professional development activities within the college and through professional associations.  The objective is to help employees enhance their job skills, obtain job-related knowledge and information, increase productivity and efficiency, and prepare for advancement.  A comprehensive training and professional development program promotes student achievement by providing staff with directed and ongoing guidance that is aligned to the college’s strategic, annual, and unit plans.

The college will also provide a pathway to leadership by instituting the Leadership Development Academy (LDA) and the Executive Advancement Institute (EAI).  These leadership development programs are competitive.  LDA focuses on building leadership within and is committed to the development of leaders skilled in communicating their vision in a culturally diverse, democratic society.  EAI emphasizes the development of college-wide strategies, community college trends, and the development of leadership competencies, as outlined by the American Association of Community Colleges. 

EAI is the primary leadership development program that supports succession planning for key positions in the college.  EAI are successful candidates for possible future leadership roles. 

Training and Professional Development at COM involves the following areas:

COM’s SMP Talent Training and Program Structure

Building Excellence in Me 

Purpose

To provide soft skills training to employees while addressing institutional employee engagement goals and objectives strategic goals.

Goals

  1. Assist employees in acquiring and maintaining the knowledge, skills and abilities to provide high quality services in the areas of administration, instruction, student services and college operations.
  2. Provide employees with opportunities for personal growth and professional development.
  3. Prepare employees to assume broader responsibilities, adapt to change, and improve performance.

Guidelines

  • Mandatory for all benefit eligible full-time/part-time employees at the COM.

Community of Respect (COR) Training Workshop 

The Community of Respect (COR) Training Workshop is an 8 hour training designed to cover the following:

Module I is a self awareness learning experience that explores the fact that everyone has cultural values. The main goal of module I is for participants to identify their own culture and to gain an understanding of how the values of their culture influence how they understand the behavior of others.

Module II introduces the participants to cross-cultural communication concepts and terminology that helps them gain an understanding of how individuals from different cultures communicate differently than those in the participants’ own cultures.  It explores how these concepts are factors in the misunderstandings that often occur in cross-cultural relations. 

Module III involves the application of knowledge and skills learned in Modules I and II, to real-life encounters in different contexts, by examining case studies and exercises on intercultural conflict. 

Mandatory Supervisory Training 

COM recognizes the value of developing leaders at all levels.  In order to provide a productive work environment the college is committed to providing all employees who supervise others with training on college, state, and federal policies.  The Mandatory Supervisory training series is designed to inform current supervisors of legal and managerial policies and best practices. 

A comprehensive plan for professional development opportunities will help to continually improve and enhance individual, team, and organizational performance.  The development of employees ensures that we are working toward achieving our mission and assisting our students.

Leadership Development Academy 

The Leadership Development Academy (LDA) is a focused journey in personal and leadership development. It is a 18-month journey that requires commitment, dedication and perseverance.  The LDA is open to everyone at the College of the Mainland (COM) who has aspirations for becoming a leader, as well as to current leaders who have aspirations to improve their skills.

This program is designed to prepare individuals for formal and informal leadership roles in educational and organizational settings.  The purpose of this program is threefold: to study the theoretical and practical nature of leadership within an organizational context, to understand individuals as followers and leaders within organizations, and to apply leadership knowledge to an organizational context.

The LDA is a dynamic program that covers topics such as leadership theory, shared leadership, servant leadership, leadership development as self-development, leadership styles and credibility. Additionally, we will sponsor activities such as self-assessments and mentoring.

LDA Guidelines

  • Prerequisites include a desire for self-improvement, career enhancement and identified leadership goal(s).
  • Demonstrate a commitment to self, career and professional development will be given preferences for admission to the program.

Executive Advancement Institute 

The Executive Advancement Institute (EAI) is a succession management, leadership development program.  This program was developed provide a systematic process for assisting employees in preparing for career progression and to ensure that “position ready” candidates are available to fill critical positions as needed to ensure institutional sustainability.

EAI provides participants with leadership training and development for different divisions of the college.  Participants are not focused on personal leadership; they are focused on institutional leadership.  They are introduced to the strategic operations of the different divisions and departments of the college.  Speakers are invited to discuss changes and trends occurring in community colleges.  Through this introduction, it is the hope that employees will become more creative and innovative in the performance of their job duties.  In addition participants are provide a mentor to help with their professional, as well as, personal growth and development.

Goals

  1. To identify a talent pool of employees who are interested in career progression and are willing to develop skills and traits necessary for future opportunities.
  2. To serve as a talent management tool for the College by developing existing employees.
  3. To increase employees effectiveness, workplace efficiency, and institutional productivity.

EAI Guidelines

  • Employed full-time at the college for at least 4 years
  • Completed mandatory supervisory training offered through Human Resources Department
  • Completed Leadership Development Academy
  • Because a large part of each session is participatory, attendance is mandatory.
  • Commit to 18 months of EAI participation

Specialized Training 

Human Resources is here to support all employees.  The SMP Training and professional Development being promoted is to create an awareness of the college’s expectations of supervisors and provide them with the resources and assistance necessary for them to effectively perform their duties, develop their staff, and assist students. 

Supervisors can request specialized training modules to assist in areas such as: motivation and coaching, conflict resolution, and employee discipline.  Let us know where you need help; we are here for you.

COM working together to become a World Class Institution.