Fall 2021 Training Update

As we near the midway point of the 2021–22 performance review period, the Office of Human Resources (OHR) provides timely opportunities to focus on your professional and personal development.

Academic Impressions

In partnership with the Office of the Provost, OHR is pleased to announce the addition of an enterprise-wide license for Academic Impressions. Academic Impressions is a professional development resource that addresses current and relevant topics of interest, specifically in higher education. CMU staff, faculty and students have access to all of the on-demand content as well as sponsored webcasts and virtual events.

Log in to the Academic Impressions site using your CMU credentials. Click the “Start Learning” link at the top of the launch page to browse the topics and learning opportunities. If you have any questions or have trouble accessing Academic Impressions, contact the Learning and Development team. 

Staff Supervisory Awareness Program

OHR kicked off the Staff Supervisory Awareness Program in 2020, and sessions are currently scheduled through December. To register for a session, log in to FocusU. Look for additional information soon, as OHR is developing a schedule of related sessions for 2022.

Student Hiring Support Offered at the Beginning of the Fall Semester

OHR hosted a series of Zoom sessions in August and September to assist student transaction initiators during the student hiring period for the fall semester. This informal training was designed to assist staff members who are involved in documenting citizenship, processing student hires in Workday, and making sure that student information is correctly entered for payroll and disbursement of stipends.

These support sessions turned out to be very valuable and resulted in additional training guides and documentation. Participants helped to identify gaps in information and support as well as inconsistencies in processes that have evolved over time. OHR will continue to work on addressing the challenges of the student hiring process and is reaching out to other subject matter experts on campus to further document items that lead to inconsistent hiring procedures across CMU's colleges and departments.

Development Program Guide Resources Expanded

A Staff Development category has been added to the courses and programs listed on OHR's Development Program Guide. In addition to Staff Development, the following topics are available:

The Staff Development section lists a wide range of national professional associations and organizations as well as some with local chapters in the Pittsburgh region. The section also includes certificate opportunities available through LinkedIn Learning for selected topics, as well as a collection of training resources available in FocusU.

The courses listed in the Development Program Guide are just a sampling of the vast array of on-demand training resources available to assist with personal development needs or to enhance knowledge and skills on specific topics or areas of interest.

Coming Soon

OHR continues to identify additional opportunities to expand training, including partnering with the Community College of Allegheny County on a program for administrative professionals and Tepper Executive Education for programs on leadership.

Administrative Professionals Training Program

OHR is pleased to announce a new program aimed at developing and enhancing administrative professionals dedicated to the support of departments and academic units. The Administrative Professionals Training Program will provide training and coursework to help develop and refine skills essential to supporting business and operations across the university. The program leverages the Community College of Allegheny County's expertise in providing business and administrative training to help employees in these positions become more efficient and gain access to opportunities for expanded roles and duties as they progress in their careers. Look for more information regarding this program in early 2022.

Staff Leadership Academies

OHR is excited to announce a partnership with Tepper Executive Education to develop and launch two Leadership Academies which are open to any faculty or staff member:

Strategies for Advancing Women in Organizations will help participants craft a leadership brand for both individual and organizational success while leveraging the unique strengths and addressing the challenges specific to women seeking advancement opportunities in higher education.
Strategies for Advancing Underrepresented Minorities in Organizations similarly addresses the 360-degree development of the program participants with a particular emphasis on the unique challenges faced by underrepresented minority professionals.

OHR is currently conducting socialization and communications regarding these programs and working with senior leadership to identify suitable candidates for a program launch in early 2022.