Training Update: January-February 2010

Happy New Year!  Be sure and make an investment in your professional development a part of a Happy, Healthy, Safe and Prosperous 2010.

Below is are just some of the training sessions and Brown Bags that we have coming up.  If you wish to attend, please register online at: http://www.trainsweb.gatech.edu

Be sure to bookmark the Master Training Calendar http://www.trainsweb.gatech.edu/mastcal.asp for a complete list of available training courses.

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Training @ Georgia Tech
Visit the Georgia Tech Training Blog online at:   http://gatechtraining.blogspot.com/
We would love to know what you think.
Please let Shannon Scott (shannon.scott@gatech.edu) know if you would like to be a contributor.
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Brown Bags and Seminars

January 26, 2010
Brown Bag: 10 Minute Evacuation -- Are you prepared?
Instructor: Frank Stanley
Savant Building  Room  203
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Cost: free
What would you do if the fire department knocked on your door at 3am and told you that you had 10 minutes to evacuate due to a broken gas line around the corner. Or, some other emergency event requires your immediate departure. What do you do? What do you take with you? How do you take it with you? What are the priorities? Are you prepared? Join Frank Stanley from the Office of Emergency Preparedness, Georgia Tech Police Department, and gain valuable tools and tips on how to successfully deal with an emergency evacuation from home, at any hour.

February 3, 2010
Brown Bag:  Robbery Prevention and Office Creepers
Instructor: Office Alex Gutierrez
GT Police Department, Training Room
12:00 pm- 1:00 pm
Cost: free
Join us to discuss ways to protect yourself and your workplace from robberies and office creepers.

February 9, 2010
Brown Bag:  Microsoft Business Certification Info Session
Instructor: New Horizons
Savant Building  Room  203
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Cost: free
The Microsoft Business Certification program consists of two credentials:

• Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS)
• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)

By earning a Microsoft Business Certification credential, you can prove your expertise in using the latest Microsoft Office programs and the Windows Vista operating system.  The Microsoft Business Certification (MBC) program can help you attain the valuable expertise you need to succeed.  Join New Horizons for an overview of the Microsoft Business Certfication process and find out if certification is right for you.

The Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) credential validates skills in using the 2007 Microsoft Office system and the Windows Vista operating system, meeting the demand for the most up-to-date skills on the latest Microsoft technologies. Candidates who successfully complete the program by passing a certification exam show that they can meet globally recognized performance standards.

The Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) program offers certification tracks for Office 2003, Office XP, and Office 2000. To earn an MOS certification for Microsoft Office, you must pass one or more certification exams. MOS certification exams provide a valid and reliable measure of technical proficiency and expertise by evaluating your overall comprehension of Microsoft Office or Office Project programs, your ability to use advanced features, and your ability to integrate Office programs with other software.


Computer and Technical

If you have an immediate need for a computer course that is not scheduled, you may want to consider taking the course at the New Horizons calendar at a reduced Georgia Tech rate.  This option is especially convenient for the more technical classes.  Please let me know if  you need additional information about this option.  Many courses are available at their site via instructor-led classes, mentored learning and/or video conference.

Georgia Tech employees can take advantage of a 50% off discount for courses offered through DLPE.  Visit www.dlpe.gatech.edu/pe to learn more about Georgia Tech's Web, Information Security and Project Management courses. Remember, Georgia Tech employees save 50%.
                   

February 17, 2010
Outlook 2007 - Level 1
Instructor: New Horizons
Savant Building  Room  203
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Cost: $150
Overview:  In this course, students learn how to compose and send email, schedule appointments and meetings, manage contact information and tasks, and use notes. (Second Edition)

Who Should Attend:  This course is designed for any person with a basic understanding of Microsoft Windows who needs to use Microsoft® Office Outlook® 2007 to compose and send email, schedule appointments and meetings, manage contact information and tasks, and use notes. In addition, this course helps prepare students who desire to take the Microsoft Certified Applications Specialist certification for Outlook.

At Course Completion:  Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - identify the components of the Outlook environment. You will also perform simple tasks such as sending and responding to email messages. - compose messages. - use folders to organize messages. - manage contacts and contact information. - schedule appointments. - schedule meetings. - create and edit tasks.

February 18 and 19, 2010
Access 2007 -  Level 1 (2 day)
Instructor: New Horizons
Savant Building  Room  203
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Cost: $300
Overview:  In the course, students create and modify new databases and their various objects. They learn how to maintain data consistency and integrity; improve queries, forms, and reports; and also integrate Access 2007 with other applications. (Second Edition)

Who Should Attend:  This course is designed for students who wish to learn the operations of the Microsoft Access Database program to perform their day-to-day responsibilities, and to understand the advantages that using a relational database program can bring to their business processes. The first part of the course is for the individual whose job responsibilities include designing and creating new databases, tables, and relationships; creating and maintaining records; locating records; and producing reports based on the information in the database. The second part of the course is for individuals whose job responsibilities include maintaining data integrity; handling complex queries, forms, and reports; and sharing data between Access and other applications. It also provides the fundamental knowledge and techniques needed to advance to more complex Access responsibilities such as maintaining databases and using programming techniques that enhance Access applications.

At Course Completion:  Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - examine the basic database concepts and explore the Microsoft Office Access 2007 environment. - design a simple database. - build a new database with related tables. - manage the data in a table. - query a database using different methods. - design forms. - generate reports. - modify the design and field properties of a table to streamline data entry and maintain data integrity. - retrieve data from tables using joins. - create flexible queries to display specified records, allow for user-determined query criteria, and modify data using queries. - enhance the capabilities of a form. - customize reports to organize the displayed information and produce specific print layouts. - share Access data across other applications.


Customer Service, Office Professional, Student Academic Services Professional and Other

February 3, 2010
(CS) - Establishing Standards and Measurement
Instructor: Customer Care Institute
Savant Building  Room  203
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost: $250
Recognizing best practice standards and measures in world class organizations is an important step in providing exceptional customer service.  Participants will define and develop standards, write SMART goals, identify specific measurements, and experience a coaching model that can be used when standards are not met.

February 16, 2010
(OP) Improving Interpersonal Communications
Instructor: Rhonda Hight
Savant Building  Room  203
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $150
"What Did You Say?" This course is designed to improve interpersonal communications with all people. Utilizing the DISC Profile as a foundation for discussion, participants will have an opportunity to identify their dominant personality style, and the way it translates into their communication style. Additionally, this course provides participants with a reality-based definition of good communication.
 
February 24, 2010
(CS) - Creating an Exceptional Service Environment by Exceeding Expectations
Instructor: Customer Care Institute
Savant Building  Room  203
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost: $250
Discovering what customers expect so those expectations can be exceeded is a key to exceptional customer service.  Participants will define an exceptional service environment, identify the <i>tone at the top,</i> identify what needs to be done to exceed customer expectations and use the EZ access model to create a culture of exceptional service.



 

 

Training Update: Office Professionals, Advisors and Customer Service (September/October 2009)

There are several upcoming classes that still have room in them in the Office Professional, Student Academic Services Professional and Defining Customer Service certificate programs. We have many courses and topics available that will help you to be more effective and efficient in your job. If you wish to attend any of the following training classes, please register online at: http://www.trainsweb.gatech.edu

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About the certificate programs:

Office Professional
The Office Professional Certificate Program is designed to develop the specific competencies for a successful Office Professional. This program broadens communication skills for front line professionals; focuses on essential interpersonal skills that are necessary to be successful in the workplace; and includes advanced level training in managing priorities and working with others.

Student Academic Services Professional
The Student Academic Services Professional Development Program (SASPDP) provides training related to working directly with students, mainly in the area of academic advising. The curriculum, helps participants develop specific competencies for academic advising, offers consistent training and information for academic advisors and non-advisors who work directly with students (i.e., academic assistants, program and project coordinators, academic professionals, etc.), and provides proactive, in-service development activities for continuing education in this area.

Defining Customer Service
The Defining Customer Service certificate provides Georgia Tech staff enhanced training opportunities in the area of Customer Service. This enables Georgia Tech staff to provide the highest quality services to our community and improve the overall experience of faculty, staff, students and visitors. This is the first step in improving the services the Institute provides by making them faster, friendlier and easier, thereby making Georgia Tech a more welcoming and enjoyable place to learn and grow.
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9/17/2009
(SASPDP) Ethics and Confidentiality in Advising
Required -- Student Academic Services Professional Certificate Program
Instructor: Debbie Rice
Student Center Commons Room Crescent Room
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost: free
This interactive session will cover areas of ethics and confidentiality in advising including FERPA, legal aspects of disabilities, harassment, Honor Code, Counseling, Discrimination and when and where to refer students to counseling and the Dean of Students Office.

9/22/2009
(OP-E) Successful Meeting Management
Elective --Office Professional and Student Academic Services Professional
Instructor: Frances Micale
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $150
Learn how to plan and execute successful meetings. Know the objectives that drive the purpose of the meeting. Find out who you should be communicating with about meeting planning tasks. Do you have the appropriate facilities and audiovisual equipment? Are all planned participants clear on the purpose of the meeting? Is a meeting necessary? Participants in this class will receive "take-aways" for their toolkits to help them better plan meetings.

9/29/2009
(OP) Time Mastery
Required -- Office Professional
Elective -- Student Academic Services Professional
Instructor: Debbie Woodham
Savant Building Room 308
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: $150
The entire workshop is built around a Time Mastery Profile(tm), a self-assessment consisting of 60 statements that help you determine your own time-related behavior in 12 categories. Through this course you will learn that time management is really event management. You will discover practical, everyday skills for using your time wisely and managing projects, phone calls, daily tasks, and other responsibilities in a logical and organized manner. The Time Mastery Program prepares you to take control of the events in your professional and personal life.

9/30/2009
(OP) Telephone Techniques
Required --Office Professional
Instructor: Debbie Woodham
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $150
This program uses highly interactive methods involving role-playing. Emphasis is placed on the need to recognize co-workers as internal customers and covers such topics as telephone etiquette, telephone management skills, problem solving, dealing with language, cultural and communication barriers, voice mail pros and cons, and listening approaches.

10/1/2009
(OP) Improving Interpersonal Communications
Required -- Office Professional
Elective -- Student Academic Services Professional
Instructor: Rhonda Hight
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $150
"What Did You Say?" This course is designed to improve interpersonal communications with all people. Utilizing the DISC Profile as a foundation for discussion, participants will have an opportunity to identify their dominant personality style, and the way it translates into their communication style. Additionally, this course provides participants with a reality-based definition of good communication.

10/6/2009
(OP-E) Taking Charge of Change
Elective --Office Professional
Instructor: Ed Leader
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $150
From the kaleidoscopic world economy to mushrooming technology, nothing in our physiological or psychological lives is more pervasive or omnipresent today than change.

Taking Charge of Change training will help each person to recognize the need to develop a personal Change Strategy of their own. The guiding premise? Unless we can formulate a plan to take charge of change, it will inevitably take charge of us.

10/7/2009
(CS) - Creating an Exceptional Service Environment by Exceeding Expectations
Elective - Defining Customer Service
Instructor: Customer Care Institute
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost: $250
Discovering what customers expect so those expectations can be exceeded is a key to exceptional customer service. Participants will define an exceptional service environment, identify the <i>tone at the top,</i> identify what needs to be done to exceed customer expectations and use the EZ access model to create a culture of exceptional service.

10/8/2009
(CS) - Becoming a Customer-Focused Organization
Elective -- Defining Customer Service
Instructor: Craig Cochran
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Cost: $200
Organizations exist for one reason: to serve their customers. This is a fact whether you work within education, industry, government, or anything else. The trouble is that most people don�t really understand their role in driving customer loyalty. This practical workshop will provide the knowledge and tools to energize everyone in pursuit of being customer-focused. We�ll cover the following topics:

• Identifying internal customers
• Developing process for satisfying internal customers
• Essentials of customer feedback
• Evaluate sample customer surveys
• Select customer feedback questions
• Effective complaint handling
• Developing a complaint procedure

10/8/2009
(OP-E) Power Communications for Women
Elective -- Office Professional
Instructor: Gwen Thomas
Student Success Center Room Press Room A
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $200
Feel you're not being taken seriously or given the credit you deserve? If you want power, you need to learn the language. In this fast-paced seminar, you'll learn how to communicate with confidence and clout. Identify speech patterns that may sabotage your credibility. Understand how your body language may convey a different message than your words. Learn the language of empowerment and communicate your way to success!

10/9/2009
(OP-E) Get Organized NOW
Elective - Office Professional
Instructor: Peggy Duncan
Savant Building Room 203
08:30 - 3:30 pm
Cost: $150
In our quest to get more things done with less, we often overlook a key factor of why it's not working. Disorganization makes you waste time. The hours you spend digging through piles looking for something on your desk or scrolling for documents on your computer could be better spent completing a project, developing your skills, or just plain relaxing. And mind clutter makes you miss deadlines and forget simple requests from your boss, co-workers, and family.

This workshop will teach you the principles of organization and how they apply to every aspect of your life. You'll learn simple ways to change how you work that will help you get things done. You'll learn how to:

• Eliminate clutter one pile at a time.
• Distinguish between things to keep and things to trash.
• Create a system for files on your desk and your computer.
• Set up systems for handling paper that will keep your desk clear.
• Unclutter your mind trying to remember with simple ways to track projects, coordinate meetings, and keep everyone else on target.
• Manage mail, e-mail, and voicemail overload.
• Prioritize work, handle interruptions, say no, and reduce procrastination.
• Develop your complete filing system using the skills you learn in the training.

Please bring a list of your files to work on during the afternoon lab session.

10/14/2009
(OP) Building Better Work Relationships
Required -- Office Professional
Instructor: Anita Hope
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $150
Many of us spend as much time with our co-workers and boss as we do with our families. This program focuses on the interpersonal skills needed for creating and maintaining effective working relationships. Participants explore different options for "gaining agreement" and assess their personal preferences for influencing others without formal authority. The class will practice a three-step process for convincing co-workers to support their ideas and points of view. In addition, attendees will examine a proactive model for negotiating assignments with the boss and will develop a short action-plan for utilizing their newly acquired skills back on the job.

10/15/2009
(OP) Grammar Goes to Work
Required -- Office Professional
Instructor: Bobbi Kornblit
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $150
This fast-paced, interactive course provides an easy-to-grasp review of grammar and usage rules. Learn to create error-free documents by mastering punctuation, spelling, word choice, and sentence structure. Polish your writing skills in this one-day workshop.

10/16/2009
(OP) Management Skills for Office Professionals and Admin Support Staff
Required -- Office Professional
Instructor: Merle Strangway
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $150
Office Professionals and Administrative Support Staff have numerous management responsibilities. This class provides the initiative-oriented skills you need to do your job effectively with professional confidence. Find out how to facilitate team effort and team decisions. Bring control to chaos through planning, organizing, and scheduling. Gain insights into how you can better set your professional goals.

10/20/2009
(OP) Dealing with Difficult People
Required -- Office Professional
Instructor: Ed Leader
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $150
Do you dread certain situations at work or in your personal life because of the hostile or unresponsive encounters you have learned to expect? Do you feel powerless to cope with behavior that consistently leaves you depressed and defeated? This program will provide you with techniques on how to change conflict to compromise. You will be introduced to the four most common types of difficult people while learning how to maintain your composure under fire.

10/21/2009
(CS) - Establishing Standards and Measurement
Elective -- Defining Customer Service
Instructor: Customer Care Institute
Savant Building Room 203
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost: $250
Recognizing best practice standards and measures in world class organizations is an important step in providing exceptional customer service. Participants will define and develop standards, write SMART goals, identify specific measurements, and experience a coaching model that can be used when standards are not met.

10/29/2009
(SASPDP) - Student Development, Learning and Diversity (Part 1)
Required -- Student Academic Services Professional
Instructor: Danielle McDonald, John Stein
Savant Building Room 203
9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Cost: free
This two- part course will cover a broad overview of basic concepts and research related to student development and learning with a focus on how this relates to student performance, suitability for various courses and programs, needs for tutoring, counseling or additional mentoring programs, etc. Current cultural issues and information on the types of students we see at Georgia Tech will be discussed. Strategies for meeting diverse student population needs will be discussed. Information which is presented to students in GT1000 related to the academic culture (including differences in experiences between high school and college, faculty expectations, and learning at Georgia Tech).</p>

10/30/2009
(CS) - Fundamentals of Customer Service
Required -- Defining Customer Service
Instructor: Mark Mayberry
Student Success Center Room Press Room A
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost: $250
What does it take to raise the level of Customer Service at Georgia Tech for Internal [Faculty and Staff] and External [Students and Visitors] Customers? Attendees will be challenged to determine their own Customer Service vision, and then to deliver on this vision.

Customer Service Excellence -- another one!

The next time you take the Stingerette, be sure and congratulate Rosser Jones who received an Honorable Mention for Customer Service Excellence Award.

Congratulations!

Customer Service Leadership Award

Rosalind Meyers (Associate Vice President, Auxiliary Services) won the SILVER Outstanding Customer Service Leadership Award.

The Outstanding Leadership Award recognizes a leader in a department, division, program or institution who, through his or her leadership in customer service, has made a significant, positive impact on customer service to the citizens and customers of the University System of Georgia over the last year.

Congratulations!

Customer Service Excellence

Loren S. Sumerlin received the SILVER award for Customer Service Excellence from Chancellor Errol B. Davis.

This award was created to recognize and honor employees in the University system that go above and beyond the call of duty. As you know, Loren sets the standard of excellence for customer service delivery and guest satisfaction in every interaction. He is a very hard worker, a phenomenal team player, a great supervisor and a tremendous asset to the Student Center and the Georgia Tech Community. This honor is well deserved.

Congratulations, Loren!

Chancellor's Customer Service Award Winners for 2008

National Customer Service Week (October 6-10, 2008)

National Customer Service Week is October 6 -10, 2008.






To everyone who is participating in or has completed the Defining Customer Service certificate program....Great Job!

For those of you who haven't, what is stopping you? For more information about courses in customer service (as well as other courses that will improve your performance) see the GT Training web site at http://www.training.gatech.edu.


Some upcoming classes include:

10/10/2008
(CS) - Effective Problem Solving in A Customer Care Environment
Instructor: Craig Cochran
Student Center Room 320
8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $200
Problem solving is one of the most universal skills. It applies to every organization in every environment, especially a customer service environment. Despite the necessity for problem solving, most people have no idea how to go about it in a methodical and effective way. This workshop will provide a comprehensive framework for problem solving, from defining the problem to determining causes, and from taking action to verifying effectiveness. We'll apply the concepts at each step through interactive and fun exercises. Please join us for an educational and engaging workshop that will change the way you think about problem solving.

10/14/2008
(CS) - Establishing Standards and Measurement
Instructor: Customer Care Institute
Savant Building Room 308
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost: $250
Recognizing best practice standards and measures in world class organizations is an important step in providing exceptional customer service. Participants will define and develop standards, write SMART goals, identify specific measurements, and experience a coaching model that can be used when standards are not met.

10/16/2008
(CS) - Fundamentals of Customer Service
Instructor: Mark Mayberry
Savant Building Room 308
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost: $250
What does it take to raise the level of Customer Service at Georgia Tech for Internal [Faculty and Staff] and External [Students and Visitors] Customers? Attendees will be challenged to determine their own Customer Service vision, and then to deliver on this vision.

Georgia Tech staff may register for these (and other training courses) online at: http://www.trainsweb.gatech.edu