[41306] in Resnet-Forum
Re: Making Training Mandatory
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Lavette Scott-Smith)
Fri Jul 29 11:38:43 2016
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Message-ID: <CACgCwoLLXhWrtjycmt7jQyAMFmS+X10=J67OTfuN4tEBhdSqcw@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2016 11:22:18 -0400
Reply-To: lavette.scott-smith@BC.EDU
From: Lavette Scott-Smith <lavette.scott-smith@BC.EDU>
To: RESNET-L@listserv.nd.edu
In-Reply-To: <581EDEF3-C50B-4AFD-891B-0572F8ED311F@providence.edu>
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Hi Jim,
Boy does this sound familiar for us. Let just say that I can totally
relate to what you are going through right now. This used to us years ago
when our IT organization would go through a re-org a year or every other
year and at that time our student employment program was very well refined
like it is now.
So here's my 3 cents:
1. Try to set up a meeting with your manager and if you can your CIO
together and discuss the issues and see if your CIO will get on board with
hiring students earlier like in the Spring semester for Fall start this way
you can know who's being hired and begin the process of onboarding in
regards to finding their plans for the summer and whether or not they can
attend summer orientation. At Boston College our President is big on
Student Formation and he created an entire office for Student Formation
that is dedicated to developing and training students for the real world
across the board. So our CIO is also very big on it and challenges us to
do the same for our department for all our student workers, so he's very
supportive of the work we do. If you can get your higher ups to understand
what's going that will be a big step in helping you get the resources and
help that you need.
2. If you have job descriptions of the student jobs I would make training a
part of the job description so they understand that to do their jobs they
need to attend and be at training. Do you give your students reviews if so
make the training attendance a part of their review, if not you may want to
start doing this one for each semester.
3. Have you tried developing a training curriculum way in advance complete
with the dates? If not start then present it at your summer training
perhaps choose your top performing students and have them help you with
planning training. Since they work in the job they can give you a better
since of what they need to be trained on and then from there begin a
checklist of the most important things they need to know for BTS, you can
even create a manual out of this information.
4. Serve food at training this always helps I serve pizza at every one of
my trainings if you have a set training schedule consistently this will
help as well.
5. Think about creating a Student Advisory Board of your top students
willing to get involved in governing the workplace engagement. Jim I have
found that the more you involve them in the process they are more apt to
want to get involved because they feel like they are being empowered and
trusted by the staff and hopefully this cut down on the lack of
attendance. Each year I try to do something different.
6. Lastly look at currently what's being trained and how its done, look at
your documentation and see where changes can be made show this to your
students and see from their eyes how it looks and get ideas.
7. Ok one more have a disciplinary process in place if you don't already
have one like if they miss training consider taking them off the schedule
for a week.
Good luck Jim hope this helps.
*Lavette Scott-Smith*
*Senior Help Desk Specialist*
*Boston College*
*ITS, Technology Support Services*
*Walk-In Help Support*
On Fri, Jul 29, 2016 at 9:12 AM, Rizzo, Jim <JRIZZO@providence.edu> wrote:
> Hey everyone!
>
>
>
> So I=E2=80=99m looking for a little bit of advice and insight into what y=
ou all do
> with regards to training your student employees. I know I=E2=80=99m not i=
n a unique
> situation here, but I=E2=80=99ll tell you a little bit about my Helpdesk =
and how
> we=E2=80=99ve been doing things.
>
>
>
> Our helpdesk, like many others, is staffed almost entirely by students. I=
n
> fact, there are only 2 full time employees, myself and one other employee
> of mine who works nights. Like everyone else, the beginning of the school
> year is the most difficult time for us, and having a partially staffed de=
sk
> does not make things easier. Couple the understaffing with lack of traini=
ng
> and it can be a nightmare.
>
>
>
> To make things easier, I, like many of you, hold a training program at th=
e
> end of the summer, bringing my students back to campus a week early to
> train and to assist with the general move-in days, which are, admittedly,
> much easier than they used to be, but can still be stressful, especially
> when the freshmen move in. However, Providence College is a relatively
> small school and most students get involved in other activities, many of
> which require them to attend programs prior to the start of the semester.
> These programs conflict with our training period. Add in students who mak=
e
> last minute vacation plans, and I end up with several who are unable to
> attend training. This ultimately results in a staff that isn=E2=80=99t re=
ady to hit
> the ground running at the start of the semester.
>
>
>
> So my question for all of you is how do you handle those situations? I
> informed my staff of the training dates in January so they would know to
> mark them on their calendars, but they still haven=E2=80=99t. I have a st=
rongly
> worded email ready to send to them because I=E2=80=99m at my wit=E2=80=99=
s end here. I=E2=80=99m
> not happy that so many have made other plans when they already had the
> dates. I can=E2=80=99t just go and prevent them from working because I wi=
ll have an
> even smaller staff. So what do I do?!?! It=E2=80=99s extremely frustratin=
g. I have
> a larger portion than ever not attending, and adding in the fact that our
> Financial Aid office will not allow me to hire prior to the beginning of
> August means that I am very understaffed and undertrained at the start of
> the fall semester (our busiest time of year).
>
>
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> --
>
> Jim Rizzo
>
> Helpdesk Manager
>
> Providence College Information Technology
>
> (401) 865-1277
>
> AIM: JRizzoPC
>
> http://www.providence.edu/helpdesk
>
> *http://www.providence.edu/ihelp <http://www.providence.edu/ihelp>*
>
>
>
> Like us on Facebook!
>
> http://www.facebook.com/ProvCollHelpDesk
>
>
>
> Follow us on Twitter!
>
> http://twitter.com/PCITHelpdesk
> ___________________________________________________ You are subscribed to
> the ResNet-L mailing list.
>
> To subscribe, unsubscribe or search the archives, go to
> http://LISTSERV.ND.EDU/archives/resnet-l.html
> ___________________________________________________
>
___________________________________________________
You are subscribed to the ResNet-L mailing list.
To subscribe, unsubscribe or search the archives,
go to http://LISTSERV.ND.EDU/archives/resnet-l.html
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<div dir=3D"ltr">Hi Jim,<div><br></div><div>Boy does this sound familiar fo=
r us.=C2=A0 Let just say that I can totally relate to what you are going th=
rough right now.=C2=A0 This used to us years ago when our IT organization w=
ould go through a re-org a year or every other year and at that time our st=
udent employment program was very well refined like it is now.</div><div><b=
r></div><div>So here's my 3 cents:</div><div><br></div><div>1. Try to s=
et up a meeting with your manager and if you can your CIO together and disc=
uss the issues and see if your CIO will get on board with hiring students e=
arlier like in the Spring semester for Fall start this way you can know who=
's being hired and begin the process of onboarding in regards to findin=
g their plans for the summer and whether or not they can attend summer orie=
ntation.=C2=A0 At Boston College our President is big on Student Formation =
and he created an entire office for Student Formation that is dedicated to =
developing and training students for the real world across the board.=C2=A0=
So our CIO is also very big on it and challenges us to do the same for our=
department for all our student workers, so he's very supportive of the=
work we do. If you can get your higher ups to understand what's going =
that will be a big step in helping you get the resources and help that you =
need.</div><div><br></div><div>2. If you have job descriptions of the stude=
nt jobs I would make training a part of the job description so they underst=
and that to do their jobs they need to attend and be at training. Do you gi=
ve your students reviews if so make the training attendance a part of their=
review, if not you may want to start doing this one for each semester.</di=
v><div><br></div><div>3. Have you tried developing a training curriculum wa=
y in advance complete with the dates? If not start then present it at your =
summer training perhaps choose your top performing students and have them h=
elp you with planning training.=C2=A0 Since they work in the job they can g=
ive you a better since of what they need to be trained on and then from the=
re begin a checklist of the most important things they need to know for BTS=
, you can even create a manual out of this information.</div><div><br></div=
><div>4. Serve food at training this always helps I serve pizza at every on=
e of my trainings if you have a set training schedule consistently this wil=
l help as well.</div><div><br></div><div>5. Think about creating a Student =
Advisory Board of your top students willing to get involved in governing th=
e workplace engagement. Jim I have found that the more you involve them in =
the process they are more apt to want to get involved because they feel lik=
e they are being empowered and trusted by the staff and hopefully this cut =
down on the lack of attendance.=C2=A0 Each year I try to do something diffe=
rent.</div><div><br></div><div>6. Lastly look at currently what's being=
trained and how its done, look at your documentation and see where changes=
can be made show this to your students and see from their eyes how it look=
s and get ideas.</div><div><br></div><div>7. Ok one more have a disciplinar=
y process in place if you don't already have one like if they miss trai=
ning consider taking them off the schedule for a week.</div><div><br></div>=
<div>Good luck Jim hope this helps.</div><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br cle=
ar=3D"all"><div><div class=3D"gmail_signature" data-smartmail=3D"gmail_sign=
ature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><d=
iv dir=3D"ltr"><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><b><font size=3D"2" style=3D"backgroun=
d-color:rgb(255,255,255)" face=3D"arial black, sans-serif" color=3D"#38761d=
">Lavette Scott-Smith</font></b><div><b><font size=3D"2" style=3D"backgroun=
d-color:rgb(255,255,255)" face=3D"arial black, sans-serif" color=3D"#38761d=
">Senior Help Desk Specialist</font></b></div><div><b><font size=3D"2" styl=
e=3D"background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" face=3D"arial black, sans-serif" co=
lor=3D"#38761d">Boston College</font></b></div><div><b><font size=3D"2" sty=
le=3D"background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" face=3D"arial black, sans-serif" c=
olor=3D"#38761d">ITS, Technology Support Services<br></font></b></div><div>=
<font size=3D"2"><b style=3D"background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face=
=3D"arial black, sans-serif" color=3D"#38761d"><font>Walk-In Help </font>Su=
pport</font><i style=3D"font-family:georgia,serif;color:rgb(204,0,0)"><br><=
/i></b></font></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></di=
v></div></div></div></div>
<br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Fri, Jul 29, 2016 at 9:12 AM, Rizzo, Jim =
<span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:JRIZZO@providence.edu" target=3D"_b=
lank">JRIZZO@providence.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"g=
mail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-l=
eft:1ex">
<div bgcolor=3D"white" lang=3D"EN-US" link=3D"#0563C1" vlink=3D"#954F72">
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt">Hey everyone!<u></u=
><u></u></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u=
></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt">So I=E2=80=99m look=
ing for a little bit of advice and insight into what you all do with regard=
s to training your student employees. I know I=E2=80=99m not in a unique si=
tuation here, but I=E2=80=99ll tell you a little bit about my
Helpdesk and how we=E2=80=99ve been doing things.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u=
></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt">Our helpdesk, like =
many others, is staffed almost entirely by students. In fact, there are onl=
y 2 full time employees, myself and one other employee of mine who works ni=
ghts. Like everyone else, the beginning
of the school year is the most difficult time for us, and having a partial=
ly staffed desk does not make things easier. Couple the understaffing with =
lack of training and it can be a nightmare.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u=
></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt">To make things easi=
er, I, like many of you, hold a training program at the end of the summer, =
bringing my students back to campus a week early to train and to assist wit=
h the general move-in days, which are,
admittedly, much easier than they used to be, but can still be stressful, =
especially when the freshmen move in. However, Providence College is a rela=
tively small school and most students get involved in other activities, man=
y of which require them to attend
programs prior to the start of the semester. These programs conflict with =
our training period. Add in students who make last minute vacation plans, a=
nd I end up with several who are unable to attend training. This ultimately=
results in a staff that isn=E2=80=99t ready
to hit the ground running at the start of the semester.<u></u><u></u></spa=
n></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u=
></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt">So my question for =
all of you is how do you handle those situations? I informed my staff of th=
e training dates in January so they would know to mark them on their calend=
ars, but they still haven=E2=80=99t. I have
a strongly worded email ready to send to them because I=E2=80=99m at my wi=
t=E2=80=99s end here. I=E2=80=99m not happy that so many have made other pl=
ans when they already had the dates. I can=E2=80=99t just go and prevent th=
em from working because I will have an even smaller staff. So what
do I do?!?! It=E2=80=99s extremely frustrating. I have a larger portion th=
an ever not attending, and adding in the fact that our Financial Aid office=
will not allow me to hire prior to the beginning of August means that I am=
very understaffed and undertrained at the
start of the fall semester (our busiest time of year).<u></u><u></u></span=
></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u=
></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt">Jim<u></u><u></u></=
span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u=
></span></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;color:black">--=C2=
=A0<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;color:black">Jim Riz=
zo<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;color:black">Helpdes=
k Manager<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;color:black">Provide=
nce College Information Technology<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><a href=
=3D"tel:%28401%29%20865-1277" value=3D"+14018651277" target=3D"_blank">(401=
) 865-1277</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;color:black">AIM: JR=
izzoPC<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><a href=
=3D"http://www.providence.edu/helpdesk" target=3D"_blank"><span style=3D"co=
lor:blue">http://www.providence.edu/helpdesk</span></a><u></u><u></u></span=
></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u><span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><a h=
ref=3D"http://www.providence.edu/ihelp" target=3D"_blank"><span style=3D"co=
lor:blue">http://www.providence.edu/ihelp</span></a></span></u><span style=
=3D"font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><u></u>=
=C2=A0<u></u></span></p>
</div>
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