OAKVILLE LEADS. Learning, Experiencing, Aspiring, Developing, Succeeding OAKVILLE LEADS

Transcription

1 2009 OAKVILLE LEADS Learning, Experiencing, Aspiring, Developing, Succeeding 2015 OAKVILLE LEADS 1

2 A message from the director of Human Resources Encouraging and providing staff with opportunities for education and development is important to the town. The range of course and programs offered in the 2015 LEADS is our commitment to your development. Programs like Managing Me and Enhancing Personal and Interpersonal Effectiveness that you said contribute to your personal and professional effectiveness are back. New programs for 2015 include courses that support the development of core competencies embraced by the organization as well as courses that build skills and knowledge in the areas of importance noted in the town s Management Framework. As you go through the brochure, you will find identifiers linking the course back to a competency and/or the management framework. I encourage you to discuss with your supervisor which LEADS programs will enhance your development and contribution to achieving departmental and organizational goals. Future projects under development include establishing guiding learning principles, a revamped tuition and educational assistance program, and the creation of informal learning opportunities to enhance staff development. We are always looking for ways to improve your learning experience. Contact the Human Resources learning and development staff, Lesli Smith organizational development consultant or Michelle Worrell, HR associate, Learning and Development, if you have any questions about the LEADS program or can offer suggestions for additional courses. Elizabeth Bourns Director, Human Resources

3 Contents of what s inside What s new...4 Achieving success...6 Learning and development offerings...8 General learning...8 Essentials of managing and supervising...10 Fiscal accountability...11 Personal effectiveness...14 Communication essentials...15 Customer Service...17 Informal Learning...18 Information Systems + Solutions (IS+S)...20 Corporate health, safety and wellness...21 Facilitator biographies...23

4 What s new Organizational Learning Principles Learning principles contribute to the achievement of the town s strategic goals. The town relies on a workforce of well-trained, highly dedicated, innovative and competent employees to serve the constantly evolving needs of the public. Our investment in employee learning and development directly benefits the citizens of Oakville in all we do. Recent research and employee surveys point to a very strong link between individual learning and development, and employee engagement and retention. In the last several years, we have all experienced increased time and budget pressures, resulting in reduced opportunities to travel to traditional classroom-style courses. We are committed to responding to this changing work environment by creating more flexible access to learning opportunities and leveraging new and emerging technologies. We also need your support. Employees and managers must embrace new opportunities for learning through open discussions, documented learning plans and responsible management of learning budgets. The following learning principles have been identified for the corporation to help us: 1. Creating a culture of learning and development Creating a culture of learning isn t just about offering training; it is about building and sustaining an environment that inspires and supports employees to pursue professional development through a variety of formats. Our aim is to create an environment that positively reinforces learning and gives back to the organization and its employees. 2. Assessing and responding flexibly to learning and organizational needs Workplace, technological and societal changes can create challenges for employee learning and development. Our flexible approach to corporate learning will allow us to respond quickly to the developing needs of the organization and to provide employees with targeted, customized courses and programs. 3. Embracing innovative tools and technologies By embracing innovative tools and technologies, the town is able to create a culture of learning and development that meets the ever-evolving needs of the individual and the organization. Look out for new initiatives and programs that will be developed as a result of our new learning principles! 4

5 Achieving success Making the most of your learning experience Throughout the course of any training program, there are three people who contribute to the success of your learning experience: your supervisor, the facilitator and you. Before enrolling, you should discuss the course with your immediate supervisor to ensure that it is appropriate for your development. Approval is required prior to registering if taken during your regular work day. Your facilitator s role is to provide a positive learning environment, to give instruction and to provide the course content. Your role is to ensure that you arrive at the course on time equipped with stationery items, any questions you may have and pre-session work completed, and be ready to share with others. These are just a few ways that you can make the most out of your learning opportunity. Eligibility for enrollment Enrollment is open to all regular full-time employees. Contract and part-time employees will be considered based on recommendations from their supervisor or manager. Please note that some courses may be geared toward a particular group or may be mandatory for all employees, volunteers and third party participants. Please be sure to read the full course description. Course schedule We have made changes to our course start times in order to give employees an opportunity to get settled in before and after training. Most full-day courses are now scheduled from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. with one hour for lunch. Half-day course will indicate 9 a.m. noon or 1 4 p.m. When enrolling, please make sure you are available for the time allotted. The full course schedule for 2015 is provided in this brochure. For up-to-date information, visit the Learning and Development tab on Portico. Bi-annual s will be sent out reminding individuals of upcoming learning opportunities as well as print communication for those without computer access. 5

6 Registration Registration for all programs can be completed in the Human Resources (HR) Training Calendar located under Learning and Development on Portico. When registering: 1. Receive a verbal or written approval from your immediate supervisor to take the course; 2. Access the HR Training Calendar under the Learning and Development tab on the Portico homepage; 3. Select the course of interest; 4. Register by filling in the appropriate fields indicated on the web page; and 5. Add the date and time of your training into your Outlook calendar If you do not have access to a computer but would like to attend a course, please contact the learning and development associate at ext or visit us at: Town Hall Human Resources department, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, ON Course evaluations After attending a course, please complete the evaluation. The evaluation is confidential, easy to use and will help us learn more about your experience. Evaluations ensure the continuation of quality and relevant learning opportunities. Cancellations While it is understood that emergencies can happen, we ask that you provide at least 10 business days notice if you are unable to attend a course. This allows employees on the wait list the opportunity to attend. It allows us the option to move or cancel the training without recourse from our vendors. Departments of participants who register and do not show for training or cancel in less than 48 hours notice will be charged at a rate of $175 for full day sessions and $100 for half day sessions. Cancellations can be completed by contacting the learning and development associate at ext Wait lists Is a session that you were interested in full? Wait lists are available by contacting the learning and development associate at extension Wait lists allow us to fill in spaces should they become available. They also assist us in making decisions around adding additional sessions. Do not hesitate to contact us! Work Week! September 21 25, 2015 The Town of Oakville recognizes the importance of learning and the positive impact it has on job performance and productivity. This weeklong celebration includes a number of activities and events. The goals of this week-long learning event are to: Raise awareness of the impact of workplace learning Celebrate the best practices of workplace learning Celebrate the success of the learning organization 6

7 Management Framework Integration A key goal for the Town of Oakville is to become a leader in public sector management. To help ensure we make the right decisions, the town has developed a management framework. A simple, easy-to-use tool, the rooms in The House are the key considerations essential to good management: Citizen Focused Service, Governance & Strategic Direction; Results & Performance, Risk Management; Information Management, Change Management, People, Accountability and, Policy & Programs. As managers we need to: Align with Council s strategic directions Think about citizens first Evaluate risks Have access to sound information Seek continuous innovation and improvement Ensure we have the right people Establish clear accountabilities Meet the needs of Council and the public Measure our results To find out which LEADS offerings support the development of knowledge and skills related to the rooms in The House, look out for this stamp throughout the brochure. To learn more about the Management Framework, visit the CAO Corner on Portico. Competency Framework Integration Defining and measuring performance is a critical part of any organization. Recently the town adopted a Competency Framework that helps to link individual performance and capabilities to the town s goals and values. Competencies are the knowledge, skills, judgment and attributes that people need to perform on the job effectively. There are four core capabilities and supporting competencies that have been identified by the town as critical to your success and that of the corporation. This year, they are integrated into the Oakville LEADS: Strategic thinking/thinking things through Innovating through analysis and ideas Engagement Mobilizing people, organizations, partners Management excellence/excellence through results Delivering excellence through action management, people management, financial management Accountability and Respect Serving with integrity and respect To find out which LEADS offerings support the development of knowledge and skills related to the Competency Framework, look out for this stamp throughout the brochure. 7

8 General learning NEW! Personal Resiliency in Challenging Times Personal Resiliency is designed to increase your stamina and flexibility while providing you with the capacity to bounce back from discouraging incidents. This workshop will introduce 12 new rules of the workplace that will help you recover from the fast pace and surprises of life. It will promote discussion and show you how to apply these concepts to their present conditions. Date/Location: Thursday, February 5, 2015 Large Boardroom, Central Operations 9 a.m. - noon Instructor: Dick O Brien, R D O Brien and Associates Core capability: Strategic thinking/thinking things through Leading Innovation and Constructively Participating in the Creativity Process This is about helping you and your project team/department to think more productively and unleash inherent innovation and creative potential whether your challenge is solving problems, exploiting opportunities or simply working smarter. The session will help you master productive thinking disciplines that get results, cut to the heart of issues and solve the right problems with workable solutions, and apply an expanded repertoire of productive thinking tools and techniques. Date/Location: Thursday, June 4, 2015 QE Park Community and Cultural Centre 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Instructor: Glenn Pothier, GLPi Target audience: Anyone who leads employees or participates on a project team Core capability: Strategic thinking/thinking things through NEW! Taking on Greater Responsibility: Step-Up Skills for Non-Managers To excel in this rapidly changing work environment, you need more skills than ever before such as understanding your business, managing change, communicating strategically, leading teams, and juggling your new and current assignments. Session benefits include: feeling confident when asked to step up to take on a challenge; taking your skills and potential to new heights with proven get-ahead strategies; and the ability to create a continuously improving working attitude. Date/Location: Wednesday, January 28, 2015 QE Park Community and Cultural Centre 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Instructor: Liz Murphy, Canadian Management Centre Core capability: Management excellence/excellence through results 8

9 Understanding Access and Privacy A broad overview of the underlying principles and intent of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) designed to increase basic awareness and how privacy relates to departmental records. This half-day workshop is also designed to help employees identify sensitive information and encourage access to information outside of the formal MFIPPA process to promote a cost-effective and an open and accountable management of public information resources. Date/Location: Instructor: TBD 9 a.m. noon Laura Brown, Records and Freedom of Information Officer and Vicki Tytaneck, Assistant Clerk Core capability: Accountability and respect NEW Champions of Our Choices Life is less about chance and more about choice. Your life is a reflection of the choices you make. You set up your life through your present moment choices. This workshop will provide you with ways to take yourself off automatic pilot long enough to become aware of the choice process. Opportunity to meet with the facilitator for individual consultation in the afternoon will be available. Please contact Michelle Worrell in Human Resources to reserve your space, as availability will be limited. Date/Location: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 Palermo Room, Town Hall Individual consults: Meeting Room B, Town Hall Session: 9 a.m. - noon. Individual Consults: 1-4 p.m. Instructor: Dick O Brien, R D O Brien and Associates Core capability: Accountability and respect OAKVILLE LEADS Learning, Experiencing, Aspiring, Developing, Succeeding 9

10 Essentials of managing and supervising NEW! Solution Focused Coaching The most effective leaders today are those who know how to coach. The basic assumption of solution-focused coaching suggests that specific, individualized solutions work best, and that any person is competent to solve his or her own problems. The solution focused approach finds it more useful to focus attention directly on building solutions than on analyzing causes of problems. This session is designed to provide you with the tools and support to effectively develop the potential of your employees, peers and others. Through practical exercises, you will practice proven coaching techniques that result in superior performance. Date/Location: Tuesday, May 5, QE Park Community and Cultural Centre 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Instructor: Robert Harris, Robert Harris Resources Inc. Target audience: Supervisors, Managers, and Directors or those leading project teams. Core capability: Engagement Performance Management 101 This session is designed to provide an overview the fundamentals of performance management fundamentals is provided. Topics include: managing performance the process and path; assessing and evaluating performance; learning, development and improvement tools and techniques; labour relations considerations and processes probationary and trial periods. Date/Location: Instructors: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 Bronte Room, Town Hall Wednesday October 21, 2015 Bronte Room, Town Hall 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Lesli Smith, OD Consultant and Lyn Hunt, Labour Relations Manager Target audience: supervisors, managers and directors Core capability: Management excellence 10

11 Fiscal accountability For more information about these courses, please contact Heather Logan at ext Please note that customized training programs or one on one sessions are available upon request. Budget 101 This course is designed to assist employees in understanding the proper way to prepare a budget and the budgeting process at the Town of Oakville. The course focuses on answering three key questions: What is budgeting? Why do we budget at the town? and How do we budget at the town? A budgeting exercise is also included in the course. This course should be taken by all new employees and anyone who is involved in the budget process. The course can be customized based on what is relevant for each department or group. Core capability: Management excellence Finance 101 This course is designed to assist you in understanding the functions and services available within the Financial Operations and Financial Planning departments. Each department will explain their corporate role and policies and procedures as they relate to financial management, compliance, governing legislation, and roles and responsibilities. We will also explain how we can help support your department and the services you provide. We will review how our centralized processes work, and the inputs which are required from departments. This course should be taken by all those who manage employees, town funds or assets, or support those who do. This course can be customized based on what is relevant for each department or group. Core capability: Management excellence Payroll/HR 101 This course will cover human resource and payroll processes as they relate to the life cycle of an employee. You will have a clear understanding of your role as a manager or supervisor to ensure inputs are received by deadline and are accurate and compliant with legislation, union contracts, etc. This will provide an overview for all new managers and supervisors with regard to processes and procedures which must be followed, and the services and outputs available to support your operation. Core capability: Management excellence 11

12 Purchasing 101 Compliance This course is of interest to any new employee whose duties require them to make purchases on behalf of the town. This is also a good refresher for existing employees. We will cover the requirements of the purchasing by-law and briefly discuss the various procurement processes. We will talk about compliance with the by-law and what you need to be aware of to remain compliant. Date/Location: TBD TBD Instructor: Kathy Wyatt, Manager Purchasing and Risk Management Target audience: Employees who make purchases on behalf of the town. Core capability: Management excellence/excellence through results CIS System Basics This is a hands-on course for those who require skills in navigating and understanding basic functionality of CIS (Corporate Information System) such as adding/deleting favourites, customizing grids, searching for records, exporting and importing data to Excel /Word and working with attachments. This course is a pre-requisite to other CIS courses. Date/Location: TBD TBD Instructor: Agnes Goddard, Application Support Analyst Target audience: This course is ideal for both new CIS users and those looking to refresh their skills. CIS General Purchasing This is a hands-on course for those who require skills in creating, reviewing, revising and receiving purchase orders in CIS (Corporate Information System). This course will also provide overall understanding of how the purchasing module helps as a tool to assist employees in maintaining compliance to the purchasing by-law, and tracking their commitments in CIS. Included in this session is a 20-minute segment on purchasing compliance requirements which is required before access to CIS is granted. Pre-requisite: CIS System Basics Course Date/Location: TBD TBD Instructor: Agnes Goddard, Application Support Analyst Target audience: This course is intended for employees that currently use or need to use the CIS purchasing module in their current job. This is ideal for both new users and those looking to refresh their skills. Core capability: Management excellence/excellence through results 12

13 CIS CAM (Capital Asset Management) This is a hands-on course for those who require skills in creation/planning/approval/ purchasing from work order/scheduling/dispatching and completion of a work order. Includes set-up and understanding of the preventive maintenance module. Pre-requisite: CIS System Basics Course Date/Location: TBD TBD Instructor: Shawn Boast, Manager, Asset Management Target audience: This course is intended for employees who require knowledge of the Work Order Management and Preventive Maintenance modules in CIS (Corporate Information System). This is ideal for both new users and those looking to refresh their skills. CIS Managers Training This course exposes you to the on-line tools available through CIS which can be used to assist departments in getting the information they require to manage their actuals and provide transactional detail. Allows for the ability to view variance reports on-line in various formats to supplement the monthly reports issued by Financial Planning. The course has a hands-on training exercise which will be customized to meet employee and departmental needs, so the material is relevant. Pre-requisite: CIS System Basic Course Date/Location: TBD TBD Instructor: Marg Western, Manager, Accounting Operations Target audience: Supervisors, Managers and Directors CIS/FMW Capital Project Management This is a hands-on course for those who manage capital projects. This course will ensure you understand the full life cycle of a capital project, from reviewing asset replacement forecasts, inputting capital budget and forecasts into FMW, monitoring variance reporting in CIS, capital project variance reviews, seeking approvals for funding shortfall or overages, project closures and asset capitalization, as well as the ongoing management of corporate asset inventories for audit. Pre-requisite: Instructor: Core capability: CIS System Basic Course Mark van Tonder, Capital Project Integrity Analyst Management excellence/excellence through results FMW System Training This course will provide hands-on training for the FMW budgeting system and various modules. This course will ensure employees understand when and how to input the required budget information into the FMW system by reviewing the operating and capital budget modules, projection views, and reporting. Date/Location: Instructor: TBD TBD Catharine Hewitson, Manager, Financial Planning and Policy 13

14 Personal effectiveness Enhancing Personal and Interpersonal Effectiveness This course focuses on three critical leadership competencies: (i) understanding one s personal motivators and related communication (relating) style; (ii) being able to demonstrate high EQ (emotional intelligence) in managing ineffective or negative impulses; and (iii) relating more effectively to others, especially in difficult situations. The course utilizes the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI) as a foundation piece. This inventory is highly regarded in providing insight into one s core motivational value system (MVS), the MVS of others, how to broaden one s approach to relate more effectively, and triggers that could cause conflict. Date/Location: Thursday March 26, 2015 QE Park Community and Cultural Centre 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Instructor: Robert Harris, Robert Harris Resources Inc. Target Audience: Open to all employees Core capability: Engagement Managing Me with Outlook! This one-day course is about raising the bar in how we plan, focus, organize and manage expectations while using the key features of MS Outlook. Please note this is not a training course on how to use MS Outlook, but instead how it can serve as an excellent time management tool. An Overview of MS OneNote will be included. Date/Location: Tuesday, January 26, 2015 Training Room 2, Town Hall Tuesday, February 24, 2015 Training Room 2, Town Hall Tuesday, October 26, 2015 Training Room 1, Town Hall 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Instructor: Doug Heidebrecht, Sun Mountain Self-Management Core capability: Management excellence/excellence through results Personal Preferences for Handling Change This two-hour session will explore individual preferences to change and techniques to handling change and transition. To prepare for this meeting, each participant will be ed and asked fill out an online Change Style Indicator that captures preferences for handling change. This is a short, ten-minute inventory of how an individual prefers change to be handled. It s useful in that it helps us to see the range of preferences that any group has, and helps us to know what we can do to make change work for us. You will be provided with an individual one-page report at the session. Date/Location: Thursday, April 9, 2015 Large Boardroom, Central Operations Thursday, October 29, 2015 Bronte Room, Town Hall 10 a.m. noon. Instructor: Lesli Smith, OD Consultant Core capability: Strategic thinking/thinking things through 14

15 Communication essentials NEW! Empathic Listening Listening effectively to others is an essential skill required for establishing otheroriented relationships. You ve taken active listening workshops, so why emphatic listening? Emphatic listening goes beyond active listening. Most of us don t listen effectively because we are self-oriented instead of other-oriented. That means we focus on the words we are listening to, rather than the holistic style of listening. What is the other person really saying? Do you read between the lines body language, tone of voice, eye contact, social antenna, etc.? This workshop will delve into empathic listening in detail. You will learn to read what the speaker is really saying; not just what their words are saying. Empathic listening and active listening will enable you to develop and enhance relationships for the benefit of everyone involved. Make your work/personal environment one in which everyone wants to be a part of because listening is practiced. Date/Location: Thursday, February 26, 2015 Oakville Room, Town Hall 9 a.m. noon. Instructor: Pat Spiteri, 3D Consulting Core capability: Engagement Group Facilitation Skills The methods in this course provide a basis for dealing with complex issues and give you a safety net to succeed in difficult situations. They provide you with powerful ways to expand positive participation and achieve consensus. Learn how to organize ideas and keep discussions moving in any group. These methods can be used in a wide variety of situations and they can be used in concert with other approaches. Date/Location: TBD - QE Park Community and Cultural Centre 9 a.m. 4 p.m. This program requires a full two-day commitment Instructor: John Miller, ICA Associates Target audience: Individuals managing teams, projects or performing consultations Core capability: Engagement Note: Participation is limited. Individuals will be required to submit a letter of interest in order to be considered for the program. The course counts towards certification in Professional Facilitation through ICA Associates. For more information contact the learning and development associate at ext

16 Meetings that Work This two-day course is designed for the person who needs tools to enhance participation and productivity in various types of meetings. Learn how to increase the productivity of the group, focus the purpose and intent of large and small meetings, aid the group in its decision-making processes, handle difficult situations in groups, match process tools to each group s needs, design effective agendas, create participatory environments, and develop a sense of teamwork among team members. Date/Location: TBD QE Park Community and Cultural Centre 9 a.m. 4 p.m. This program requires a two full day commitment Instructor: John Miller, ICA Associates Target audience: Individuals managing teams, projects or performing consultations Core capability: Strategic thinking/thinking things through Note: Participation is limited. Individuals will be required to submit a letter of interest in order to be considered for the program. The course counts towards certification in Professional Facilitation through ICA Associates. For more information contact the learning and development associate at ext Outreach and Consultation Whether they are policies, programs or services, many Town initiatives either require or can benefit from public and stakeholder input. More so than ever, consultation has become an integrated project component. This session is about designing and implementing consultation approaches that yield constructive results. It covers techniques and tools that are aligned with objectives, provides a template for consultation planning, and describes productive group facilitation tips. Date/Location: Wednesday, November 4, 2015 QE Park Community and Cultural Centre 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Instructor: Glenn Pothier, GLPi Target audience: Individuals involved in public or internal consultation Core capability: Strategic thinking/thinking things through The Conversation Advantage During this session, you will engage in a learning experience that helps enhance Conversation Intelligence by fostering shifts on multiple levels. In this session you will explore what shifts you can make to strengthen your conversation effectiveness. You will learn how to direct attention in conversation for better focus and results, discover what the optimal mindset is for effective connections and conversations, and practice new skills and attention tools to guide your approach. Date/Location: Wednesday, April 29, 2015 QE Park Community and Cultural Centre 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Instructor: Doug Heidebrecht, Sun Mountain Self-Management Core capability: Engagement 16

17 NEW! Questioning Techniques Do you spend too much time asking questions to get the answer you re looking for? Most of us do. We usually blame the receiver of the question for not knowing how to answer our question, when in reality we re not asking the right type of question. This workshop will explore the various types of questions and their application. Knowing what type of question to ask not only saves time, it develops relationships. Enhancing relationships, work or personal enhances our whole human being. Communicating effectively includes asking questions appropriate for the situation. Learn to reduce some stress in your environment by simply asking the right type of question. Date/Location: Thursday, February 26, 2015 Trafalgar Room, Town Hall 1 p.m. 4 p.m. Instructor: Pat Spiteri, 3D Consulting Core capability: Engagement Customer Service Exceptional Customer Service Customer service skills are important for growth in any organization. Without customers, most of us wouldn t have a job. Some people have personalities that work well with most people while others have to work at developing people skills. Customer service skills are needed to successfully complete any customer interaction, whether it is in person, via phone or on line. These skills are not directly measurable such as active listening, taking ownership and treating the customer with dignity and respect. The difference between a favourable and unfavourable customer experience translates into more or less revenue for the company. Become part of the solution, not the problem! This workshop appeals to all adult learning styles to encourage active participation and learning. Includes large and small discussion groups, group exercises, role-play, learning DVDs, skill practice, action plan and facilitator constructive feedback, Date/Location: Thursday September 24, 2015 QE Park Community Cultural Centre 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Instructor: Pat Spiteri, 3D Consulting who deal with the public Core capability: Engagement 17

18 Informal Learning Book Club Our book club has been quite a success and we look forward to continuing this great informal learning session. Employees participate by reading a book selected by the group on their own time. An online forum is available for employees to discuss the book during the 8-10 week timeframe and a wrap-up session is held over a slightly extended lunch hour where the group comes together to reflect on the learning and areas for application. Books will be provided to book club participants, and topics will be relevant to the workplace or employee development. Book club sessions are as follows: Winter Session: Monday, January 5 Wednesday March 4, 2015 Spring Session: Tuesday, April 7 Wednesday June 3, 2015 Summer Session: Monday, July 6 Wednesday September 9, 2015 Fall Session: Monday, October 5 Wednesday December 9, 2015 Lunch and Learn Program During the year, Oakville LEADS program offers a variety of interesting topics in a lunch and learn forum format. Employees are invited to attend on their own time during their lunch break. The forums will be minutes in length and a work or wellness related topic will be explored, presented or discussed with a facilitator. Space is limited and participants are asked to register for the lunch and learn forums. NEW! Brain Fitness Workshop Exactly what is Brain Fit? A Brain fit program validates and re-sparks what you already do; provides a brain workout to test your grey matter; keeps you up to date with the latest research and so much more! This is an interactive hands on workshop that will leave you energized and educated. Lunch will be provided. Date/Location: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 Auditorium, Colborne Senior Centre noon 1:30 p.m. Instructor: Danielle Arbour, Alzheimer Society of Hamilon & Halton Target Audience: Open to all employees NEW! Craft Café Are you a crafts enthusiast? Can you never find time to work on your project or need a creative space filled with other artistic individuals? During your lunch hour, join us for a networking opportunity to meet with other craft enthusiasts and learn new tricks, share ideas or work on a project you have under construction. Registration is required on a monthly basis to take part. Space is limited. Date/Location: Every Wednesday Meeting Room A, Town Hall noon 1 p.m Instructor: Self-directed 18

19 NEW! Rediscover Your Library Several of the librarians and the digital specialists from the Oakville Public Library will be onsite equipped with ipads to showcase some of the library s most innovative resources available (i.e. downloadable magazines, music & movie streaming) to you. Drop by during your lunch hour and bring your own device to get in on the action right away! Participants can obtain library cards on the spot, watch a 3D printer demonstration, or simply relax in the atrium, eat lunch and enjoy a good read. Date/Location: Friday, February 6, 2015 South Atrium, Town Hall 11 a.m 2 p.m. Instructor: Various employees from OPL Target Audience: Open to all employees NEW! Smoking Cessation: Time to Quit Many people have either tried to quit smoking or know of someone who has. Individuals trying to break this harmful habit are often plagued by doubts and thoughts such as I ve smoked for so long, why stop now? or I do it for me, it doesn t hurt anyone else. This seminar will help participants look at themselves and their reasons for smoking while also exploring some of the myths and realities surrounding this harmful habit. It will also provide guidelines, options, and most important, hope to those who would like to quit but have not yet been successful. Date/Location: Instructor: Wednesday, February 4, 2015 Palermo Room, Town Hall noon 1:00 p.m. Various Instructors, Shepell NEW! The Art of Managing Conflict (Basic) Conflict is a common part of life; a natural result of people having different points of view, values, and beliefs. When left unaddressed, workplace conflict can lead to increased absenteeism and reduced productivity. When well-managed, conflict can enhance your relationships, deepen your understanding of yourself and others, and stimulate change and growth. This seminar will provide you with a framework for assessing the types of conflict common in the workplace and propose strategies for their resolution. Date/Location: Instructor: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 Palermo Room, Town Hall noon 1:00 p.m. Various Instructors, Shepell Have a topic you would like to suggest? If yes, please forward your ideas and suggestions on potential learning topics to the learning and development associate or organization development consultant in the Human Resources department. Look out for more information on upcoming sessions on the learning and development tab on Portico or by contacting the learning and development associate at ext

20 Information Systems + Solutions (IS+S) For more information about these courses, please contact Vicki Zabukovec at ext or the individual noted. Please note that customized training programs can be created upon request. Word (Introductory to Advanced courses) Microsoft Word is a word-processing software that allows users to create, edit and automate documents. upon request Instructor: IS+S department Excel (Introductory to Advanced courses) Students will gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to create, format, enhance and print simple spreadsheets, and learn to efficiently use workbooks and tools for management and data analysis. Students will also learn to use graphs and databases, modify and personalize their Excel environment and create macros, as well as create and use Excel forms. upon request Instructor: IS+S department PowerPoint (Levels 1 and 3) Microsoft PowerPoint is a software package that will help you plan, prepare, practice and present meaningful presentations to inform, persuade or motivate your audience. upon request Instructor: IS+S department Electronic Agenda Management System (EAMS) This hands-on half-day course is intended for employees who prepare reports for Council, Planning and Development Council, Administrative and Community Services Committees, Budget Committee, Heritage Advisory Committee and Site Plan. Contact Kathy Patrick, Supervisor of Council and Committee Services at ext.4235 for one-onone training or course dates. upon request Instructor: Kathy Patrick, Supervisor of Council and Committee Services Target audience: Employees who prepare reports for Council and its Standing Committees, Heritage Advisory Committee and Site Plan 20