UL’s Workplace of Skilled and Persevering with Schooling shifts focus
From UL Lafayette Office of Communications and Marketing
Not only is the name new to the Office of Professional and Continuing Education at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
The focus of the office is now clearly on professional learning, professional training and academic enrichment, said Dr. Martha Bryant, director.
“At many colleges and universities, including UL Lafayette, education is changing because staffing needs change. People increasingly want to expand their professional skills – or add new ones. So we’re turning around and offering more options to support employees and businesses, ”she said.
The previous name of the office – Office for Further Education – escaped the “double focus”. In the past, continuing education at the university consisted of a mixture of non-accredited professional courses and leisure-time educational courses. Leisure time learning includes activities such as gardening, cooking, or dancing.
The shift is being driven in part by staff shortages in some industries as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also reflects a trend towards more business-university partnerships. “Businesses invest in the kind of education universities can offer for a variety of reasons, whether it be to promote leadership or to help them learn about workplace culture,” said Bryant.
The Office for Education and Training is headed by university professors, academic assistants and competent entrepreneurs [u12097671.ct.sendgrid.net] Offers that are all delivered virtually.
The office will continue to offer a number of its popular certificate programs and courses, dozens of offerings including ACT and notary exam prep courses, as well as staff and food safety training. However, it will bolster its existing certificate programs, courses and training opportunities with new offerings that “meet an existing need,” said Bryant.
Case in point: the office’s new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion course, a series of eight 90-minute sessions examining diversity in the workplace. The course covers social justice, inclusion in recruiting, hiring and retention practices, promoting understanding and support in the workplace, and other topics. Individuals who sign up for the course can complete the sessions at their own pace.
“We will start a new module every week that can be viewed in one session or, depending on the participants’ schedules, in blocks. However, you need to complete all coursework in a specified amount of time, ”explained Bryant.
The course is not specifically aimed at companies and employees. The Office for Education and Training will offer a modified version this or next semester. This version is being developed as part of the University’s Educating for Equity program for educators. Evidence-based research discovered through the State Board of Regents-funded program will enable other institutions in the University of Louisiana system and across the state and nation to apply best practices.
“Going forward, we will partner with a number of colleges, departments and offices on initiatives and programs related to professional learning and certification,” said Bryant.
One of those partnerships, Bryant explained, will be with the College of Engineering, which is working with the Office of Professional and Continuing Education to develop a solar energy certification program. The start of the program is planned for the spring semester.
The focus will also continue to be on partnerships with industry, including through state-sponsored training programs [u12097671.ct.sendgrid.net] and training courses tailored to the needs of companies and organizations.
Find out more about the office for education and training, which is located in the university’s LITE center in the research park. If you have any questions, email ce@louisiana.edu or call (337) 482-6386.
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