NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training
Success Through Collaboration
Report on Education and Training Highlights
2003-2007 Agreement between CSEA and NYS

During the 2003-2007 Agreement, the Continuing Education Association of New York (CEANY) honored the NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training with several James C. Hall Jr. Exemplary Program Awards for programs demonstrating excellence in innovation and contributing to the field of continuing education.

Executive Summary

The NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training (Partnership) was formed in 2001 as a joint labor- management training and development organization. The creation of the Partnership was a major step that resulted from a long history of positive labor-management relationships between the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) and New York State (NYS) dating back to 1979.

During the 2003-2007 Agreement between CSEA and NYS, the Partnership was charged with more fully developing an integrated design of programs and services that provide long-term workforce development for over 70,000 CSEA-represented NYS employees. Local and statewide collaboration by labor and management became the foundation of this design. As a result, management is gaining a workforce with the critical skills needed to perform agency operations and employees are enhancing their job skills and career mobility opportunities.

To reach the goal of mutual gains for NYS agencies and CSEA employees, the Partnership developed a labor-management outreach approach. Partnership staff met with over 25 agency labor and management stakeholders and statewide labor-management committees to discuss critical workforce development needs.

As a result of the outreach meetings and ongoing communication with labor and management representatives throughout the 2003-2007 Agreement, the Partnership created many new initiatives. These include:

The Partnership delivered programs and services along two parallel tracks:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. i

INTRODUCTION. 1

BECOMING A PARTNER WITH AGENCIES AND CSEA LOCALS IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT  2

Labor-Management Outreach Initiative. 2

 Career Ladder Programs. 4

Online Learning. 8

Worksite Training. 9

Quality of Work Life (QWL) Grants. 10

Agency Workforce Development Grants. 11

UNLEASHING EMPLOYEE POTENTIAL. 13

Tuition Benefits Program.. 13

Open Enrollment Training Courses. 14

Online Learning Program.. 14

Educational Advisement 14

Adult Education Basics. 16

BUILDING LABOR-MANAGEMENT COLLABORATION AND SUCCESS
. 18

Grant for Multi-Faceted Labor-Management Committee Initiative. 18

Strategic Approach to Labor-Management Services. 19

Labor and Management Seize Opportunities for Collaboration. 21

Labor-Management Cooperation Brings Safety and Health to a New Level 22

FUTURE DIRECTIONS. 24

APPENDIX. 26

List of Agency Names. 26

Introduction

The NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training (Partnership) was created in February 2001 through an agreement between CSEA and NYS.  The agreement solidified the merger of three organizations (the NYS/CSEA Labor-Management Committees, the Labor Education Action Program (LEAP), and the Clerical and Secretarial Employee Advancement Program (CSEAP), each of which independently provided education and training programs and services to CSEA-represented NYS employees. The formation of the Partnership was a major step that resulted from a long history of positive labor-management relationships between CSEA and NYS dating back to 1979.  The Partnership was charged by both sponsoring organizations with the following jointly developed Mission Statement:

“Through labor-management cooperation, the NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training provides programs and services for NYS employees and agencies that promote:

·         Increased career mobility, workplace safety and health, and job satisfaction;

·         A highly-skilled, motivated, and productive workforce committed to excellence in public service; and

·         Effective labor-management relationships between State and CSEA representatives.”

Leadership and direction for Partnership programs and services is provided by a Board of Directors consisting of representatives from CSEA and the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER) of NYS and two co-directors, one from CSEA and one from GOER.

The 2003-2007 Agreement between CSEA and NYS authorized the sustained growth of the Partnership.  During this time, the Partnership continued to establish its new identity as a joint training organization for labor and management; created a more comprehensive and efficient administrative infrastructure; and designed and delivered many new training initiatives.

To respond to the education and training needs of labor and management in over 60 agencies across the State at thousands of worksites, the Partnership relies on innovation and multiple delivery modes.  This is necessary because when it comes to working with the range and scope of NYS agencies and CSEA locals, it is clear that one size does not fit all.  The Partnership’s multiple delivery mechanisms include: standard and custom worksite training programs; open enrollment (pre-scheduled local) training offerings; online learning courses and certificates; individual training vouchers; educational advisement via a toll-free number and e-mail; and downloadable web site information.  These delivery modes were designed to offer direct access to services by employees as well as mechanisms to respond to joint requests for services by labor-management representatives.

The achievements highlighted in this report are organized around three key themes that support the Partnership’s mission:

1.      Becoming a partner with agencies and CSEA locals in workforce development.

2.      Unleashing employee potential.

3.      Building labor-management collaboration and success.


BECOMING A PARTNER WITH AGENCIES AND CSEA LOCALS IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT


The average age of a CSEA employee is 46 years with 14 years of service.  As workers retire, the remaining workforce will be depended on more and more to carry out key agency functions.  Training will be a key component of succession planning by State agencies as they tackle operational issues and meet changing job skill needs for their workforce.

In past agreements between CSEA and NYS, many training efforts focused on short-term outcomes.  The Partnership was formed to go beyond offering standalone training opportunities by separate organizations to developing an integrated approach that provides long-term, substantive workforce development.  This approach is focused on collaboration by labor and management, on both local and statewide levels, to achieve mutual benefit.  The result is that management gains a workforce with the critical skills needed to perform agency operations and employees enhance their job skills and career mobility opportunities.


Labor-Management Outreach Initiative

To reach the goal of mutual gain for both parties, the Partnership developed a labor-management outreach initiative.  Partnership staff met with over 25 agency labor and management stakeholders or statewide labor-management committees to assess their critical workforce development needs and to discuss how the Partnership could assist in meeting those needs.

As a result of the outreach meetings and ongoing communication with labor-management representatives throughout the 2003-2007 Agreement, the Partnership created many new initiatives consistent with the goal of providing long-term, substantive workforce development.  In some situations, existing Partnership structures were expanded or modified while in other situations, alternative delivery systems were created to support the new initiatives.  The Partnership also helped to establish statewide labor-management education and training subcommittees.


The chart below summarizes some of the broad initiatives that emerged from the Partnership’s Labor-Management Outreach Initiative.

Labor-Management Outreach Initiative Results

Broad Initiative

Participating Agencies*

Administrative Skills Certificate Program (ASCP)

DCS, DMV, DOCS, DOH, DOL, DOT, HESC, Human Rights, OASAS, OCFS, OGS, OMH, OMRDD, OPRHP, OSC, Parole, SED, SIF, State Police, SUNY, Tax and Finance, WCB

Adult Education Basics (AEB)

DMV

Agency Workforce Development Grants (AWDG)

DEC, DMV, DOL, DOT, HESC, OMH, OMRDD, OSC, State Police, SUNY

Applied Skilled Trades Program (ASTP)

DOCS, DEC, OGS, OMRDD, OPRHP, SUNY

Labor-Management Education and Training Subcommittees

DEC, OMH, OMRDD

LPN/RN Programs

OMH, OMRDD

Online Learning Program

DEC, DCJS, DOH, DOT, OAG, OMH, OSC, Parole, SED, SUNY, WCB

Self-Mediation

OGS, OMH, OSC

Targeted Tuition Program

DOCS, DOH, HESC, OAG, OASAS, OMH, OMRDD, OSC, SUNY, WCB

*See Appendix for a List of Agency Names.

Career Ladder Programs

During the 1999-2003 Agreement, the Partnership conducted three separate two-day needs assessment conferences for the Administrative, Institutional, and Operational Bargaining Units.  The overwhelming common theme across all bargaining units was the idea of “grow your own.”  With agencies experiencing a shortage of critical skills in a variety of areas and with the overall workforce being reduced through attrition, labor and management representatives across the State requested the Partnership’s assistance. 

During the 2003-2007 Agreement, the Partnership began to work more closely with statewide and local labor and management representatives to identify programs and services that would develop job skills needed for agency operations as well as provide skill enhancement that would foster career mobility for employees.


ASU Career Ladder Program:  Administrative Skills Certificate Program (ASCP)

The self-directed Administrative Skills Certificate Program (ASCP) is an exciting online opportunity designed around the essential job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for clerical, secretarial, and paraprofessional administrative employees to succeed in their jobs and careers.  The ASCP concept was born out of several focus group meetings of agency managers and CSEA leaders to discuss the training needs and issues for the ASU bargaining unit.  Meetings were conducted in fall 2005 and were attended by more than 25 agency representatives and 14 CSEA leaders.

The ASCP consists of nine core courses and three elective courses chosen from 22 courses.  The elective courses enable employees to customize the ASCP to meet individual job needs and career goals.  During the application period, 395 individuals from 31 agencies applied for this pilot program.


ISU Career Ladder Program:  Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Program

The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Program pays for employees to attend LPN programs at BOCES, community colleges, or four-year educational institutions.  Candidates are selected by a local labor-management team according to predetermined, jointly developed criteria. Funds are provided for review classes, tuition, materials and supplies, uniforms, licensure, and testing fees.  At the conclusion of the education and licensure, employees are guaranteed an LPN position. 

The LPN Program was designed to meet the critical shortage of nursing staff in NYS agencies and has been piloted in OMRDD and OMH.  New York State needs hundreds more nurses to staff its health care facilities.  An effective method to meet this critical need is to recruit from within state service and retrain direct care staff for the LPN positions.

During the 2003-2007 Agreement, 65 full-time employees enrolled in the LPN program from OMRDD and nine full-time employees enrolled from OMH.

Creating a Career Ladder – Licensed Practical Nurses

How Needs Were Assessed

For several years, the Finger Lakes DDSO experienced difficulty recruiting Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) to staff its group homes.  The turnover rate was high because LPNs often earned more in the private sector or in local government.  It was difficult to keep LPNs because they are used as direct care staff.  Management acknowledged that the State could not match outside non-state salaries for LPNs. CSEA agreed the job was not appealing to LPNs from the outside.  At the same time, CSEA was interested in providing other career opportunities for employees at the agency.

The facility’s labor-management committee felt they could increase their retention rate by helping veteran employees become LPNs.  It was deemed likely that these staff, which have an investment in state service, would stay in the agency, so consumers and the agency would benefit from their knowledge.  It was a matter of giving them an opportunity for career growth.

A key step was to identify a group of candidates to study for LPN certification.  An objective evaluation system was jointly developed by labor and management and representatives of both partners participated in evaluating and selecting applicants.

Results

Successful employees were provided grants for tuition and books and given paid educational leave to attend classes.  All opted for some form of a blended schedule, working part time and studying part time.  In essence, each employee continued to receive his or her normal paycheck, even though part or all of their time was spent preparing for certification.  The expense was an investment that would pay for itself in a few years by training current staff and reducing the high turnover rate among LPNs.

Helping employees become LPNs was viewed by labor and management as a forward-looking strategy, designed to meet the critical needs of the agency by upgrading skills of existing employees.  This is particularly important for meeting the increasing health care needs of the aging population of residents in state-run homes.


ASU and ISU Career Ladder Program:  Targeted Job Skills Training Voucher Program

The Targeted Job Skills Training Voucher Program can be utilized by NYS agencies and CSEA locals to meet the training needs of a particular position or title, thereby supporting agency workforce development and succession planning initiatives. 


Two extra Targeted Job Skills Training Vouchers were issued to employees each year.  These employees were serving in titles identified by agency/facility labor-management representatives as critical or for which a shortage of qualified employees existed.  The vouchers were used for course work or training programs to satisfy certification and/or licensing requirements; educational requirements to take a New York State civil service examination or complete a traineeship; or other specific job skills training.


The chart below summarizes the activity for this program.

Targeted Job Skills Training Voucher Program

Program

Bargaining Unit

Participating Agencies*

No. of Employees

Credential for Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC)

ISU

OASAS

5

Legal Assistant Trainee

ASU

HESC

3

Legal Assistant Trainee

ASU

OAG

2

Legal Assistant Trainee

ASU

OSC

3

Legal Assistant Trainee

ASU

PSC

1

RN/LPN

ISU

DOCS

13

RN/LPN

ISU

DOH—Roswell Park

6

RN/LPN

ISU

DOH – Batavia Veterans’ Home

2

RN/LPN

ISU

DOH – Montrose Veterans’ Home

1

RN/LPN

ISU

DOH – Oxford Veterans’ Home

3

RN/LPN

ISU

OMH

45

RN/LPN

ISU

SUNY – Stony Brook and Upstate Medical Center

39

RN/LPN and Disability Studies Certificate

ISU

OMRDD

116

Verbatim Reporter

ASU

WCB

3

TOTAL

    

242

*See Appendix for a List of Agency Names.

OSU Career Ladder Program:  Applied Skilled Trades Program (ASTP)

The Applied Skilled Trades (Traineeship and Certificate) Program (ASTP) provides two years of trade theory classroom instruction (a minimum of 144 hours per year) that meets the relevant course work component of the minimum qualifications for appointment to the following non-competitive SG-12 journey-level positions:  carpenter; electrician; mason and plasterer; plumber and steamfitter; and refrigeration mechanic.

The genesis for this program occurred during the 2003-2007 Agreement when the State and CSEA agreed to re-examine the Apprenticeship Program and explore alternative approaches to qualify CSEA-represented NYS employees for the skilled trades listed above.  Research and discussion with the NYS Department of Civil Service, State agencies, and labor leaders resulted in two outcomes:

1.   Two-year traineeships in the five trades titles replace the three-year apprenticeships in those titles.  The traineeships still require a dedicated item but are now compatible with the State’s classification structure and are more suited to the job responsibilities of public sector trade positions.  Additionally, they expedite the time required for employees to reach journey-level status and increase the State’s ability to “grow its own.”  Agencies provide the on-the-job training to satisfy traineeship requirements.

2.      The Applied Skilled Trades Program (ASTP) was created to provide agencies with the means to develop a more highly-skilled workforce and a larger pool of qualified candidates for future journey-level vacancies without having to dedicate a journey-level item as a precondition to participate.  At the same time, a greater number of OSU employees have the opportunity to receive skill development training and increase their promotional opportunities.  Also, the per participant cost to offer these training programs is less than that of the former Apprenticeship Program.

The chart below summarizes the activity for this program.

Applied Skilled Trades Program

Trade/Region

Participating Agencies*

No. of Employees

Electrician

Capital District

OGS

SUNY

13

Electrician

Central NY

DEC

OPRHP

SUNY

15

Electrician

North Country

DEC

OMRDD

OPRHP

SUNY

10

Mason/Plasterer

Capital District

OGS

OPRHP

SUNY

14

Plumber/

Steamfitter

Western NY

DOCS

DEC

OPRHP

SUNY

18

TOTAL

  

70

*See Appendix for a List of Agency Names.

OSU Career Ladder Program:  OSU Article 45 Course

Article 45.1(d) of the OSU 2003-2007 Agreement addresses appointment to higher salaried vacant positions in the non-competitive class and states that the requirement to prove qualification rests with the employee.  To assist OSU employees in achieving a greater rate of success in obtaining promotions, the Partnership, in consultation with CSEA’s Contract Administration Department, developed a half-day training program entitled Preparing for Promotions in OSU Job Titles.  This course is designed to help participants:

To date, 100 employees from 23 work locations across the State attended this course.

Online Learning

Not all employees can get the release time they need to attend classroom training. It is often difficult to schedule training opportunities for evening shift workers.  Additionally, some individuals learn better at home, on their own schedule and at their own pace. Through its Online Learning Program, the Partnership was able to reach employees who might not have been able to participate in training otherwise.

During the 2003-2007 Agreement, a total of 2,225 employees took over 6,800 online courses. Labor-management committees from 11 agencies worked together to create agreements that established online learning at their agencies. 

We also issued licenses to individuals who applied to take online courses only from home.  Of the total number of employees who took courses, almost 500 learners participated only from home, enabling the Partnership to assist employees at an additional 28 agencies.

The Partnership’s Administrative Skills Certificate Program pilot (see page 4) gave 395 ASU employees a way to expand and document their knowledge through online learning.  Additionally, through the North Country Online Learning Pilot, the Partnership was able provide a new way to learn for 105 employees in this region where instructor-led courses can be hard to fill.  To date, 125 courses have been taken by employees in this geographical area.  Sixty-five percent of participants surveyed at the beginning of this pilot were looking forward to taking six or more courses before the pilot was completed. 

Quick Online Learning Facts

 3 –         the average number of courses taken by online learners

93% –    the percentage of people who felt the overall quality of the courses was Excellent, Very Good, or Good

95% –    the percentage of people who Agreed or Strongly Agreed that the courses held their interest

38% –    the percentage of people who took all or most of their courses at home

54% –    the percentage of participants in the pilot programs who had never taken an online course before

$25 –      the cost to train one online learner for an entire year

39 –        the number of agencies served by the Online Learning program


Worksite Training

Worksite training enables labor and management to jointly request that Partnership programs and services that enhance specific job skills and performance be brought to their specific worksite.  The Partnership works closely with labor and management to assess needs and identify benefits of the worksite training.  The training is often modified to meet the unique needs of an agency/facility.


Labor and management representatives from 17 agencies across the State, including 75 facilities, many with multiple work locations, requested 362 training courses that resulted in nearly 5,800 employees receiving job specific training at their worksite.  The courses were selected from 72 training offerings advertised in the Partnership’s Resources catalog.


The chart below summarizes the number of courses by training category.

Requested Worksite Training Courses by Category

Program Area (with no. of courses in each category)

No. of Classes Conducted

No. of Employees Trained

Adult Education Basics (8 courses)

20

255

Clerical and Secretarial and

Personal Computer (12 courses)

45

747

Contract Administration (4 courses)

9

220

Educational Advisement (Academic Planning, Financial Aid, and Study Skills) (3 courses)

14

201

Institutional and Direct Care

(3 courses)

11

146

Labor-Management Committee Development (3 courses)

11

121

Self-Mediation (2 courses)

6

158

Operations and Maintenance (10 courses)

27

419

Safety and Health (14 courses)

119

2,477

Work and Life (3 courses)

50

1029

TOTAL

362

5,773

Quality of Work Life (QWL) Grants

The Quality of Work Life (QWL) Grants Program helps improve the working conditions and quality of life for CSEA-represented NYS employees.  The program provides funding for proposals jointly developed by agency/facility labor-management representatives.  During the 2003-2007 Agreement, 189 facilities from 26 agencies received 420 QWL grants across five categories.


The chart below summarizes the activity for this program.

QWL Grants

Category

No. of Approved Grants

Amount Funded

Break/Lunch Room Improvement

288

$236,304.75

Employee Recognition

42

$83,339.83

Working Conditions

41

$53,006.18

Wellness/Health Education

39

$50,608.92

Special Projects

10

$27,663.00

TOTAL

420

$450,922.68

 

Quality of Work Life Grants – Success Stories

A QWL Break/Lunch Room Improvement Grant provided microwaves, refrigerators, and coffee makers for several DOT and DMNA worksites in the Monroe-Wayne-Ontario areas.  Workers are now able to bring their food to their respective worksites and use the break room equipment to prepare meals that are more nutritious and cost effective.  Also, since some of these sites are quite remote, employees are less likely to go beyond their normal meal time schedule by having to drive to and wait in a restaurant.

A psychiatric center used a QWL Employee Recognition grant to honor 98 CSEA-represented NYS employees, an event attended by a record 250 staff!  Many of the honorees brought their families and friends to share in the celebration.  The event was held off site, with a local television reporter serving as emcee.  The facility received especially positive comments from staff about the occasion held every two years.  According to the facility, Partnership grant funding is key to their success.


Agency Workforce Development Grants

The Agency Workforce Development Grants Program offered an opportunity for NYS agencies/facilities and CSEA locals who face unique workforce and organizational development challenges to apply for grants of up to $50,000.  These grants were used to address issues in the workplace caused by such things as agency reorganization, new technology, changing customer needs, new legal or regulatory requirements, or specialized employee job skills training.  During the 2003-2007 Agreement, 26 grants totaling $142,358 were awarded to 10 agencies.


The chart below summarizes a sample of the activity for this program.

Agency Workforce Development Grants

Program

Participating Agencies*

Bargaining Unit

Amount Funded

Homeland Security for State Police Dispatchers

State Police

OSU

$17,000

Assessment of CSEA-Represented Employee Training Needs

DEC

ASU, OSU

$13,021

Job Skills Advancement Program

DOL

ASU

$10,602

Payroll Professional Certification

OSC

ASU

$10,591

Supervisor Training for Call Center Supervisors

HESC

ASU

$9,975

Instructor Training for Passenger Vans

OMRDD

ISU

$7,836

Home Cookin' for Developmental Aides

OMRDD

ISU

$6,750

Thermodynamics of Steam Systems Training

SUNY

OSU

$6,282

Everyday Heroes Video Production

OMRDD

ISU

$5,700

Introduction to Computer Usage Project

OMH

ISU

$5,000

How to Handle Angry Telephone Callers

DMV

ASU

$3,800

Recognizing and Dealing with Abusive Customers

SUNY

ASU

$3,750

TOTAL

    

$100,307

*See Appendix for a List of Agency Names.

Projects Funded by Agency Workforce Development Grants

Everyday Heroes Video Project for OMRDD

A grant of $5,700 contributed to the cost of producing a video for OMRDD for use as a training tool in new worker orientations for direct care (ISU) staff across the state.  The high quality training DVD and instructional materials will improve employee competency in the community and service to customers.  The video enhances the status and image of direct care employees in their professional settings. 

Homeland Security Training for New York State Police Dispatchers

CSEA-represented Operational Services Unit (OSU) New York State Police dispatchers needed specialized training in homeland security procedures to comply with new federal measures implemented after 2001.  Effective training was obtained for half the original estimated cost and all 200 employees were trained in the new procedures for $17,000.


UNLEASHING EMPLOYEE POTENTIAL


CSEA-represented NYS employees number more than 70,000 strong.  These employees work in thousands of different worksites statewide with many of them working in 24 hour, seven day-a-week operations.  The Partnership’s goal is to provide employees, regardless of shift, work location, or job restrictions, with opportunities to obtain the education, training, and advisement that will enhance their ability to perform on the job and/or to seek other career options within the State.  Individual employees, at their own initiative, can access multiple services and programs offered by the Partnership.


Tuition Benefits Program

Through the Tuition Benefits Program, employees can further their education by applying for tuition vouchers to attend classes at over 140 colleges and BOCES.  Tuition reimbursement at accredited schools that do not accept vouchers and reimbursement for Credit-by-Examination fees are also available.

Tuition Users are Dedicated to their Jobs and State Service

In 2006, the Partnership conducted a survey of a random sample of 3,000 users of the Tuition Benefits Program with 823 responses (27% return rate).

The survey found that the overwhelming majority plan a career with New York State and have less than 16 years of service. The survey showed that employees utilize the Tuition Benefits Program for job and career enhancement courses and spend a considerable amount of their own money to continue their education.

Highlights from the survey include:

Open Enrollment Training Courses

Individual employees can sign up, with supervisory approval, for one-half to four day courses offered at training sites across the state.  The courses provide information and job-related skills and tools needed to tackle job assignments more effectively.  The courses are marketed through the Skills for Success print and online catalogs in the following categories:  Adult Education Basics; Clerical and Secretarial; Educational Advisement; Operations and Maintenance; Personal Computer (no longer available); and Work and Life.


Online Learning Program

Employees can register independently, or through their agency, if it participates, in the Partnership’s Online Learning Program (see page 8).  Over 1,600 courses in business, behavioral and job skills, desktop computer, information technology, health and safety, and labor-management are available.

Educational Advisement

Through confidential conversations with an advisor, individuals receive academic advisement, discuss returning to learning issues, obtain financial aid information, learn about credit-by- examination programs, obtain answers to tuition benefit questions -- and more.  Individuals can contact the Educational Advisement Services staff by using a toll free number or e-mail. 


The chart below summarizes the activity for these programs.

Programs and Services Accessible by Employees

Programs/Services

Units of Service Provided

Tuition Benefits

25,200

Vouchers Issued

Open Enrollment Training Courses

5,097

Applicants Scheduled

Online Learning

2,245

Licenses Issued

Educational Advisement

17,386

Calls Answered

TOTAL

49,928

  

The chart below summarizes the specific activity for open enrollment training courses.

Open Enrollment Training Courses by Category

Program Area (with no. of courses in each category)

No. of Classes Conducted

No. of Employees Trained

Adult Education Basics (2 courses)

18

301

Clerical and Secretarial and

Personal Computer (15 courses)

127

1,314

Educational Advisement (Academic Planning, Financial Aid, and Study Skills) (1 course)

1

13

Operations and Maintenance (11 courses)

71

1,198

Work and Life (2 courses)

25

507

TOTAL

242

3,976

 

R. Quiles

Raquel Quiles: Never Give Up!

Raquel Quiles works for OMH and is currently a unit clerk trainee at Bronx Psychiatric Center. Although she is challenged by her job, Raquel has an ambitious plan for becoming a Registered Nurse (RN).

For some remedial classes at Bronx Community College, Raquel was able to receive Partnership Adult Education Basics (AEB) vouchers to help pay tuition. Taking these classes built a strong foundation for an RN program. She is now matriculated in the nursing program at Bronx Community College and is pursuing course work with an attitude that “it’s the only way to get ahead.”  Raquel will complete her nursing degree in spring 2008.

When it comes to balancing work life, home life, and learning, Raquel recommends doing homework during any available time. For instance, she has an hour for lunch and studies in a quiet location. She knows the importance of a daily routine and sticks to it so the homework gets done.

For the past two years, Raquel has used Partnership Educational Advisement for help with making educational decisions. She will continue to work with advisors as she proceeds through her RN program. She has also used the Tuition Benefits Program for courses. Raquel also participated in a Partnership pilot online program for improving math skills. She tells others, “Don’t even think about giving up! If you really want those career goals, you’ll reach them. It is worth it.”

Adult Education Basics

A career ladder has no value if a person can’t reach the first rung. To help employees who lack foundational skills get to that first rung, the Partnership developed the Adult Education Basics (AEB) program.  It has three components:  one-on-one advice and support from a member of the Educational Advisement Services staff; special tuition vouchers to acquire basic skills from an educational institution; and classroom training in a variety of the Partnership’s AEB courses.

The Partnership’s AEB courses are designed to help employees learn new skills that can assist them in improving performance at work, meeting and understanding job requirements, preparing for college courses, mastering skills needed in everyday life, and enhancing self-esteem and motivation.    Examples of courses include  Introduction to Writing, Arithmetic Basics, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Introduction to Spanish and Workplace Writing.

The course entitled, Workplace Writing, is an innovative approach to writing designed to increase employees’ comfort with the process of writing.  Employees explore writing as a pathway to clear thinking and self-expression.  Employees use the creative writing process to tell their thoughtful stories as state workers.  They write about what they do, day in and day out on the job to take care of patients, maintain state facilities, and support agency office functions.  Throughout the course, employees also learn grammar, punctuation, and communication skills.  This course is often the first step for many employees in resuming their education.


Success in AEB courses often re-engages employees in the learning process and motivates them to pursue additional education or encourages them to take advantage of a range of other Partnership courses.

AEB courses are advertised in the Resources catalog and are brought to agency worksites through a joint labor-management request.  The courses generally consist of 12 two-hour sessions that help the returning learner acquire a fundamental understanding of the topic and build a stronger foundation for further learning. Some AEB courses are also offered in a shorter time frame and can be accessed by employees through the Skills for Success catalog.


Graduates of a February 2007 Workplace Writing course in New York City talk about the power of education and taking that first step.  What education means to me …

“Quite simply, it means freedom. The ability to be anything and go anywhere at anytime.” – Craig Franklin, Library Clerk, SUNY Maritime

“Education for me is the door to my tomorrow. Once you know, you feel impelled to pass it on/teach others.” - Amanda Fraser, Developmental Aide, Bernard Fineson DDSO

“What does education mean to me? It means a better future for me and my daughter. Furthering my education will help me achieve better skills which means a better job which means a better life for me and mine.” -Alisha Moore, Developmental Aide, Bernard Fineson DDSO

“Education broadens the horizon and gives you new insight. Life seems more worth living and I feel delighted knowledge is the key to life.” – Stanley Davis, Highway Maintenance, Department of Transportation

“It’s a way of traveling the world without leaving home. It helps me to be understanding and tolerant of others.” – Leslie G. Harris, Developmental Assistant, Bernard Fineson DDSO

“Education means knowledge, power, ability, resources, opportunities, and success.” – Ruth E. Lowe-Tuitt, Keyboard Specialist, Department of Health

“Education means to me knowledge and understanding to us in everyday life.” – Michele Hunter, Clerk, Insurance Fund

“Education is the key to success. History has inspired me.” – Kenneth Stringer, Clerk, Insurance Fund

“Education means a way out, an open door.” Jovan M. Dunn, Clerk, Taconic Correctional Facility

“Education is the key that unlocks the door of oppressive self-doubt. It is freedom when creativity is balanced with intellect.” – Valli SaaidaiYah Gadsen-Smith, Secretary, Department of Transportation

BUILDING LABOR-MANAGEMENT

COLLABORATION AND SUCCESS

Both government officials and union leaders face challenging times in New York State.  Government officials feel constant pressure to work within tight budgets while providing the many important public services New Yorkers expect.  Union leaders feel similar pressure to show that public sector workers provide greater value than low-wage private contractors and at the same time continue to represent the best interests of their members.

Labor-management committees, authorized by Article 31 in the 2003-2007 Agreement, operate on the belief that lasting, meaningful improvements in the workplace can come only from the joint efforts of labor and management.

Labor-management collaboration offers an exciting way to cope with these pressures.  During the 2003-2007 Agreement, labor and management in many agencies have come to realize that working together is the most effective way to address the challenge of “doing more with less.”  Some key accomplishments are highlighted here.

Grant for Multi-Faceted Labor-Management Committee Initiative

In a nationwide competition, the Partnership, in conjunction with the Association of Joint Labor-Management Educational Programs, was awarded one of 10 Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Labor-Management Cooperation Grants in 2004.  The $76,000 grant supported a project to develop and present a multi-faceted training approach for NYS/CSEA labor-management committees at statewide and facility levels.

The centerpiece of this innovative approach is an interactive, online training program entitled Labor-Management Committee Basics.  Individuals can take this self-paced course in 2 to 4 hours to learn resources and tools that can be used in actual labor-management committee meetings.  It features a threaded discussion board and e-mail support by an online coach.  This course can be supplemented with two-day classroom training for entire labor-management committees which focuses on strategies for building effective working relationships.  Unique elements of the course include the opportunity to consider real issues confronted by the committee and participation in an actual “coached” labor-management committee meeting.  The Partnership’s web site also provides a summary of best practices called “shared solutions” and downloadable resource aids to complete this innovative training initiative.

To date, almost 600 employees have registered for the Labor-Management Committee Basics course and 10 labor-management committees have received the classroom training.


Strategic Approach to Labor-Management Services

The formation of the Partnership provided the opportunity and impetus to develop a strategic and comprehensive approach to labor-management committee support.  During the 2003-2007 Agreement, staff developed a conceptual framework for assessing committee effectiveness and created new training programs and other resources to help committees be as effective as possible.  In all, labor-management services were provided to 17 agencies at 44 facilities.

Another new pilot initiative helped employees resolve workplace conflict.  A Self-Mediation training program gives employees concrete skills to use when issues arise.  Additionally, employees can access trained third party mediators for situations they can not resolve.

The Partnership designed