The human resources team within the Office of Business and Auxiliary Services (BAS) has been hard at work supporting their staff with regular training opportunities.
In 2018, the BAS HR team created the department’s Staff Development Program, a series of personal and professional growth opportunities including trainings, guest speakers, and other development programming focusing around a single topic each month. Past training topics have included sustainability, career development, financial wellness, and safety.
In March, the BAS HR team partnered with the department’s DEI Committee to offer 6 different trainings available on diversity, equity, and inclusion, resulting in over 100 staff members racking up an astounding 450 hours of training.
The minimum training requirement for non-represented department staff is 20 hours per fiscal year. All BAS staff, including represented employees, are encouraged to attend monthly trainings, as they are a great team building and networking opportunity.
When Antonio Glaze joined the department as a Human Resources Coordinator in November, he said he had never worked somewhere where training is so readily available to staff.
“Through these monthly topics, we are setting them up for success with a variety of trainings,” Glaze said. “Specifically, with the diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings, 450 hours towards those type of topics is phenomenal and for the better good of people in general.”
Those 450 hours were split among 6 different live trainings offered throughout March, with topics across the full spectrum of diversity, from race and ethnicity to generational and age differences.
“It has helped the workplace culture already and our department has had some meaningful discussions that most might be uncomfortable with,” Glaze said. “Everyone was excited and engaged.”
One recent effort includes Antonio’s leadership in developing a recent Pitt Communities Panel event in partnership with the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, with over 100 staff in attendance.
To review diversity and inclusion resources, updates, and training opportunities, visit the Office of Human Resources or the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion websites.