Staff Intitiatives
Mentor Tech
Mentoring has been cited as a best practices in industry and in higher education. Because mentoring helps to develop employees, research studies show that people who have mentors are more successful in their careers. Georgia Tech supports the best practice of mentoring and values this powerful tool to manage knowledge within the Institute.
The Mentor Tech program introduced me to great people on campus that have become friends as well as valuable resources in developing and refining my career goals. Having a diverse background, this program helped me take a closer look at my accomplishments and responsibilities at Tech to prepare for advancement in the academic environment.
Linda Newton, protégé
The Mentor Tech program has obvious benefits for the participants by way of personal and professional growth; however, the hidden organizational value-add comes in the form of synergy, potential for collaboration and increased understanding of the diversity within campus units.
Herbert Baines, mentor
Mentor Tech is an Institute sponsored program sponsored by the Office of Organizational Development. The nine-month program seeks to empower employees to further their career development by tapping into the wealth of experience and talents possessed by other Georgia Tech employees. The three objectives of Mentor Tech include: (1) professional career and leadership development, (2) provide an informal advisor to help others succeed and grow in the Georgia Tech environment, and (3) enhance performance in current employment role. The program also exposes participants to diversity issues at Georgia Tech.
For More Information on Mentor Tech, visit www.mentortech.gatech.edu or contact Deborah Covin Wilson
Office of Information Technology Professional Development Initiative
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) established an internal professional development initiative to provide career development and guidance for employees. The initiative also allows employees to gain knowledge of skills and experience needed for specific jobs.
In 1999, a Task Force was formed to develop a means of identifying career paths within the Office of Information Technology. Each career path was based on the position employees currently held, and the opportunities that are available for advancement and/or career enhancement. The career paths also identify the qualifications to fill these positions.
OIT has developed a career development website. The site outlines HR business practices, career opportunities, training and development, and guidelines to measure success.
Workplace Education Programs
The workplace education program at Georgia Tech, sponsored by the Office of Organizational Development, is comprised of three components: GED/Skills Enhancement, English as a Second Language (ESL), and Workplace Spanish. Each of the three components requires commitment from both the Institute and Department and a commitment from the employee, in order to be successful.
GED/Skills Enhancement Program
This class has given me a better understanding of what I didn’t get in high school. I was dyslexic and no one ever diagnosed it. I’m learning more now at 50 than I did at 16. I like the teacher and a good teacher makes the difference!
Objective: The objective of this program is to improve the basic reading, language and math skill levels of employees, which will enable them to work to obtain a GED. This program also assists employees who already possess a GED or high school education, but need to improve their skills. Several outcomes can be achieved through this program: (1) improved employee retention rates, (2) improved employee morale, (3) improved overall skill level of the workforce, and (4) increased potential for upward mobility.
English As A Second Language (ESL)
The class has helped me improve. In my department we have interchanges where my co-workers give me phrases and words in English and we play a game and help each other learn.
Objective: The objective of this program is to provide Basic English language communication skills to employees with little or no English proficiency. As Georgia Tech continues to identify and recruit from a diverse pool of applicants, one of the barriers to successful employment is the lack of the ability to orally communicate in English. Many companies have found that providing these skills has increased loyalty, reduced turnover rates and increased the opportunity for upward mobility. The design and implementation of this program was essential for Georgia Tech, as the Institute’s workforce demographics change.
Workplace Spanish
Objective: The objective of this program is to provide supervisors and other employees with basic Spanish skills in order to communicate effectively with employees with little or no English proficiency. This program works hand in hand with the ESL program. As more employees are hired who are non-English speakers, there is a need to communicate effectively with them. This class is also becoming a necessity for many of our employees who serve our diverse student body. This program provides basic communicative skills in Spanish to employees. Goals for this class are the following:
It helps me communicate with my employees and customers on the job and also off the job. It has built up my self confidence to be able to communicate with people from other cultures.
- Each student will identify a battery of expressions in English that will be useful in her/his job and will work toward mastery of those particular phrases.
- Students will acquire a vocabulary of other basic expressions in Spanish that may be used to bolster communication with Spanish-speaking individuals and will develop a firm command over basic vocabulary and verbal expressions.
- Students will be exposed to mock situations in Spanish that will require them to produce appropriate language that addresses the particular needs of the artificial circumstances.
- Students will receive ample instruction in recognizing cognate-based similarities between English and Spanish and are taught to listen more prudently to Spanish in order to develop comfort and proficiency in aural reception.
For More Information on Georgia Tech’s Workplace Education Programs, contact Deborah Covin Wilson.