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UA Leadership Education and Development Skills- we are all leaders at UA!
Resources for UA Community
University of Alaska Learning & Development Collections
These collections have been curated specifically to equip our staff with a diverse range of skills crucial for thriving in today's professional landscape and include content directly from the University of Alaska as well as LinkedIn Learning courses. They cover various aspects of teamwork, interpersonal relationships, professional development, and adaptability in different work environments, leading to improved teamwork and overall organizational and personal success.
Monthly Training Spotlights
This month the UA HR Talent Acquisition and Development Team presents a training collection on Productivity, Time Management, and Prioritization to help you focus on effectively managing workloads, maximizing efficiency, and setting clear goals.
- Attend a live, instructor-led webinar on the Power of Productivity on January 21st, 11am AKST.
- Explore practical strategies like time blocking, effective note-taking, asking productive questions, and prioritizing tasks based on importance and deadlines.
- Learn how to use tools like to-do lists, digital planners, and AI assistance.
- Address common issues such as distractions, multitasking, and procrastination.
- Experience a more positive work environment, a healthier work-life balance, and more time in your day.
- Earn a certificate upon successful completion of the courses in the Improve Your Organizational Skills pathway.
The UA HR is committed to President Pitney’s priority strategy of creating and enhancing self-service training materials for employees. Regardless of your role at UA, take control of your development and steer your career in a direction that aligns with your goals, enhances your skills, and maximizes your potential in the workplace. Explore more resources located in the Employee Engagement & Development Center, activate your free UA Employee LinkedIn Learning account, find upcoming events on the Training Calendar, and discuss professional development opportunities with your supervisor.
If you have questions, please contact UA HR at (907) 450-8200, ua-hrtraining@alaska.edu, or Request Assistance.
This month the UA HR Talent Acquisition and Development Team has curated a collection on conflict resolution training; focusing on providing the tools and strategies to handle workplace disagreements effectively and professionally.
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Explore communication techniques such as activelistening, assertiveness, and clarity, helping to express concerns without escalating tensions.
- Increase skills in empathy and emotional intelligence, enabling you to understand different perspectives and address issues collaboratively.
- Learn more about negotiation, problem-solving, and mediation strategies, allowing us to reach mutually beneficial solutions.
- Contribute to a more positive work environment, improve team dynamics, and reduce the likelihood of conflicts that negatively impact productivity and morale.
- Earn a certificate upon successful completion of the courses in the Develop Conflict Management Skills Pathway.
If you have questions, please contact UA HR at (907) 450-8200, ua-hrtraining@alaska.edu, or Request Assistance.
In addition to the professional development training and certification opportunities featured in our previous collection, we want to spotlight some of the development services provided to all University employees, regardless of campus affiliation.
UA Talent Acquisition Specialists: For support in exploring career opportunities or advancing your professional development at the university, consult with your dedicated Talent Acquisition Specialists. They are here to connect you with valuable resources, offer guidance on the application process, and help identify potential roles that align with your career goals. Let our TA team be your partner in finding your next great opportunity at UA!
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact your TA Specialist or email ua-hrtalent@alaska.edu.
Career Coach: Uncover your interests and learn how they connect to careers and education, view detailed information about careers matched to your interests, and discover an educational path to a selected career! Browse by career, program, or find civilian careers related to military occupations.
Career Development Plans: Create an avenue for advancement through a job family based on an employee's successful completion of pre-established criteria. This can be established by the supervisor, department or unit.
Educational Attainment Incentive Program (EAIP): The EAIP rewards employees who enhance their professional skills, increasing the value they bring to their position, department, and university. The EAIP provides a salary increase when an employee completes a certificate program or earns a degree from an accredited University.
We heard from staff in the 2023 UA Employee Feedback Survey about the importance of professional development and technical training opportunities. This month the UA HR Talent Acquisition and Development Team is spotlighting Certification Preparation, Professional Certifications, and CEU/CPE eligible courses available on the UA LinkedIn Learning platform. Start by activating your free UA Employee LinkedIn Learning account, then check out one of the many development opportunities available.
Professional Certification Preparation: Browse almost 900 courses available to help you prepare for professional certifications from organizations like Cisco, CompTIA, FAA, Microsoft, SHRM, and Six Sigma.
Professional Certificates: There are over 65 professional certificate-eligible pathways. Below is just a sample of what is available for your professional development!
- Communication: Essential Business Communication Skills
- Customer Service: Customer Success Foundations, Zendesk Customer Service
- Finance: CFI Corporate Finance Foundations Professional Certificate
- Information Technology: There are over a dozen certificates available including Atlassian Agile Project Management, Career Essentials in GitHub, OpenEDG Python Institute: Programming with Python, and ServiceNow IT Leadership.
- Management: Business Foundations for Nurses, Becoming a Manager, DEI Awareness, Human Skills for Managers, Succeeding as a New Manager, Succeeding as a Mid-Career Manager, Succeeding as a Senior Manager.
- Microsoft: With 13 different Microsoft certificates available, you’re sure to find one that can further your professional development!
- Negotiations: Negotiation
CEU & CPE eligible Courses - There are thousands of CEU/CPE eligible courses. Just search for any topic you are interested in at LinkedIn Learning and filter by those that offer CEUs. We suggest starting with Excel Essential Training (Microsoft 365); this course has been the most popular course amongst UA staff for the year 2024, come and join your peers in a knowledge upgrade or refresh!
The Inclusiveness & Understanding Bias collection features a different theme on each row; Unconscious Bias, Empathy, Allyship, Cross-Cultural Communication, Multigenerational Communication, Supporting Underrepresented Groups, Inclusion, DEI Foundations, Leadership, and Inclusive Design.
Whether you want to feel more cohesion within a group, are leading a team or project, or are a supervisor looking for ways to foster an inclusive and diverse workplace, there is a course here for you!
Cybersecurity Awareness & Practices Collection
Learn more about fundamental concepts such as understanding threats, vulnerabilities, risk management, and threat detection. Dive further by exploring topics like AI, best practices, and innovative solutions in the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity.
Self-care & Wellness Collection
This collection focuses on personal development and enhancing overall wellness, emphasizing the importance of self-care nurturing both the body and mind. Additionally, the UA employee benefits package also includes several resources for employee wellness, including the Employee Assistance Program and Wellness Program.
Improve process efficiencies, productivity, workflow, project management, and content creation. This collection of courses offers practical insights and examples, emphasizing AI's potential to revolutionize the modern workplace while considering its ethical and sustainable use, as well as introductory videos on Microsoft Copilot Chat, a safe AI model for University use.
Please read this announcement from IT concerning AI, FERPA, and privacy concerns.
This spotlight features four training collections, spanning from team-building activities to mentoring, all bound together by the theme of working better together. Whether you want to feel more cohesion within a group, have been tasked with leading a committee or project, or are a supervisor looking for ways to coach your staff, our Team-Building & Collaboration collections have you covered!
Establish clear guidelines for teamwork and individual responsibilities while enhancing productivity and cohesion.
Foster a supportive environment through engaging activities that strengthen team bonds.
Form versatile groups with diverse skills to drive innovation and adaptability.
Guide and develop team members through personalized mentorship and coaching to maximize their potential.
Respectful Communication in the Workplace
Equip yourself with the tools and strategies needed to excel in collaborations, build meaningful relationships, and navigate challenges with finesse. Delve into the nuances of effective communication, interpersonal dynamics, and conflict resolution, equipping yourself with the tools and strategies needed to thrive in any professional setting.
Supervising Remote and Hybrid Employees
Learn skills needed for managing remote/ hybrid employees, shares tips for getting results at a distance—including how to provide remote coaching and feedback—as well as building trust, setting reasonable boundaries as a long-distance leader, engaging employees, and more.
Working in Remote & Hybrid Work Environments
Understand and thrive in modern hybrid and remote work environments. This collection features courses on time management, setting up an efficient home office, staying engaged, communication and connection strategies for remote teams, even remote interview tips!
Lean Sigma Six & Change Management
Unlock the full potential of your department's capabilities and drive strategic agility with this comprehensive collection of courses. Combining the principles of Lean Six Sigma with cutting-edge Change Management strategies, this collection equips you with the knowledge and skills to streamline processes, drive efficiency, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Workshop Series
The UA HR Talent Acquisition & Development department is pleased to present three different series of workshops in 2025, focusing on the areas of professional development, mental health and emotional well-being, and topics for parents/caregivers. Workshops are live, instructor-led webinars combining discussions, interactive exercises, and practical strategies presented by the professionals at ComPsych Guidance Resources.
Please click on each of the accordion menus below to view the series with their accompanying session dates and topics.
Workshops are live, instructor-led webinars combining led discussions, interactive exercises, and practical strategies aimed at those in leadership roles. Workshops start on January 9th, and continue on the 1st Thursday of the month in February, April, May, and June, 11am to 12pm AKST plus an additional workshop on a Tuesday, January 21st.
Please click on each of the accordion menus below to view the series with their accompanying session dates and topics.
Thursday, January 9th, 2025, 11am-12pm
The prevalence and costs of incivility are on the rise in organizations. When employees are exposed to incivility in the workplace, they experience diminished self-control, which in turn creates increased incivility toward co-workers. Incivility does not involve openly hostile behavior, threats or sabotage and therefore doesn’t warrant the same legal attention or sanctions as other forms of mistreatment, such as harassment. Incivility could be as simple as a sarcastic reply to a co-worker’s comment or a perceived rude sentence in an email.
This session will help you understand why we act less civil today and give some suggestions for making sure you don’t exhibit behaviors that are uncivil.
Tuesday, January 21st, 2025, 11am-12pm
Are you struggling to be productive? Do you find yourself procrastinating and having difficulty staying on top of tasks? Do you wait until the last minute to start working on a project? We all procrastinate from time to time. However, when we develop a habit of putting off necessary actions, it can take a toll on our well-being. This training will help you identify the reasons for the lack of productivity and defeat procrastination so that you can move forward and implement strategies to increase your level of productivity.
Thursday, February 6th, 2025 11am-12pm
As organizations make remote and flexible arrangements a permanent part of the work environment, some leaders worry: “How do I know if my employees are really working?” This training will cover new dynamics of leadership in this changing environment, and discuss whether the question above is really the best one for you to be asking yourself (hint, it’s not). This session will discuss common concerns in the remote environment including miscommunication, inefficient meetings and the value of trust. Key skills include managing communications, establishing meeting guidelines and identifying workplace behaviors that build, sustain, or break trust.
Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 11am-12pm
When addressing performance issues, it can be hard to show employees that you care about and support them, while still being clear about problems and expectations. This session offers tools for having supportive conversations in these challenging situations.
Thursday, May 1st, 2025 11am-12pm
At one time or another, we have all dealt with a difficult person. Whether they are hard to communicate with, acting defensive or just handling a situation inappropriately, interactions with difficult people can affect our confidence, mood and focus. Learning to recognize and cope with common difficult behaviors in ourselves and others can help make difficult encounters much more manageable.
Thursday, June 5th, 2025 11am-12pm
Organizations are investing in benefits to improve employee wellbeing, and taking on initiatives to foster a culture of wellbeing in the workplace. However, many employees still feel that their job is an obstacle to their wellbeing rather than a help. What can you do as a manager to shift that perception? This session will discuss practical ways to show employees that you and your organization support their wellbeing.
Love this series and want more? Check out these on-demand webinars, available anytime:
This workshop series focuses on mental and emotional well-being, covering a diverse range of topics designed to help individuals navigate common psychological challenges and adopt healthy lifestyles.
Workshops are live, instructor-led webinars combining led discussions, interactive exercises, and practical strategies for everyone. Workshops occur on the 4th Thursday of the month January through April, 2025, 11am to 12pm AKST, plus an additional workshop on March 6th. Please note that the March workshops are companion courses intended to be taken in succession, but will still be valuable separately.
Please click on each of the accordion menus below to view the series with their accompanying session dates and topics.
Thursday, January 23rd, 2025, 11am-12pm
There are many myths about counseling and psychotherapy that ultimately prevent people
from seeking the help that they need. In this session we will explore these myths
and demystify the therapy process. We will look at areas where therapy
might be beneficial. This session will provide some insight into what happens during
a therapy session and what one can expect when seeking services. We will give an overview
of different therapeutic approaches and discuss appropriate levels
of care to address certain concerns.
Thursday, February 27th, 2025, 11am-12pm
It seems that every week a new study is published on the best way to control weight and increase fitness through changes in diet and exercise. It can be tough staying on top of the latest recommendations, especially when the studies sometimes seem to contradict one another!
This workshop provides an overview of safe and effective strategies to improve overall fitness through manageable changes in diet and exercise. Of course, before beginning any changes in diet and exercise, it is best to first consult with your doctor.
Thursday, March 6th, 2025, 11am-12pm
Worries are thoughts we have about the future that generate fear. They arrive in the form of a “what if?” and generate dire warnings about terrible consequences that await us. Unfortunately, these warnings we give ourselves are generally overblown and focused on hypothetical problems that probably won’t happen. Chronic worry that begins to impact the quality of life becomes “anxiety” and well-intended suggestions to “stop worrying” or applying common stress management techniques are mostly ineffective. This training will address how worry habits develop and methods of intervening with worry and anxiety.
This is a companion course to the March 27th workshop, Psychological Avoidance and Its Impact On Your Mental Health.
Thursday, March 27th, 2025, 11am-12pm
Anxiety is a highly uncomfortable feeling, a lingering presence that causes physical and mental tension, fills the mind with endless “what ifs”, and is capable of spiraling into episodes paralyzing anxiety attacks. People with anxiety will typically focus on reducing or eliminating it as the main problem whereas the real problem may lie elsewhere, with psychological avoidance. Psychological avoidance is a quick fix to anxiety. It offers immediate emotional relief, but it is fleeting and comes at a heavy cost. When we avoid certain situations, decisions or actions it can ultimately lead to even greater anxiety and additional problems.
In this topic we will examine the role of anxiety, our mistaken belief that we should always be “feeling good” and the psychological effects of avoidance. We will explore specific cognitive-behavioral strategies for managing avoidance and dealing with anxiety.
This is a companion course to the March 6th workshop, managing Worry and Anxiety.
Thursday, April 24th, 2025, 11am-12pm
Are your media consumption habits helping you make good decisions or are they making you sick? The news and social media are significant sources of stress and anxiety for many people. Participating in social media discussions, reading newspapers, following your favorite political pundits and watching election news on TV can help you feel informed and engaged. If you’re not careful, however, you may use media in unhealthy ways that make you feel worse. This training can help you implement healthy media consumption habits that don’t damage your mental and physical well-being.
Love this series and want more? Check out these on-demand webinars, available anytime:
This series of workshops is designed to equip parents and other caregivers of children with knowledge, tools, and empathetic approaches for discussing sensitive topics with children and teens, helping maintain a balanced and resilient approach to both the children’s needs and their own well-being.
Workshops are live, instructor-led webinars combining led discussions, interactive exercises, and practical strategies for navigating difficult topics with children and teens. Workshops are on the 2nd Thursday of the month, 11am to 12pm AKST, January through June, 2025. Please click on the workshop topics below to register.
Please click on each of the accordion menus below to view the series with their accompanying session dates and topics.
Thursday, February 13th, 2025, 11am-12pm
It can be tough to be a teenager today—and tough to be a parent of a teenager. It’s
easy to be overwhelmed by stories about adolescents and violence, sex, drugs, suicides,
alcohol and crime. All of these concerns are very real, but the very good news is
most teenagers really are okay. The relationship you’ve had with your child
all these years will play a big part in how your teenager will act and grow now that
they are older. As your child matures, your relationship will change and become different,
but it can still be positive and close. If you know what to expect, if you can look
at things through your teenager’s eyes, it will help both of you. This workshop
helps parents learn communication methods to talk to their teen.
Thursday, March 13th, 2025, 11am-12pm
The teenage years are a period of major social, hormonal and emotional change and can be difficult both for the teens as well as their families. Finding the most effective way to meet your child’s growing need for independence and increased responsibility as well as keep them safe and healthy is a challenge for many parents. Knowing how to talk with your teen about, and identify symptoms of, depression, suicide and eating disorders can help you assist your teen in navigating adolescence successfully.
Thursday, April 10th, 2025, 11-12pm
Most children experience the death of a family member or friend by the time they complete high school, and one in 20 children face the death of a parent or guardian by age 16. In response to death, children have feelings of grief similar to those of an adult, but they understand loss differently as their minds have not matured and they express these feelings differently because they have not yet learned coping skills. Though every child is unique and may react to a death of a loved one, a schoolmate, a teacher or even a family pet in their own way, there are generalities on a child’s reaction that can be based on their age. This workshop will explore how children of different ages respond to loss and how parents or caretakers can best respond to a child’s grief.
Thursday, May 15th, 2025, 11am-12pm
Parental burnout is a growing concern impacting countless families today. Parental burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged and overwhelming parenting stress. Recognizing and addressing parental burnout is essential for parents in their caregiving roles to ensure the well-being of the next generation. This training will address the signs and risk factors associated with parental burnout and provide practical strategies to thrive through parenthood.
Thursday, June 19th, 2025, 11am-12pm
It is summertime, and school is out! For many people, summer conjures images of lazy, relaxing days at the beach. However, for many working families, summer brings the challenges of balancing the demands of adult work schedules with the desire to provide safe, fun activities for children. This workshop offers several ideas on summer activities and provides practical suggestions on how to keep your kids safe while you’re at work.
Love this series and want more? Check out these on-demand webinars, available anytime:
Training Calendar
On Demand Training available in MyUA
On Demand training including specific training for supervisors and Human Resources
Coordinators (HRCs) are located in the MyUA learning library.
Check out the UA HR Benefits Training & Events calendar for even more opportunities.
In working to meet the needs of our employees, we are regularly updating and expanding our programs. If the current offerings are not meeting your needs, please submit a request here.
Are you hosting an educational training or event open to all employees across UA? Submit a request here to add it to the UA HR Training calendar.