INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING

Incumbent worker training provides services to employed workers who are experiencing change in the workplace that requires personal or technical skill enhancement.

As jobs rely more on technology and critical thinking abilities, workers must upgrade skills and learn new ones. With upgraded skills, employees form a more productive, stable, and secure workforce, which benefits them and their employers.

The Minnesota Teamsters Service Bureau helps workers gain the skills and training they need through our incumbent worker training program, which follows several strategies:

Department of Labor Demonstration Grants —  Funded for specific industries with specific employers.

• Life/work planning — Individualized assistance to workers assessing future options.
• Workforce Transitions Initiative — Customized assistance to individual employers.
• Workplace enhancement process — Strategy that ensures worker input is heard on company-provided training initiatives.

LIFE/WORK PLANNING PROCESS

The term life/work planning describes a process for anticipating, planning, and making personal work and life changes. It is more than a single plan, program, or event. Instead, life/work planning is a starting point for self-development.

It is an ongoing process in which individuals continue to review their plans to adjust to changing needs in the workplace. This process recognizes the need for lifelong learning in today's changing economy, and can be utilized by individuals who are seeking opportunities in their current workplace or in new careers.

The Process

The life/work planning process typically begins with a six-hour group class program followed by a one-to-one session with a career counselor. The program helps participants:

• Identify interests, personal values, and transferable skills
• Improve coping and decision-making abilities
• Develop stress management strategies to better handle change
• Integrate career plans with short- and long-term goals
• Boost self-esteem and confidence to achieve career goals
• Formulate a meaningful life/work plan

In addition, a variety of workshops may be offered to supplement the core class program. Once participants have completed an initial life/work plan, they are ready to begin individualized study in areas of specific need.

Life/Work Planning Group Class

Session One

• Introductions
• Overview
• Stress management
• Lifestyle assessment
• Personality type assessment
• Work Values assessment
• Occupational Interest assessment

Session Two

• Skills assessment
• Career Ability assessment
• Goal setting
• Networking and Informational interviewing

One-to-One Meeting with Counselor

• Interpret assessment results
• Apply results to goals
• Complete Life/Work plan

WORKFORCE TRANSITIONS INITIATIVE

The Minnesota Teamsters Service Bureau has broad-based experience in the delivery of customized incumbent training for a variety of worker classifications.

Due to our in-depth knowledge of and our successful partnerships over many years with both public and private technical training institutions, we have been able to negotiate cost-effective training opportunities in several different industries.

Our knowledge of capabilities and pricing structures of these educational institutions provides us with the bargaining strength to ensure both the best price and the most focused training available.

An additional and perhaps most important feature of our expertise in this area revolves around our philosophy of inclusion. All of our customized training experience have included stakeholder participation and input in the needs assessment, the design, and the delivery structure of training.

We firmly believe that unless there is a consensus by all parties, even the most cost-effective training will not have the fullest impact. The Service Bureau provides training and development services in three areas:

1. Job-Specific Technical Skill Development

Examples of job-specific technical skills taught through the Minnesota Teamsters Service Bureau's workforce transitions programs:

• Machine tool setup and operation
• Surgical equipment sterilization
• Blueprint reading
• Refrigerant recapturing and recycling
• Truck driving commercial license training
• Snowplow training

2. Work-Related Basic Skill Development

The Service Bureau is experienced in general ESL (English as a Second Language) training as well as OESL (Occupational English as a Second Language) for clients. This training is available both on site at the workplace or at another location.

3. Workplace Change/Self-Management Skill Development

The Service Bureau has recognized the need for programs that address the challenges presented by a rapidly changing workplace. The Service Bureau has developed one- and two-day courses designed to help employees adjust to the changing work environment:

• Coping with stress
• Managing time to resolve problems
• Connecting with others
• Relating to customers
• Writing for results
• Career life/work planning

To effectively address specific workplace issues, the Service Bureau custom designs programs to meet presenting problems:

• Preventing workplace substance abuse
• Overcoming a hostile work environment
• Promoting inclusiveness in the workplace
• Conflict management

WORKPLACE ENHANCEMENT PROCESS

Purpose

To provide worker involvement in determining workplace enhancement strategies that result in a quality workplace environment that supports high worker satisfaction and productivity.

Approach

The Minnesota Teamsters Service Bureau uses a participatory, information-based, continuous feedback approach to involve workers in the process.

Process Phases

Planning Phase — A team is formed consisting of worker, union, and management membership. The role of this team is to facilitate the process and provide input and direction for carrying out the working phase.

Working Phase — Three activities occur here:

• Interviews of a representative group of workers. Results are reviewed and used to prepare the next activity.
• Focus groups of 8 or 10 workers to validate and expand information gathered from individual interviews. This information is used to craft the final activity of the working phase.
• The enhancement survey. This survey is to be completed by every worker, and results are used to prepare recommendations to the appropriate decision makers about needed changes and/or training.

Wrap-Up Phase — All workers are provided information regarding the final report and recommendations.

The most critical piece is that all workers who have participated are given feedback regarding the information they were asked to provide.

MINNESOTA TEAMSTERS SERVICE BUREAU
2829 University Avenue SE, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612-676-3700 or
800-979-9725 (24-hour toll-free)
Hours: 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday
www.mntsb.org

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All rights reserved