The 2018-19 HR Learning Catalogue provides Queen’s employees with opportunities to develop new skills, deepen their knowledge, and thrive in the workplace.

With more than 135 offerings, including lunch-and-learns, certificate programs, and an extensive variety of health and fitness classes, there is something for everyone, explains Alison Cummings, Training Coordinator with Human Resources.

At the same time programming helps grow professional networks.

“Both participants and instructors are able to meet people from other departments they might not otherwise interact with and develop new professional connections that will continue throughout their time at the university,” Ms. Cummings adds.

In 2017-18, nearly 1,500 employees benefited from HR Learning Catalogue programming.

The catalogue’s centerpiece is a series of certificate programs: Queen’s Volunteer Engagement Certificate (QVEC); From Diversity to Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate (DIW); Certificate in Workplace Communications (CWC); Certificate in International Perspectives (CIP); Administrative Professionals at Queen’s Certificate (APAQ); and Administrative Professionals at Queen's Master Certificate (APAQM).

Insights from Instructors

Vital to the success of the certificate programs is the instructors who contribute their insights, knowledge and expertise. Last year, 42 individuals representing 14 units across Queen’s facilitated courses or workshops.

One of these instructors is Jordan Phoenix, Records Manager with the University Secretariat and Legal Counsel. He teaches a section of the CWC focused on helping employees make the best use of their work time.

Effectively managing email is a common challenge, says Mr. Phoenix. Most people respond to an email within minutes of receiving it, and as a result, get sidetracked from whatever they were working on for up to 30 minutes.

“What I focus on is getting into better habits and acknowledging that the average person will burn somewhere up to eight hours a week doing email replies,” he says. “So what I talk about is handling emails and acknowledging that the volume keeps getting greater as time goes on. It’s a reality of the workplace and I provide methods of being able to address that type of issue more easily.”

Being an instructor has also proven beneficial for Mr. Phoenix in his role as Records Manager, as it requires him to keep up-to-date with new developments in the information management field.

Learning something new every time she teaches a module of the QVEC is a tremendous reward for Kathryn Vilela, Alumni Officer with Volunteer Relations.

“I’ve consistently been amazed by the breadth and depth and variety of expertise that exists in the Queen’s community. It’s also encouraging to see how Queen’s staff have such a desire to learn and improve, and a willingness to share the expertise that we each have,” she says. “As an instructor, it’s rewarding to see the group discussions and the connections that grow between participants over the course of the program each year, but as a current manager of Queen’s volunteers myself, my own work has benefited from the connections I’ve made with QVEC participants.”

To view all the offerings and to register, visit the HR Learning Catalogue.

For more information, contact Alison Cummings at ext. 78418 or hrodl@queensu.ca.