Many employees have transitioned to working from home. Now they can learn from home, too, with a list of free web-based professional development opportunities accessible from just about anywhere. The compilation is a collaboration between information technology services (ITS) and university human resources (UHR).
Topics range from leadership and management, to financial wellness, to diversity and inclusion. There are links to online presentations, webinars, tutorials, seminars, articles, podcasts and even TEDx Talk videos. The links lead to internal and external resources -- for example, courses offered through Learn@ISU and training available through ISU membership organizations such as the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities.
The site includes an overview of LinkedIn Learning, which employees also can access from their Okta dashboards. Formerly Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning's video library offers thousands of courses presented by industry experts. The content -- mostly related to business, technology and creative skills -- is available by logging in with your Net-ID and password.
"Employees are encouraged to take advantage of these learning opportunities as time is available," said Emma Mallarino Houghton, UHR compensation and classification director. "These resources are provided as a way to help employees continue to strengthen and hone their skills and competencies, ultimately empowering employees to keep growing during these times of drastic change."
Start with recommended training
Resources still are being added to the webpage, including courses that employees may be strongly encouraged or required to complete. The latest is a link to a recommended "Managing Bias" course that also appears on employees' Learn@ISU individual dashboards. The 20-minute interactive course helps participants understand, identify and reduce bias in the workplace.
"We all have a responsibility to create a welcoming and inclusive campus here at Iowa State," President Wendy Wintersteen said in the video introduction to the course. "Together we can foster a working and learning environment that aligns with our Principles of Community and empowers all individuals to reach their full potential."
