The inaugural Career Resource Fair for FP&M Frontline Staff, held in two sessions, was by all accounts a resounding success. More than 60 first-shift employees attended the August 24 session and more than 200 second- and third-shift employees attended the August 24-25 session. The fair was designed to give frontline staff information about the tools available to them—including training resources, tuition reimbursement information, English advancement options, and information about the types of positions and requirements for those positions within FP&M—to advance their careers within the division.
Each session included an exposition area where FP&M departments and units used posterboards they created to give frontline staff information about the types of positions in their unit and the requirements for these positions. These displays set the background for dozens of face-to-face discussions with the employees who staffed each display.
The centerpiece of each session was formed by a set ofbreakout sessions in which frontline staff could learn about training resources, tuition reimbursement, and how to apply for jobs at the University. These sessions were conducted in English, Spanish, Hmong, Tibetan, and Chinese in an effort to make this information accessible to all FP&M frontline staff.
“Frontline staff gave us excellent feedback about the fair,” said Meredith Smith. “They found value especially in tuition reimbursement information and other development resources, as well as the wide range of opportunities to advance or change careers in FP&M.”
The Career Resource Fair for Frontline Staff is a project of the FP&M Engagement, Inclusion, and Diversity (EID) initiative. The planning committee for this event was headed by Meredith Smith (Human Resources) and Rob Shively (Space Management Office), who worked with nearly fifty staff and student volunteers from across FP&M as well as representatives from Cultural Linguistic Services, the Employee Assistance Office, and Madison College to plan and execute this successful event.