Waubonsee Community College’s Communities of Excellence initiative won a National Exemplary Program Award in the Continuing Professional Education category from the National Council for Continuing Education and Training.
The award will be presented at the annual conference Sept. 28 – 30 in Portland, Ore. Gary Kecskes, Assistant Vice President Workforce/Community Learning and Lesa Norris, Dean of Workforce Development, will present the details of the award winning program to their peers during the conference.
The Communities of Excellence Program provides training on skills and topics required for public sector employees to grow professionally, contribute more to their organizations and cope with change in government. Established in April 2014, the program launched its first series that spring.
It was created after input from municipal leaders throughout the district on what they would like to see in a professional development program for their employees. The program exposes municipal employees to training on the skills and topics that contribute to the effective and efficient operation of local government. There is networking, benchmarking and best practice sharing between participants that builds a culture of community between municipalities in the district.
The series uses master facilitators who are subject matter experts in the public sector, supports improved organizational productivity and efficiency, provides hands-on practical skills immediately transferable to the workplace, and encourages lifelong learning and professionalism.
Since the program’s inception, 81 municipal employees have participated, representing eight local governments and 12 separate government departments. At the conclusion of the fall 2015 series, 10 participants will receive an award recognizing them for attending all 24 topics.
