Career Development and Training
Harvard Law School encourages staff to develop and refresh job-related skills as well as to explore professional development. Your Human Resource Officer is available both to meet with individuals about their personal training and professional development issues, and to work with departments or offices to develop customized training programs. To introduce you to the resources, we offer the following overview of workplace training, professional and career development, and lifelong learning. Human Resource Services, like the University, is committed to helping staff realize personal and career goals and in that spirit encourages you to call us with any questions or concerns (495-4611).
Your supervisor can help you determine if any training is required for your particular position, and work with HRS to determine how most effectively to meet the need. The primary University resource for job training and professional development is the Center for Workplace Development (CWD), offering computer classes, training in Harvard financial and HR systems, professional and career development courses (encompassing a broad range of specialized classes and workshops on such topics as business writing, time management, networking, conflict resolution, and performance management coaching), and the Harvard Leadership Development Program. Human Resource Services pays for all courses except computer training, but courses should be registered for through HRS. The CWD website has links to Environmental Health and Safety training, Boston Consortium's Management Development Program, and Harvard's Educational Assistance Programs.
Harvard's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) allows staff to take Harvard courses for a modest fee and to be reimbursed for non-Harvard courses which are job-related or in an undergraduate degree program. Before enrolling, staff should discuss job-related courses with their supervisor, to be sure eligibility requirements are met. The Division of Continuing Education, part of Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, offers courses through the Extension School and the eight-week Summer School. In additional to college-level liberal arts courses, the Division offers degree and certificate programs, practical and professional training, and distance learning. TAP covers courses in other Harvard faculties as well, though enrollment may be restricted.
Throughout the academic year, many lectures, workshops and seminars are offered at HLS, most of them free and open to the public. Staff are encouraged to participate in these activities; announcements of all kinds appear on HLS bulletin boards and on the HLS staff-focused Staff@Law online resource HLS News and Events, but the most complete listing is on the HLS Calendar. In addition, the HLS Joint Council sponsors talks of general interest, often lunchtime presentations by HLS faculty. University-wide events--general interest, scholarly, performing arts, athletics, and others--are often open to the public at little or no cost, and are listed in the Gazette.
Finally, training and professional development is a rapidly evolving area at Harvard and the best way to keep up-to-date is to read publications such as Staff@Law and the Resource, and regularly to visit sites such as HARVie and the Center for Workplace Development.
If you have further questions about training not addressed here, call HRS at 495-4611.