Virtual Focus Week courses emphasize professional development

Registration underway for free classes April 26-30

Thirteen no-cost courses are being offered by the 88th Force Support Squadron’s Education and Training Section Office via the Commercial Virtual Remote environment April 26-30 during Virtual Focus Week.

Online attendance is open to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base military members and Department of Defense civilians only. To register, go to https://myetms.wpafb.af.mil. Registration is underway and continues until three business days prior to each course.

A tutorial is provided on the MyETMS homepage for first-time users. Click on the “Self-Registration” tab. Search for “88 ABW” and click “Go.” Hover your cursor over “View Class Comments” for course descriptions.

For more information, contact Michael King, human resources specialist for the 88th Force Support Squadron’s Workforce Development Section, at michael.king.82@us.af.mil or 88FSS.FSDED.Hrworkflow@us.af.mil.

A look at each course:

· Civilian Force Development Opportunities: The 88 FSS/FSDE Workforce Development Section will provide briefs on the various aspects and options of workforce development from the Air Force Personnel Center down to the Wright-Patterson AFB level.

· Coaching and Mentoring: This two-hour, instructor-led course defines and explores the differences between coaching and mentoring and explains the steps necessary to achieve established goals within both. Attendees will learn what motivates others to improve their skills and enhance performance through feedback, coaching, mentoring and delegating. This course also demonstrates facilitating others in establishing long-term career goals based upon personal aspirations and Air Force needs.

· Colors Personality: Discover something new about yourself. Participants will complete a personality assessment and learn how to communicate and work with different personalities and see individuals through new lenses. They learn to strengthen and motivate people and build working relationships.

· Daily Stress Balance and Work-Life Survival Guide: This class discusses different types of stress and the short- and long-term effects it has on people’s bodies. Three stress-management techniques (focusing, calming, balanced living practices) will be reviewed so participants leave feeling more empowered to manage stress.

· Dynamic Team Building: Discover how to build a team from the ground up. This instructor-led course provides guidelines for developing team-mission statements, discusses Tuckman’s theory of team building, and defines individual roles and how to deal with team conflict. This fun, interactive class offers many ideas for anyone seeking to build or strengthen a team.

· Federal Resume Writing: Learn to navigate USAJobs and understand veteran and military spouse preferences. Participants will gain a better understanding of the federal hiring process and build their resume by learning successful strategies. Instruction will compare the old block-resume format used on USAJobs to another outline used with a Word document to see which style works better.

· Managing Learning Styles: This class defines personal learning styles and provides suggestions for leaders who want to build a strong, dynamic team based on modalities as defined by Neil Fleming of Christchurch, New Zealand, and referenced in AFMAN36-2234 and AFMAN36-2236. This fun, interactive course demonstrates the importance of knowing your learning style and those of the people on your team.

· Positively Maneuvering Change in the Workplace: Organizations are often challenged by the constant bombardment, faster pace and often-difficult process of change. Understanding both individual and organizational impacts is essential to building an internal culture that either resists or embraces and sustains change. Change-savvy leaders know these challenges require both a different skill set and mindset. They must be prepared to guide teams through a seemingly ambiguous process, make the best choices change offers and help demystify its “people side.” Learning objectives for this class include: Assessing change-management skills and development areas; creating conditions for change readiness within the workplace; and understanding the attitudes, aptitudes, motivation and behaviors that build support for it.

· Sticking to Your Goals: There are many benefits to setting goals, which direct your focus and attention. They help you remain persistent in the face of adversity. They increase self-confidence and help you develop problem-solving strategies. The bottom line: When you set effective goals, they can help you perform to your potential. But do you ever struggle with sticking to goals? In this class, instructors discuss the difference between making resolutions and goals and how to create healthy habits and stay motivated. Attendees will learn tips and tactics for reaching goals.

· Study and Test-Taking Skills: This two-hour course focuses on easily applied techniques to increase personal abilities to test well. Participants learn to eliminate nervousness and incorporate methods that will improve test scores.

· Telework Prioritize Health and Wellness: With advances in technology and changes in the way work is accomplished, more and more people are teleworking every day. Teleworking offers many benefits, but they come with challenges. Join Civilian Health Promotion Services to learn how to manage these challenges and optimize your health while working from home.

· Understanding Your Individual Development Plan: What is in your IDP? Do you know what your developmental and functional goals are? If this is like a foreign language and you want to take control of your developmental success, this is the course for you. It will provide tips and recommendations to effectively work with your supervisor/employee to develop an IDP. The course will review and discuss the importance of developmental, institutional, functional, short- and long-term goals, using simple tools. Developing these goals will help you grow in your current position and be more viable in the future, as your responsibilities expand.

· Writing for Professional Growth: This course provides assistance to personnel under the AcqDemo and DPMAP pay plans with writing better self-assessment performance statements. The three-hour, instructor-led class attempts to dispel confusion regarding writing models used to address performance accountability. It covers the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely) model, STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and CRI6 (Contribution, Result, Impact, 6 Factors) statements used in performance writing.

AFLCMC Focus Week set for April 26-30

Registration is now open for the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Focus Week, which also takes place April 26-30. All courses will have a distance-learning option and should be open to the workforce regardless of duty location.

As individuals register, they should review course requirements, as some classes are new to the virtual-learning environment and may be offered in a variety of platforms, including teleconference, Defense Collaboration Services and CVR Teams.

Registration for all AFLCMC courses is available on the Acquisition Now Continuous Learning website: https://acqnow.atrrs.army.mil.

AFLCMC personnel are encouraged to keep their skills up-to-date and earn continuous learning points.

For questions or concerns, contact Jason Sibrel at jason.sibrel@us.af.mil.

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