By Donna Hemmila

Twenty UCOP staff membersgraduate from the Career Development Program.

The first participants in the UC Office of the President's Career Development Program had an opportunity to both enhance their career skills and contribute to important university projects.

The 20 participants, who graduated in a Nov. 13 ceremony, completed a yearlong training program that gave each a chance to work for a UC client on a project outside the comfort zones of their regular jobs.

That's how Gregory Sykes, a coordinator of compensation and benefits in Academic Advancement, found himself developing a wiki for UC's participation in the Year of Science 2009. Several science departments across the UC system are participating in this national initiative from the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science. The wiki gives those UC participants a way to collaborate electronically.

"I've always had to know various aspects of technology for my job," said Sykes. "But experimenting with putting together an interactive tool was something new. "

In addition to working on their projects, the participants attended workshops in interviewing skills, positive politics in the workplace, verbal and written presentation skills, project management and other career-building techniques.

Sykes said the chance to work with other OP and systemwide employees outside his department was an inspiring experience that helped him build good contacts.

"Many skeptics believed that during the current climate of uncertainty and change at UCOP, it was not the best time to cultivate and train employees since UCOP could not give assurances of continued future employment," said Human Resource and Benefits career counselor Mojdeh Rezaee, who directed the training program. "The program became their anchor by providing them with information from experts, an open forum to discuss current issues facing UCOP and skills to promote creativity and build a professional image."

Senior management selected the participants from a pool of applicants in October 2007. Rezaee said there are plans to hold another training program in 2010.

"It's kind of strange it happened during this whole restructuring when we're all applying for jobs," said Sandra Wulff, a program coordinator in the Office of Research. "I think this was perfect timing. I feel more prepared. All the skills, personality, and values assessments that we did really helped me to get to know myself and have been invaluable to me in focusing my current job search on what I really love to do and what I’m good at."

Wulff and three teammates worked on planning for the proposed School of Global Health, which would be UC's first systemwide, multicampus school. Wulff worked on a global health workforce analysis to assess the interest among students and the need for global health training.

"I really think this is one of the things I will look back on as a watershed moment in my career, Wulff said.

Here is a summary of the Career Development Program projects, sponsors and team members.

Year of Science 2009
Sponsors: Kamlesh Asotra, biomedical sciences research administrator, Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program; Judith Fitzpatrick, social behavioral research and dissemination, California HIV/AIDS Research Program  
Participants: Kimberly Adkinson, Jayne Dickson, Gregory Sykes, Lena Zentall
Project: Developed Web site, wiki, event planning and statewide communication strategies to promote UC's scientific research.

School of Global Health
Sponsors: Ellen Switkes, planning coordinator, School of Global Health; Sheila Moore Andrus, interim academic programs administrator, UCSF Global Health Sciences; Selma Omer, postdoctoral fellow, UCSF Global Health Sciences; Michael Wilkes, professor of medicine and director of Global Health, UC Davis
Participants: Charlene Hughes, Dragana Nikolajevic, Joan Tellinghuisen, Sandra Wulff
Project: Development of several sections of the school proposal for presentation to The Regents and global health workforce analysis of the California-based academic, nonprofit and private sector organizations working in global health.  

MICRO Project
Sponsor: Cathie Magowan, director of Science and Technology Research
Participants: Charles Barragan, Terri Campbell, Todd Giedt, Mark Cruz
 Project: Survey participants in the UCOP Microelectronics Innovation and Computer Research Opportunities program who received grants over last 20 years. Information will be used as part of the program's review.

MESA Alumni Project
Sponsor: Oscar Porter, executive director, MESA
Participants: Nina Costales, Susanne Kauer, Jane Lee
Project: The Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement program encourages disadvantaged high school students to study math and science. The team developed a survey instrument, interviewed alumni and created 12 alumni profiles to demonstrate the program’s impact in human terms for a publication targeted to corporate sponsors and other constituents.

Information Security Training
Sponsor: Jon Good, information security officer, Information Resources and Communication
Participant: Connie Geraghty
Project: Developed an online electronic-safety training program that will be incorporated into new employee orientations and other staff trainings aimed at creating a more secure electronic environment for UCOP business operations.


Academic Personnel Description of Services Codes
Sponsor: Janet Lockwood, associate director, Academic Personnel
Participant: Bea Deering
Project: Designed a systemwide Web-based DOS code database to increase consistency in payroll data for all campus payroll users.

For more information about the projects and participants visit the Career Development Program Web site.

Donna Hemmila is edior of Our University.