Week #11

I just wanted to say that I am grateful that we were given class time on our projects. I know that as the semester winds down, we are all bombarded with final projects and preparing for exams. I feel so much less stressed now than previously regarding the direction that our project is heading. I think the class time allowed us to better collaborate our desires for the project then simply using the wiki-spaces as a form of communication. I think that for future classes it would be beneficial students to have a least 30 minutes of class each week to work on the project. 

As for the reading, I found Brown's (2012) chapter on Career Development Programming in Business Organizations to be very informative. As a TSS, it is state mandated that within 6 months of being hired we must complete 24 hours of training and an additional 20 hours per year after that. I also have to participate in a weekly mentor group and a supervision. When I first accepted that job I was really annoyed with all the training and driving that would involve. It's hard to find time to fulfill all the required client hours, the training and also be a full time graduate student. After reading the chapter, I can see why these trainings are not only vital for myself, but also my company and the clients that we serve. I think that ultimately the company wants to ensure that the clients are getting the best service possible and the only way to meet that goal is to have well trained staff.

At times I feel that the trainings are unnecessary, and they lack hands on activities. Most of the trainings I just sit in a room and listen to a presenter read from a power point for 2 hours. I think that's a disservice to both the company and the employees. As a TSS, I am always out in the field working, and I feel that hands on experience would be the best way to train for most companies.



Brown, D. (2012). Career Development Programming in Business Organizations. In Career Information, Career Counseling, and Career Development (10th ed., pp. 330-347). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.