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If you were responsible for hiring your replacement, would you hire yourself? Are you a good candidate for your role as it will change in the next few years? Are your skills relevant in the workplace of the future?
It can be challenging and costly to continuously educate yourself on innovations and changes in your field while working full days with your current workload. The Union Education Trust is here to help you out.
OCSEA member Roschelle Holcomb, a Disability Claims Development Analyst with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, has used the UET’s Professional Enhancement (PE) program to stay current in her work both as an analyst and as a union activist.
“I am a strong proponent of education and furthering your education,” Holcomb said, pointing out that it is important to learn what is new in your field. “Stay abreast with things and not complacent with ‘This is my job, and this is what I do every day.’”
“The union has the opportunities to do these things. Go to these conferences, go to these trainings, continue your education.”
That’s the point of staying relevant at work: It’s more than doing your current job well, it’s forecasting the future and adapting to it. Following industry trends will enable you to know what skills will be needed as the job evolves.
This has several benefits to employees beginning with employment security. It will protect you from contracting out or layoffs because a relevant employee will have the skills needed for new projects. Staying current in your field will keep you engaged, productive and fulfilled in your role.
Holcomb attends several annual conferences that share information on social security and disability concerns.
“I go to the National Association of Disability Examiners conference yearly,” she said. “That helps with keeping abreast of trends regarding changes in medical listings so I can do my job effectively and efficiently.”
“It’s important to go to these conferences because as a public service entity, we want to make sure we’re doing our best for the people who are the neediest.”
Eligible bargaining unit members can also use their UET benefit to learn more about protecting their co-workers and fellow union members.
“I have used the funds for labor and arbitration classes with the Labor Arbitration Institute (LAI) to find out what trends arbitrators are seeing across the country,” said Holcomb, who has been a steward for more than 10 years. “I’ve used PE to keep abreast of my union activities.”
Holcomb has gone to the LAI conference just about every year and has also attended the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) conference. She has attended a one-day synopsis at Northern Kentucky University as well.
“That shares how things are being arbitrated across the country,” Holcomb said. “I use that to stay on top of trends and it helps with arbitration of issues here in the workplace.”
Holcomb is a good example of how staying relevant does not require a long-term commitment or advanced degree. Any form of training – whether it’s a one-day conference or four-year degree – benefits employees by giving them up-to-date information. It also keeps them in the attitude of being open to learning and change. When you are taking training, you are comfortable recognizing that there are skills you don’t yet know. You can be curious and ask questions to fill in those gaps of knowledge.
“It behooves us to not only make ourselves better but help the job,” Holcomb said. “Sometimes we don’t think that as employees we can help the agency, but we can. Another state, another agency, might be doing something that we can implement.”
Holcomb will be using UET benefits to continue her education by studying for her master’s degree. She wants to study leadership.
“I was just on the negotiations team, and it lit a fire under me,” Holcomb said. “I want to continue to use UET.”
She wants others to see how their UET benefits will help them stay relevant in their job, too, whether it’s a one-day conference or longer-term training.
“The union offers UET as a resource to lessen the cost burden to attend conferences, earn certificates and achieve higher education goals,” Holcomb said.
“We should use it!”