Spring 2008The Lois J. Swanson Leadership Resource Center has developed a “Student Assistants @ The Beach” training program to equip student workers with tools to be successful, effective members of the campus community. The three-day, six-hour workshop series is designed to develop skills that will enhance students’ performance in virtually any organizational setting. Covered topics include customer service theory, business etiquette, office procedures, dealing with difficult customers, cross-cultural communication and the technical aspects of working in an office.
The program is free to campus offices that would like to supplement their existing in-house orientation. It also is open to all students who wish to make themselves more marketable to employers.
Any aspect of the subjects studied can be supplemented with materials and one-on-one coaching available at the Lois J. Swanson Leadership Resource Center, located in the University Student Union, room 314.
Based on a needs assessment conducted in fall 2007, student assistants at CSULB currently do not receive effective training on basic computer applications that are used frequently in an office setting, such as addressing labels, tracking balance sheets and preparing presentations. With nearly 2,200 student assistants and federal work-study student assistants on campus, this program has the potential to significantly impact the professional skills of student workers and enhance their sense of responsibility and connectivity with the campus.
Day one is held in a campus computer lab, where instruction can be tracked by the students via computer terminals. Training covers the technical aspects of working in an office and gives students hands-on experience with a variety of Microsoft Office applications and other machines they are likely to encounter in an office setting.
The second day of training offers insight into customer service theory, office etiquette, time management and valuing differences and diversity. Activities are designed to assist students with developing their own ideas regarding customer service and etiquette, while identifying ways to improve cross-cultural interactions. By exploring these subjects, students are equipped to become great customer service representatives and they are given the opportunity to cultivate the personal leadership skills they will need to become change agents in the future.
Day three focuses on procedures associated with standard business communications, operating procedures specific to Cal State Long Beach and tools for effective conflict management. In addition to standard operations, students are taught emergency and evacuation procedures specific to the campus.
Program participants will receive reference binders and computer disks containing each day’s presentation, supplemental material studied during the workshops and the files they worked on during the computer sessions. After completing the training, the students will be recognized at a ceremony where they will receive a certificate of completion.
— Brian Coriaty is coordinator of the Lois J. Swanson Leadership Resource Center.
