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Cross Training Initiative Program Plan

Tiffany Loken
Program Development in Adult Education/AET570
July 11, 2016
Charity Jennings

Cross Training Initiative Program Plan

Part I. Training Program Description

University of Phoenix is in desperate need of crossover training for our "front-end"
departments which include; Admissions Intake, Enrollment, Academics, and Finance. Years ago,
each department worked together as one team. They understood the roles, daily tasks, case load,
and expectations for each department. However, with the downsizing and corporate shifts, the
departments no longer work as one, but as individuals that rarely communicate with one another.
This is important because our students can tell that there is a communication breakdown and it
often impacts the student in a negative manner. It may result in a student not being able to start
on their desired start date or confusion with the tasks they have to complete. This causes
frustration from the students and can reflect on their educational experience.
Scope of Training Program
Staff members will benefit from the training because it will give them a better
understanding of what is expected from students when dealing with each department. Staff
members will also benefit from open communication channels with colleagues in various
departments which will make it easier when students deal with multiple departments or when an
issue arises. Students will benefit because the on-boarding department will be a smoother
process. According to Jason Payne, the number one concern/complaint from students on their
entry surveys is that the enrollment process took longer than expected.
Intended Audience

The intended audience is staff of all levels in Admissions Intake, Enrollment, Academics,
and Finance.

Program Goals
The program goals are as follows:

The audience will understand the expectations in each department

The audience will utilize information shared by each department to help students better
understand the process

Based on the cross training, students will have a smoother on-boarding experience

Program Objectives
The program objectives are as follows:

The audience will personally demonstrate the understanding of expectations in each

department by showing improved discussions with students

The audience will show more knowledge and communication between departments with

fewer conversation transfers and more detailed calls

Students will feel the enrollment/on-boarding process to be smoother and that will relate
to entry surveys

Part II. Needs and Gap Analysis

The techniques for determining the need for these training programs will be Interviews,
Observations, and Questionnaires. My organization has already completed questionnaires on our
work life satisfaction and this very issue was brought up quite often on that questionnaire. Most
of the employees strive for cohesion to better serve our students, but are not allotted the time to
cross train. The questionnaires were comprised of about thirty questions and the participants
were able to skip questions they felt were irrelevant. This gave each participant the option to
answer questions they felt comfortable with. After many surveys were completed, each
participant was then able to go back on the website and vote on answers they felt were useful.
This allowed participants to see others answers.
Physical observations may be difficult to complete because each department is housed at
different campuses and buildings over the United States, but our quality assurance team can
observe each call and assess the conversation for execution of cross training objectives and
knowledge. Every call is already observed and graded and has various competencies that each
staff member must meet. Our observations will add one additional competency for grading and
will replace the current other notes section. This can be judged by lack of calls transferred to
other departments for simple questions, exhibited product knowledge for other departments, and
the mention of the other departments and how they factor into the on-boarding/ enrollment
process.
Interviews/tests will be completed online and by direct management to access the
understanding of cross training, the various departments, and timelines. The knowledge will be
assessed during one on ones between management and staff. The interview will be a series of
questions. The actual tests completed via online platform will show a knowledge level shown by

the participant. It will consist of 10 random questions about all four departments. The test will be
taken each quarter to ensure any updates are retained by staff.

Part III. Budget

As far as the budget, it will be minimal. Our organization already has all of the resources
needed and will only need increased funds for mileage in the case that an employee will have to
travel to a nearby campus to meet in person with a colleague. We will not have additional
personnel expenses, fringe benefits, external staff, materials, equipment, or facility costs. We will
have small travel and supply fees. The University of Phoenix does not need to outsource for any
of the technology, training, or assessment needed for cross training.

Expenses

Initial Cost

Personnel

No Additional Cost

Fringe benefits

0.00

External staff

0.00

Materials

2,000.00

Technical support

No Additional Cost

Equipment

No Additional Cost

Travel

1,000.00

Facilities
Supplies
Miscellaneous
Total

0.00
Added into Materials
0.00
3,000.00

Income

Cost

Parent company

$0.00

Donations

$0.00

Participant fees

$0.00

Grants

$0.00

Government

$0.00

Miscellaneous

$0.00

Total

$0.00

The Materials/Supplies cost of 2,000.00 will go toward participation/training books that

cost approximately $2.00 each to design, print, and bind for each employee. 1,000 approximate
employees will participate in the cross training. The travel expenses of approximately $1,000.00
will cover mileage for any employees that travel. The University of Phoenix will limit traveling
by incorporating Skype meetings between departments. However, we will have a reserve of
$1,000.00 in the case that mileage funds are needed for required traveling.

Part IV Staffing Plan

Required Qualifications
Each staff member must be fully knowledgeable in their current role and have working
knowledge in the various departments. Staff members will not be required to know everything
about each department in detail, but will need to know expectations, standard operating
procedures, timelines, and where to find resources for the department. Every cross trained

employee will learn how to find and use resources for each department. Currently each employee
only has access to their department resources and their access is denied from all other department
intranets.
Time Requirement and Number of Staff Positions
The University of Phoenix will keep all staff members where they currently are within
the company. Although there have been layoffs and rumors of more to come, we believe that we
have the right staff in the right positions and are not looking to change that anytime soon. The
time required will not change either. All cross training will occur during normal working shifts.

Available Internal and External Resources

Each Intranet for the varying department will now allow access for all cross trained
employees. Each employee will also be supplied with a list of external resources frequently used
for increasing knowledge and exploring with students. Resource review will be included in
observations, assessments, and annual performance reviews. Currently there are six competency
sections on the performance review, with resources and cross training included there will now be
seven competencies.
Part V Stakeholders and Goals
Stakeholders

Partnership goal

Ways to build support

Students

Students and advisors go into

The staff at UOP can build

a partnership once the student

support while guiding the

starts the enrollment process.

student seamlessly through

The students goal is to be

the process while providing

Training Staff

guided in the process and be

resources and help along the

set up for success.

way.

To effectively train staff at all

By showing the importance of

levels to cross train with other

the training and how it can

departments.

help each student.

Creating a more cohesive

Academic Department

To create a partnership with

environment for academics,

academics and the other

enrollment, and finance so

departments

they can depend on each other

and value their roles.
Creating a more cohesive

Enrollment Department

To create a partnership with

environment for academics,

enrollment and the other

enrollment, and finance so

departments

they can depend on each other

and value their roles.
Creating a more cohesive

Finance Department

To create a partnership with

environment for academics,

finance and the other

enrollment, and finance so

departments

they can depend on each other

and value their roles.

Part VI Communication Plan

This particular initiative will result in a positive impact on adult learning as our main
focus at the University of Phoenix is adults and their education. Our goal is for students to be
successful. Each staff member is supposed to set up each student to succeed in their attempt in an
education. Whether it is their first attempt or their fifth attempt at a college education, they will
be set up to succeed by our staff. Group trainings will be held for any updates and financial
training. Finance is the most inclusive department because there are so many factors involved; it
may need more of a hands-on type of learning environment. One staff member from enrollment
and one staff member from academics will be partnered up to make a power partnership. They
will work on training each other. Power partnerships will be formed between all academic
advisors and enrollment representatives. These partnerships will be able to lean on each other
through training and help one another with students. This will increase cohesion between
departments and help bridge the potential gaps when it comes to students.
Instructional Practices include in person meetings/trainings between enrollment,
academics, and finance. Skype video conferencing will be used between the Admissions Intake
Department and all other departments. Admissions Intake is located in Phoenix, Arizona while
the other departments are housed all of the United States.
Promotions for the cross training initiative will be on all of our intranet landing pages and
will be on our EPIC website. EPIC is a website that staff can use to recognize others by giving
EPIC points and accolades. This is visible companywide and to staff of all levels. The training
team has decided to offer additional EPIC points for those that participate in the cross training.
More EPIC points will be issued to those that exceed expectations for behaviors displayed in
accordance with cross training knowledge. Staff will be able to issue points to participants from
other departments after meeting with them. This will help with accountability and recognition.

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All materials will be online, with exception of the training workbooks. The University of
Phoenix is known as a green company for their lack of paper waste and plan to keep it that way
with promotions as well. Feedback Equals Results will be the new tagline on all of our
promotional in-house emails and resources.

Part VII- Program Evaluation

The training administrators assigned to each department will oversee the program
evaluation. This will consist of reviewing the quality assurance results of recorded calls, test
results, meetings with management, performance reviews, and feedback and conversations

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between staff and trainers. The purpose of the evaluation is to ensure the information retained
during cross training is being utilized and expressed to students. The evaluation of entry surveys
from students will ultimately show how the training has reached our students and how the view
the university and standard operating procedures. This will directly impact adult learning as our
school caters to adult learners.
The entry survey that is completed by students after enrolling is based on a scale from 1
to 5. There is also room for comments and this will be heavily weighed for evaluations. The
other criteria will be rated on a Needs Improvement, Meets Requirements, and Exceeds
Requirements scale. This is also how performance reviews are rated and will be easy to follow
for all staff, trainers, and management. Tests will be an evaluation tool that can be compiled into
one large outcome.