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Training Opportunity Program (TOP)PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Employee training and continuing education are an integral part of the success and efficiency of Manatee Community College's (MCC) operation and are instrumental to employee development within their jobs. In order to accomplish the mutual benefit of an increasingly skilled and efficient workforce, both administrators and employees must share responsibility for training and education. The purpose of TOP at MCC is to provide financial incentives to professional and career employees who complete training/eduaction, which result in a knowledge/skill that enhances their performance in their current job. Only those training and education opportunities that apply directly to the employee's current job as described in the Job Classification Descriptions or approved TOP Track course descriptions will be approved for TOP credit. Human Resources, the TOP committee and Corporate & Community Development are jointly responsible for the development of the training/education programs available for TOP. Training needs will be reviewed at regular intervals to assure that effective training/education is accomplished within the college's financial resources and training priorities. Training/education programs that are eligible for TOP include: designated TOP classes, classes related to current job conducted by MCC's CCD or credit courses, outside workshops and seminars and/or credit courses in a job related outside degree program, or other class that may be instrumental in broadening the skill and knowledge of career employees in the performance of their duties. ELIGIBILITY: All regular, full-time and part-time professional and career employees may participate in the TOP program during their employment with Manatee Community College. TOP REQUIREMENTS: Employees must accumulate at least 24 hours of training per year. Hours in excess of 24 cannot carry over to subsequent years nor can hours short of 24 be made up in another year. CREDIT CLASSES: Credit classes are applicable to TOP only if they are directly related to the eligible employee's current position. (1 hour of credit = 16 hours of TOP time. Therefore a 3-hour credit class for one semester meets all the requirements of TOP for the calendar year. TOP AWARD: A $250.00 lump sum TOP award is paid at the beginning of the following fiscal year (July) to employees completing the TOP calendar year requirements. TOP LIMIT: Currently, there is no limit on how many times an employee may receive the TOP award during their employment with the college. TOP TIME: Eligible employees may use 24 hours of release time each year to participate in TOP activities during the regular workday, excluding credit classes. Credit classes must be taken on the employee's own time. PROCEDURE: 1. To sign up for a TOP class, the employee contacts HR to ensure availablity of class and to get their name on initial roster. 2. Employee then receives approval from his/her supervisor and the Benefits Coordinator. Requests and approvals must be in writing, on the form provided. 3. Upon receiving approval, the employee will be notified by Human Resources of the approval and to confirm the date and time of the class selected. 4. After attending class, the employee will receive a certificate of completion from CCD, which is forwarded to the HR Dept. (A copy will be made for your individual TOP file.) NOTE: Each training/education activity, that is to be used for the TOP award must be approved by the department Supervisor and Benefits Coordinator in writing. It will be the responsibility of the immediate supervisor and the administrator in the organizational chain to ensure that the technical aspects of the proposed training/education activity is directly related to the employee's current position and will result in improved performance. |
