Your Training Plan Mobilize

2014 AnnuAl RepoRt
Mobilize Your Training Plan
Co-Executive Director Message
Bargained in 1986, e Alliance was born out of a shared vision by our stakeholders that the growth and development of an individual is the key to success in a competitive, worldwide
market place. e Alliance was created as a non-profit, unionized corporation designed to serve as a resource for individual employees who wanted to enhance their employability through
continuous learning.
is venture has been one of the most successful labor/management initiatives in the United States. Since inception, e Alliance
has served over 175,700 individuals with approximately 16.5 million hours of training in areas ranging from Career Transition Service,
Customer Sales and Service skills to training in Advanced Communications Technologies and IT Certification.
is year alone, e Alliance served over 3,700 participants in approximately 168,000 training hours. Courses ranged from “Essentials
of Workplace Excellence and Collaboration” to customized introductory courses on PBX and VoIP/SIP system security. And let’s not
forget the fact that since the inception of the AT&T Article 43 and Avaya certification programs, over $12.4 million in certification
pay and bonuses have been paid to Technicians who have taken advantage of our training programs!
roughout this report you will see highlights of the numerous projects and training opportunities across the country that our
participants have been involved in. Alliance LIVE! (Virtual Instructor Led Training over the internet) continues to grow as our
participants become more geographically diverse. Our partnership with the various stakeholder companies and their
labor/management common interest groups are stronger than ever before and continue to be beneficial for all of the parties involved.
ese achievements reflect a critical component of e Alliance success, the capacity to evolve with changes in the industry and the shiing needs of our customers and stakeholders.
Currently we are in the midst of creating,
collaborating and customizing a series of
OARD OF RUSTEES
certification pathways to powerfully set up our
participants for the future.
CHARLIE REICHOLD
BILL BATES
A
I
.
VAYA
NC
Senior
Manager,
Labor
Relations
CWA - Vice President, Telecommunications & Technologies
As always, in closing, we would like to take this
opportunity to once again thank the Bargainers
DIANE BRADLEY
LAURA REYNOLDS
AT&T - Assistant Vice President, Labor Relations
CWA - Vice President, District Nine
for the ingenuity and foresight to bargain e
Alliance 28 years ago and to thank e Alliance
STEVE MUSCAT
CHRIS SHELTON
staff for their continued dedication and hard
ALCATEL-LUCENT - Senior Director, U.S. Workforce Relations CWA - Vice President, District One
work, without which e Alliance would not be
able to achieve these successes. We wish to
MARTHA PULTAR
BOARD OBSERVER
thank e Alliance Local Committees who are
IBEW - Director, Telecommunications Department
STEPHANIE STREET
invaluable in bringing training opportunities to
OFS - Senior Vice President, Human Resources
their worksites, and our participants and vendor
BERNIE RAGLAND
partners for supporting our training initiatives,
AT&T - Vice President, Wholesale Service Delivery
as well as our Board of Trustees for their
ongoing support and guidance.
B
1
T
Mobilize Your Training Plan
AT&T
NATIONAL TRAINING
• The 2014 Fiscal Year (FY2014) was a highly successful one in AT&T. National training initiatives along with Alliance Local Committee training at major locations resulted in more
than 135,000 hours of training with 54% of the eligible population participating.
• The AT&T GNFO Business Unit and CWA national Article 43 Certification Program continued to build on past success with an emphasis on Fiber Optic certifications and broad
participation with more than 24 different certifications achieved. With 55% of the Article 43 Techs now earning certification pay, over $4.6 Million in certification payments have been
accumulated since this program started in 2005.
LOCAL TRAINING
Alliance Local Committees combined personal/professional development courses, on-time Business Unit Initiatives and
growing Alliance National Program participation to produce a broad range of on-site training opportunities and
exceeded participation goals for the year:
Minneapolis, MN – established an 8-hour on-company-time course menu; the Center for Independent Learning
(Basic Skills training with tutorial support) had growing participation; and the two ALCs in the location began
coordinating course offerings.
ALLIANCE HIGHLIGHT!
During the last fiscal year, Alliance participants
ranged in age from 21 to 82; proving that it’s never
too early or too late to start Alliance training.
Piscataway, NJ – Global Fraud Management Organization – provided a customized introductory course on PBX and VoIP/SIP system security issues offered as a Business Unit
Initiative.
Atlanta/Alpharetta, GA – both the Morosgo and Alpharetta sites continued to provide strong on-site training – highlighted by Six Sigma Green Belt training in Alpharetta and a
customized VoIP/Ethernet Business Unit Initiative in Morosgo.
Sacramento/San Ramon, CA – the Sacramento site continues to plan a centerwide Alliance program with Business Unit Initiatives covering Program Logic, and Fiber and Connectors;
San Ramon has been reinvigorated after moving from Pleasanton with a range of personal/professional development classes and an on-site Center for Independent Learning.
Norton, VA, New Castle, PA and Miami, FL – these three Dual Party Relay Centers (DPR) launched an array of Career Transition activities in response to changes impacting the
DPR business. At all the centers LifeWork Planning, resume and job search skills training and financial transition have been a focus, along with an emphasis on occupational training
at local community colleges and through The Alliance Pre-Paid Tuition Program. Both New Castle and Miami have established on-site Centers for Independent Learning to support
Basic Skills training and test preparation skills training. As a result of these activities, nearly all of the individuals at these centers have participated in Alliance training this past year.
Lee’s Summit, MO – National Back Office Work Group for AT&T Home Solutions – provided a customized, 4-hour, diversity course, designed to enhance the customer
representative’s ability to embrace diversity in the workplace and foster teamwork within and across teams to improve productivity.
St. Louis, MO – Advanced Features Service Center and RESPORG - delivered a customized communication course designed to help clerks improve service to customers inside and
outside the organization. The training identified how effective communication skills help to foster a positive work environment by reducing conflict.
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Mobilize Your Training Plan
ALCATEL-LUCENT
AVAYA
Bell Labs – with the transition of both the Murray Hill, NJ and Naperville, IL
Alliance training in Avaya was up substantially during FY2014, generating
47% more hours of training than last year.
locations to Sodexo in May, Alliance activity was primarily focused on Career
Transition activities with on-site classes to help individuals develop education plans,
explore job search options, and construct financial transition plans. Nearly all the
individuals at these two sites participated in Career Counseling and Financial
Transition offerings, including SVTP conference calls. As a result of collective
bargaining, Alliance funding was set aside to continue Alliance services for
individuals who transferred to Sodexo.
Installation – Alliance activity for the Installation group was lower than in peak
years although nearly 30% of the Installers did participate during the fiscal year.
e Northeast and Midwest Regions continued to offer Installers Catalog training
with courses in Fiber Certification, Connectors, Low Voltage Safety and Customer
Service – all provided on company time. Financial Transition training was included
in SVTP conference calls offered throughout the year. Individual career counseling
services were expanded to the New England area. In addition, individual Installers
enrolled into available slots in IT Certification courses offered for AT&T Article
43 Technicians and began to access personal and professional development courses
offered in the Alliance LIVE! menu.
ALLIANCE HIGHLIGHT!
Virtual Instructor Led Training continues to grow as a proportion of Alliance
training. Over the last three years, the number of VILT participants and
training hours increased by over 200% and VILT comprised 31% of the total
training hours last year.
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Avaya Technician Certification Program – this IT Certification
Program accelerated significantly during the year, with 59% of the technicians
participating. CS1000 System training and the new SSCA – SIP Certification
represented most of the increased activity. By years’ end, total enrollments in
the program had more than doubled over last year and total certifications
were up nearly as much. is activity raised the total bonuses paid out to techs
for certifications to over $7.8 Million since the program started in 2006.
Oklahoma City – OEFC/SOSC Center – this site continues to sponsor
one or more Alliance Business Unit Initiatives annually. In April, an 8-hour
“Essentials of Workplace Excellence and Collaboration” course was provided
center-wide. e goal of the training was to refresh communication skills and
teach collaboration techniques to improve communication within
workgroups and across departments. Participant feedback and pre/post
assessments reflected high satisfaction with the training and a significant
increase in collaboration skills.
Denver – GSS Center – the move of this location during the year slowed
Alliance activity. However, on-site classes in SIP Certification were successful
and individuals continued to pursue other occupational training through e
Alliance Pre-Paid Tuition Program, IT Certifications in the AT&T Article 43
Program, and online training in e Alliance Skillso Program.
Mobilize Your Training Plan
oFS
AlliAnce HigHligHt!
e optical Fiber Solutions (oFS) manufacturing plant in norcross, georgia continued to have an active
year in FY2014. along with standard First aid and Safety offerings, a Microso office certificate series
started in September, offering 6-hour classes covering Word, outlook, excel and powerpoint. as a follow
up to the lean Six Sigma training provided last fiscal year, several teams were initiated to address
recommendations formulated in the classes. redesign of the post Draw area and other process
improvements were implemented. e Sturbridge, Massachusetts facility also ran First aid and Safety
classes during the year.
Since we processed our first Alliance Pre-Paid
tuition application in August of 1986, nearly
25,000 individuals have participated with more
than $48M paid out in tuition. e first PPt
approval went to James Anderson for a Biology
course at the University of nebraska - 8/30/1986.
Spotlight on participant SucceSS
Denise Wood proclaims that she loves to learn and attends as much alliance training as she possibly can. Virtual instructor led training
is a perfect fit for her lifestyle, since she lives over an hour away from her job at the at&t relay center in rural norton in western
Virginia. e center is slated to close as at&t announced it is exiting the business. With all the training she takes online, Denise
invariably finds that something she has learned in a class helps her be more productive in her job.
e first person to finish e alliance’s new healthcare it technician certificate program, Denise completed over 88 hours of
coursework and passed multiple assessments on her way to earning comp tia Strata it and healthcare it certifications. She’s also
been taking a variety of other it certification classes, like a+, project +, Mta networking essentials, and ccnt - and that is just the
tip of her training resume. When a printer problem at work threatened to delay her task, she used something she learned in the a+ class
to help her navigate around the problem until a technician could fix the printer. While she’s always enjoyed Microso desktop training to help her at work (she’s
completed all the MouS cetifications), Denise has also taken multiple publishing and photo editing classes. using this knowledge, she creates the local alliance
newsletter. Quick to point out her peers’ successes too, she hopes the newsletter inspires others to see that training is “lots of fun” and that it’s “not that hard” to do.
her family has been in the area for seven generations, a fact Denise used some of her alliance training to help her research and document, and she is deeply rooted in her
community. a firm believer that training opens opportunities, lately she’s been working on developing some of the skills she believes will be needed for 20/20,
completing cloud essentials. as to what the future holds – she doesn’t know, but she’s preparing for “lots of things” and we’re confident she’ll be successful. her secret to
earning all those certifications? She says she doesn’t worry about getting an a, B, c, or D. She simply focuses on the goal of passing the exam and says she tells people to
“breathe easy” if you don’t pass right away, there’s always another opportunity to take the test. With that attitude – she’s sure to land on her feet.
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Financial Highlights
For fiscal 2014, Revenues derived from the bargaining agreements totaled $7.4 million. Total Expenses exceeded Unrestricted Revenue by $1,828,000 for the year. For 2014,
the Board approved supplemental revenues for up to $2.2 million specifically for training services. The result was a decrease in Net Assets to $10.6 million as of September
30, 2014. Of the Net Asset balance, $615,000 represents Program Services commitments scheduled to begin after the fiscal year-end. Approximately $140,000 of the Net Asset
balance is comprised of investments in computer equipment, furniture and other capit al assets. Of the remaining $9.8 million, $8.0 million are uncommitted funds available
for use in fiscal 2015 and beyond and $1.8 million are restricted Board Designated Assets.
The Alliance’s financial statements were audited by Plante & Moran, PLLC, Certified Public Accountants. The financial highlights were drawn from their audit report. The
allocations between CWA and IBEW, and AT&T, Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya and OFS were prepared by Alliance management.
For the year ended September 30, 2014:
ALCATELLUCENT
CWA
IBEW
TOTAL
AT&T
AVAYA
OFS
TOTAL
UNRESTRICTED REVENUE
Base Funding (1)
$ 7,322,378 $ 71,155 $ 7,393,533
$ 6,000,000 $ 533,133 $ 860,400 $
- $ 7,393,533
Investment and Other Income
89,987
20,586
110,573
75,600
15,565
18,145
1,263
110,573
FAD/FAED Reimbursements
94,713
900
95,613
71,382
3,600
20,631
95,613
Total Unrestricted Revenue
7,507,078
92,641
7,599,719
6,146,982
552,298
899,176
1,263
7,599,719
E XPENSES
Program Services
Administrative Costs
Total Expenses
Change in Unrestricted Net Assets
Transfer of Net Assets
Total Net Assets - 09/30/13
Total Net Assets - 09/30/14
Less: Board Designated Net Assets
Net Assets - Undesignated - 9/30/14
8,451,868
452,101
8,903,969
(1,396,891)
9,775,664
$ 8,378,773
(1,726,178)
$ 6,652,595
Statistical Results
7,063,807
368,034
7,431,841
(1,284,859)
8,631,705
$ 7,346,846
(1,418,200)
$ 5,928,646
500,643
1,357,653
47,800
51,656
548,443
1,409,309
3,855
(510,133)
(186,149)
186,149
1,854,349
1,762,954
$ 1,672,055 $ 1,438,970
(180,298)
(215,230)
$ 1,491,757 $ 1,223,740
ALCATELLUCENT
AVAYA
OFS
TOTAL
% of
Goal
2,800
54%
17,781
6.4
135,649
48
440
32%
1,610
3.7
5,644
13
456
64%
1,259
2.8
25,830
57
69
23%
94
1.4
903
13
3,765
51%
20,744
5.6
168,026
45
102%
102%
162%
160%
-
STATISTICAL GOALS FOR 2015:
AT&T
ALCATELLUCENT
AVAYA
OFS
Individuals Served
Participation Rate
Enrollments
Enrollments Per Individual
2,816
55%
10,701
3.8
293
45%
586
2.0
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Individuals Served
Participation Rate
Enrollments
Enrollments Per Individual
Training Hours
Training Hours Per Individual
36,026
8,958,129
2,300
469,790
38,326
9,427,919
(37,063) (1,828,200)
149,639 12,398,647
$ 112,576 $10,570,447
(16,886) (1,830,614)
$ 95,690 $ 8,739,833
(1) Per the collective bargaining agreements, some or all of 2014 funding was suspended for AT&T/IBEW, Alcatel-Lucent, and OFS.
AT&T
STATISTICALRESULTS FOR YEAR ENDED 9/30/14:
5
506,261
8,958,129
17,689
469,790
523,950
9,427,919
(431,309) (1,828,200)
2,622.983 12,398,647
$ 2,191,674 $10,570,447
(104,436) (1,830,614)
$ 2,087,238 $ 8,739,833
206
20%
577
2.8
3,315
49%
11,864
3.6
Mobilize Your Training Plan
About us
e Alliance for Employee Growth and Development, Inc. is a private, nonprofit unionized
corporation designed to enhance worker employability through continuous learning. An eight-
AlliAnce HigHligHt!
Did you know?! e Alliance staff joined the cWA
staff union in 1992.
member Board of Trustees governs e Alliance. Four trustees are appointed by e Alliance
company stakeholders and four other trustees are selected by the CWA and IBEW. Alliance CoExecutive Directors, one appointed by the companies and one by the unions, head up a staff
represented by the CWA Staff Union.
One of the most successful labor/management initiatives in the United States, e Alliance has been
recognized for its innovation and programming by former President Clinton, Secretaries of Labor,
governors and educational institutions, and has been the subject of numerous research articles and
publications.
Vision
The Alliance stakeholders share a vision that the growth and development of the individual is the
key to success in a competitive, worldwide marketplace. The Alliance was born out of this shared
vision to serve as a resource to individual employees who want to take charge of managing change
in their lives.
AlliAnce HigHligHt!
Mission
The Alliance supports individual efforts to develop career and personal growth and enhanced
e first Alliance business unit initiatives were run
in 1991 at Merrimack Valley Works, and at
general business services (now Avaya) sites in West
employability through continuous learning experiences. The success of these indiviudal efforts
chicago, illinois and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
is assured by the cooperative activities of The Alliance and its labor and management partners.
last year 35% of our total training hours were
provided on company time.
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www.employeegrowth.com
The
Alliance for Employee Growth and Development, Inc.
80 Cottontail Lane - Suite 320, Somerset, New Jersey 08873
Toll Free: 800-323-3436 Fax: 732-563-1724
©2014, The Alliance for Employee Growth and Development, Inc. All Rights Reserved