City of St. Louis Department of Personnel Administrative Regulation NO. 127

Training Opportunities Program

I. INTRODUCTION

It is necessary for City agencies to occasionally send employees to specialized training which neither the Employee Development Division, nor agency supervisory and training personnel can present. The City created the Training Opportunities Program to meet these needs.

II. PURPOSE

The Training Opportunities Program provides a source of funding for civil service agencies wishing to send employees to specialized training. This training must be directly related to the duties of the employee and be of direct benefit to the City. The Training Opportunities Program also provides funding to contract for the provision of specialized training to groups of City employees. Our goal is to get the greatest possible benefit from the funds budgeted to this program. This requires that the Department of Personnel and the operating agencies work closely together.

III. GUIDELINES

A. All training and related services funded under the Training Opportunities Program must be of significant value and importance to the City. They must relate directly to the duties of the employee or employees who are to receive training. Funds will not be approved for avocational or recreational programs.

B. Agencies may request funding for seminars, professional conferences, certification programs, mini-courses, and similar programs. Programs which qualify for the Tuition Assistance Program are not eligible.

C. Funding from this program is for training, related services, materials, and equipment. No funding will be approved for transportation, lodging, meals, or other incidental expenses associated with travel. Training which requires reimbursement for travel will not be approved under this program.

NOTE:Please submit requests for training requiring out-of-town travel to the Comptroller's Office under the Travel Request Program. The Comptroller's Office will supply the proper forms for the Travel Request Program.

D. The Training Opportunities Program will provide funds solely to pay for, or to develop and present training that cannot be provided through internal means and/or with existing resources.

E. As a guideline, funding will be approved only for full time civil service employees. When funding is provided for a group training activity, at least 70% of the group should be full time civil service employees.

F. A limited amount of funds is available for the program. The goal is for the program to serve the most immediate training needs. Individual agencies will need to prioritize their training needs and the Department of Personnel will have to consider the needs of the city as a whole.

1. The use of the program by a particular agency may be curtailed if it becomes clear that the agency is using funds at a rate inconsistent with its relative size and need.

2. Requests which have a high per student hour cost when compared with competing requests may be denied.

3. It may be necessary to limit the number of trainees sent to training from any one agency.

IV. PROCEDURES

A. Presentation of training to work groups

The Appointing Authority may wish to arrange to have training presented to a designated work group. In these instances, the appointing authority should contact the Employee Development Division at 622-5763. The Employee Development Division will help in making the necessary arrangements if money is available.

B. Specialized training for individual employees

1. Complete a Training Opportunities Program Request Form in accordance with the instructions on the back of the form. Submit this form so that it is reviewed by the appointing authority and arrives in the Employee Development Division at least four weeks before the date when the training is to occur. Attached a copy of the brochure or pamphlet announcing the program. If an enrollment form is necessary, please complete it and submit it with the request. Please do not enroll in the program without receiving prior approval from the Employee Development Division.

2. Submit the complete request to the appointing authority for consideration. The appointing authority may recommend funding of the program if it meets the guidelines outlined above. The Appointing Authority should disapprove requests of low priority in favor of those of more importance to the organization.

3. The appointing authority shall approve and forward the recommended requests to the Employee Development Division; 1300 Convention Plaza, Suite 201, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-1935. Send interoffice mail to the Employee Development Division, Department of Personnel, 1300 Convention Plaza, Suite 201, Dept. # 123.

4. The Department of Personnel will consider the request. If the request is approved, the agency will be notified. The agency may call the training provider at this point, and enroll in the course with the understanding that the Employee Development Division is submitting a voucher to the Comptroller's Office. When the Comptroller's Office generates the check, the check and the official registration form will be mailed to the provider. If the Department of Personnel needs additional information or denies the request, the Employee Development Division will contact the operating agency.

V. MISCELLANEOUS

All decisions regarding the appropriateness and priority of training requested under this program shall rest exclusively with the Director of Personnel.

The Employee Development Division will assist operating agencies in the use of the program. The Employee Development Division is also available to work with operating agencies to assess training needs and to search for specialized training to meet identified needs.

Please direct questions or comments about this administrative regulation to the Employee Development Division, 1300 Convention Plaza, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-1935. The telephone number is 622-5763.

This administrative regulation supersedes and cancels all previous publications about the Training Opportunities Program.

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