Aims Community College was recently recognized for its efforts to prioritize employee learning and growth with a 2024 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Award in the Professional Development category.
Aims Community College Wins 2024 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Award
October 16, 2024
The inaugural class of Aims Leadership Institute: GROW (Getting Ready for Opportunities at Work).
This designation celebrates organizations that focus on developing their employees’ careers and enable them to grow professionally.
“Investing in the development of all of our employees is one of the most important things we can do,” said Aims Community College Acting President/CEO and Executive Vice President Dr. Russ Rothamer. “When our employees grow and thrive, our students and community benefit as well.”
"Receiving the Top Workplaces Culture Excellence award speaks volumes about the environment at Aims,” said Marilyn Schock, chair of the Aims Board of Trustees. “It tells a story of dedication not only to the academic success of our students but to the professional and personal enrichment of faculty and staff.”
Aims provides each of its employees up to $2,500 annually in personal development funds to attend conferences and training relevant to each person’s job. A tuition waiver is available for employees wanting to take classes at Aims, and a tuition reimbursement program exists for employees attending other colleges and universities.
The college additionally offers programs dedicated to fostering employee professional development. This includes the Center for Professional Development (CPD), Faculty Teaching and Learning Center (FTLC) and GROW (Getting Ready for Opportunities at Work).
Center For Professional Development
The Center for Professional Development (CPD) at Aims is dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous learning for all employees. The focus is to develop essential abilities, including soft skills that enhance interpersonal relationships, management and leadership talents to boost team effectiveness and technical skills that drive systems thinking.
This is accomplished by offering sessions on campus and online to grow knowledge and empower employee's professional journeys. The team provides access to online portals for self-driven professional development, customized to each individual's needs and interests.
Faculty Teaching and Learning Center
The FTLC is a collaborative hub for faculty, connecting departments and supporting innovative teaching and learning approaches. The FTLC and campus partners offer a variety of training, workshops, conferences, and other events. It provides leadership and guidance to help faculty from all disciplines develop professionally, fosters a collaborative community, and equips faculty to implement teaching strategies that improve student success. The FTLC’s new faculty mentoring program is an important effort to help new instructors succeed.
“We do awesome things to build community, bridge gaps around the college, and support faculty in their professional development no matter where they are in their career as educators,” said FTLC Instructional Coach Alex Carlson-Tooker. “From workshops to mentoring to instructional coaching, conferences and more, we are constantly brainstorming ways to support the ever-evolving needs of faculty as they help elevate their student's educational experiences and success.”
Aims Leadership Institute: GROW
Aims started a new program, Aims Leadership Institute: GROW (Getting Ready for Opportunities at Work), this fall. It is a rigorous year-long leadership institute for select employees who are invested in their continuous growth and interested in expanding their leadership talent.
“GROW program is a really exciting opportunity for Aims employees and is highly beneficial for the College as a whole,” said Aims Director of Employee Relations Jenell Wild. “It focuses on cultivating leaders holistically, empowering them to take on new challenges and to inspire and grow others.”
GROW is designed for leaders at all levels across the college. Each annual cohort consists of up to 30 participants. Individualized coaching, workshops, training, and select readings provide insights, tools, and actionable strategies to enhance the leader’s effectiveness and impact on others.
Top Workplaces National Recognition
Top Workplaces awards are based on feedback from a research-backed employee engagement survey. Energage is a purpose-driven organization that develops solutions to build and brand Top Workplaces. The Top Workplaces program has a 17-year history of surveying and celebrating people-first organizations nationally and across 60 regional markets.
Earlier this year, Aims was recognized as a Top Workplace in Colorado. It was the fourth time that Aims received that honor.
Visit aims.edu for more information about the college. Check out opportunities to join the Aims team at aims.edu/careers.
