Skilled Workforce

Facilities Services employees total more than 5,500 years of accumulated service ranging from 47 years to those just beginning their careers. The experience and institutional knowledge of these employees represents an irreplaceable asset to both the university and the State of Tennessee.

 

UT Facilities Services employs a three person training team to provide and organize specific training offered to help employees improve, maintain, or learn new skills. This team monitors, evaluates and records training activities and determines each program’s effectiveness.

The goal is to maintain a highly skilled workforce which will help increase efficiency, improve customer services, and help to minimize operating costs.

Training is a graded category in the annual performance appraisal with higher grades for employees who are more active in seeking out and completing additional training opportunities.

Training staff also provides interviewing and hiring training for managers to reduce turn-over throughout the department while helping to chose more highly skilled employees from the start.The department’s lowest paid employees make 24% over minimum wage, allowing Facilities Services to recruit more skilled employees even at entry level positions.

Facilities Services employees receive EHS training that is risk based and specifically tailored to the type of work performed. Safety training is most effective when it is designed and delivered in a manner that relates directly to the university and the work performed, not an off-the-shelf generic program.

 

Enhancements to the UT Knoxville Facilities Services Career Ladder program will incorporate skills testing and assessments prior to advancement. UT Knoxville Facilities Services has also instituted a Custodial Certification Program (CCP) that awards graduates with a wage increase once the certification is met.
Identifying & Scheduling Technical Training Courses

Facilities Services provides training on equipment, devices, and techniques by bringing in outside vendors, sending employees to offsite training, and taking advantage of in-house expertise.

 

Zone Maintenance employees have completed, or are currently completing customer service specific training. The training includes the fundamentals of customer service and setting top quality standards, approaching and rebounding from difficult customers, projecting a positive image, and outstanding telephone courtesy.

 

Cross-training for ZM personnel has been accomplished by having employees skilled in a particular task train other employees as tasks are accomplished. Additional classroom training has been provided on some tasks and more is planned for the future.

Contact: Derek Bailey, Zone Maintenance Director
Phone: (865) 659-6377
Email: dbailey4@utk.edu

 

New Employee Orientation is a 12 hour course provided to all new full and part time regular employees entering Facilities Services. Education on all necessary University and Facilities Services administrative processes are provided to our new associates including, Net ID/password, online pay statement retrieval, basic Archibus leave input, all required OSHA training and team building. Additionally, the new employee is set up with a Volcard, safety toe boots, Facilities ID and parking. All uniform fittings occur during this orientation as well.

 

Custodial Certification Program (CCP): A nationally recognized certification program developed by the Cleaning Management Institute. The 22-week program introduces basic and advanced concepts of facilities cleaning concepts, floor care, and above floor cleaning processes. The program enhances the Facilities Services image, provides consistency and quality customer services, and invests in our FS associates.

Project Management Certificate (PMP): A 36-hour course aimed at preparing Facilities Services professionals for the Project Management Professional Exam. This certificate course establishes a common language among project managers and enables our team to work within a common framework of managing complex projects.

Supervisory Foundations Certificate: A 48-hour course managed by the University Employee Organizational and Development Department. This program provides essential skills for newly promoted or hired supervisors.

Customer Relations and Communications Certificate: A 24-hour course managed by the University Employee Organizational and Development Department. This program equips FS personnel with tools on customer service and communication topics that are essential to executing the University and Facilities Services mission in a spirit of excellence.