Nova Scotia Community College
EN-9: Staff Professional Development and Training

1. Facilities Staff Learning Conference (FSLC) annual conference for operational support employees offers a 'sustainability track' which includes workshops, nature-based activities and guest speakers. Sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals, play a large role in this conference.

2. Support Staff Learning Conference (SSLC) annual conference for all administrative support employees offers sustainability workshops, nature-based activities and guest speakers.

3. Digital Innovation and Technology hosts an annual conference for all Digital Innovation and Technology staff and offers diversity & inclusion workshops, workshops to help clients minimize energy and greenhouse gas emissions by conducting virtual meetings, and explore the latest technologies available to assist with operations of day-to-day business.

4. NSCC has also for the past two years held professional learning presentations on the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2022 and 2023 staff-wide Sustainability workshops were hosted on professional development days and when requested at departmental and campus all-staff meetings. These workshops focused on the foundations of the Sustainable Development Goals, and how staff can implement the goals and create change through their work.

Nova Scotia Community College offers a learning leave to staff with regular status, have a minimum of five years “continuous service” with NSCC and have not taken part in a long-term Learning Leave under a Collective Agreement within the past five years. This leave allows staff to participate in external professional development and training opportunities while still receiving 100% of their normal salary and benefits during their leave. Staff are eligible to take either a Short-term leave, one to four months, or a Long-term leave, four to 12 months. Staff need to plan their leave three to four months prior to the application due date of August 15th. Learning leaves are reviewed and approved by a review committee comprised of two staff members (faculty, operational, or professional support), two managers (faculty, operational, or professional support), the Director or designate (faculty, operational, or professional support), and Organizational Learning. Staff are required to provide a mid-term report (for long-term leaves) detailing their progress to date and a final report documenting learning as well as evidence completion of learning goals.

Operational support staff can also access up to $350 in reimbursement each fiscal year for employment-related skills development courses, conferences, and/or workshops. The Sustainability Hub often provides upcoming information on webinars and other opportunities focused on sustainability.