John F. Kennedy was once quoted as saying, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
This profound statement can be applied not only directly in our everyday lives, but also as a guideline for training and learning in our places of business. Anyone at any type of management level must constantly be evaluating what it takes to make employees more productive and, perhaps more importantly, how employees can move to the next level.
Ironically, Kennedy’s use of the word “indispensable” correlates directly with ASA’s goal of being “Indispensable to Achieving Prosperity in Our Industry.” Regarding learning in our industry, the ASA Education Foundation’s vast educational programming offerings are a great place to start for you and your management team to establish and maintain a successful employee training program. If you have ever thought to yourself or used the phrase, “I don’t even know where to begin” as it relates to training programs, you need not look further.
The ASA Education Foundation has recently developed an affordable, industry-specific group of programs that combine online courses, workbook training and in-person workshops and seminars. These programs have been put under the umbrella ofASA University, and they are a great place to start in your quest to make you and your employees “indispensable.”
ASA University is a combination of five dynamic colleges that are geared toward providing employees with the training necessary to help further company goals and their own personal career goals at the same time. The five ASA University colleges include the College of Sales/Sales Management (currently open), the College of Leadership/Executive Management (currently open), the College of Warehouse Management (open this summer), the College of Purchasing/Inventory Management (open this summer) and the College of Business (open this fall).
With ASA University, the time-consuming preparation to create a training program has been done for you. Those who are responsible for training within your company will be given specifically outlined learning expectations.
Perhaps the greatest thing about enrolling in any of these colleges is that they are specifically suited to train a different function within your company, and they are set up for entry-level and veteran employees alike. They are also open 24/7 so that any employee can attend – whether at work, at home or on the road. In addition, ASA Education Foundation staff act as advisors during the enrollment process to assist in deciding who should attend the programs and what courses should be taken. Once the process starts, progress and achievements are tracked along the way.
A stated goal of ASA is that its “members’ employees will become the best-trained, best-educated and most professional in the industry.” With offerings such as ASA University and enough industry participation, there is no doubt that we are well on the way to making that goal a reality.
Please contactAmy Black(ablack@asa.net) and the ASA Education Foundation staff today to let them know about your individual training needs. Give us the opportunity to show our flexibility in setting up a tailor-made program for you and your team.
Scott Weaver
APR Supply Co.
