All courses

Part of our series of inspiring sessions for Learning at Work Week with University Information Services (UIS), we welcome back Ian Hosking, User Researcher at UIS and Bill Nicholl a Senior Lecturer at the University.

They will encourage you to explore creative thinking to build a creative organization and workplace.

A presentation designed to offer an insight into apprenticeships, what they are, how they’re funded and how a potential learner, or recruiting manager, can take full advantage of the opportunities and benefits that they offer, educationally and financially.

If you have any burning questions about apprenticeships, for yourself or as a recruiting manager, this is the session for you.

Confidence is one the skills that helps us to overcome the challenges and constraints that come our way as part of a squiggly career. Increasing our confidence gives us the belief to make the most of opportunities and be curious and ambitious about where our careers can take us.

Join bestselling author and podcaster Sarah Ellis from Amazing If in this career programme as we discuss how you can cage your confidence gremlins (the limiting beliefs that hold us back).

The zoom link for the session will be provided at a later date.

An interactive and thought provoking session about exploring ways to shape your job into the career you love.

A notebook and a pen are required. Be prepared to participate, reflect and note things down.

During this interactive session the ourcambridge Simplifying our Processes team will look at how habits can be established and how this can be applied to Lean tools and techniques, so helping to embed Continuous Improvement across the University.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing is an evidence-based framework of actions we can all take to improve our wellbeing. Find out what they are and come away with five (or more!) small actions you are going to take for your own wellbeing.

Bring along a way to jot down the actions you will commit to.

Find out what mentoring is (and isn't!), it's benefits, and where to look for a mentor or mentee.

A practical session where you will learn to crochet a Granny Square. Once you know the humble Granny Square you can make numerous projects - more than just blankets!

If you have a crochet hook and yarn please bring it with you on the day, if not materials will be provided. No previous experience or knowledge necessary.

One of the most important parts of a manager’s role is to support the development of others. This sounds like it should be easy but it can be trickier than it sounds. Come along and listen to some experienced managers discussing how they motivate and develop their teams.

Many of us struggle with having potentially difficult conversations whether because of the fear of ‘getting it wrong’ or not knowing how to approach a situation objectively and with care. This sometimes results in issues not being addressed, which in turn can be detrimental to the individual, the team and, ultimately, the organisation. This practical 90-minute session aims to provide the structure, tools and tips to improve their skills to manage challenging conversations.

Be prepared to participate in Breakout Rooms.

Micro-coaching is a short, focused conversation using coaching skills. It can help us to generate insights and identify next steps with a specific opportunity or challenge. Micro-coaching is enriched by identifying how we want to feel in these specific situations, leading to better performance and wellbeing. This will be an interactive and future-focused workshop, and will include a guided micro-coaching activity where you will each use a deck of cards.

In this workshop, you will experience a guided micro-coaching activity to identify how you can make progress with an opportunity or challenge in an upcoming conversation or meeting that is important to you. We will each use the physical Emotional Culture Deck, which is an engaging and effective tool that takes a future-focused approach. The micro-coaching activity will include guided individual reflection and confidential paired conversations. By the end of the workshop, you will have generated ideas for practical next steps to get closer to your desired outcomes in your upcoming conversation or meeting. You will also have identified some effective coaching questions that you can use on your own, or with others, at work. We will use Slido and small group conversations to share insights. You are invited to come to this experiential and interactive workshop with an upcoming conversation or meeting in mind. This workshop will be a safe and confidential space; you are invited to contribute, and to share only what you feel comfortable with.

• Slido is an easy-to-use audience engagement tool that you can access via your mobile phone browser. It does not require downloads or registration. Please bring your mobile phone to access Slido in the session.

Note: there is also a 60-minute session via MS Teams on Tuesday 14th May if you would prefer a shorter virtual experience of micro-coaching, using a shared digital version of the Emotional Culture Deck.

About the facilitator: Sonali Kumarakulasinghe is a Coach, Facilitator and Consultant. She takes a Solution Focused approach and her coaching style is informal, focused and appreciative. Sonali has an MSc in Organisational Behaviour (Psychology) and she is a Certified Practitioner with the Emotional Culture Deck."

Micro-coaching is a short, focused conversation using coaching skills. It can help us to generate insights and identify next steps with a specific opportunity or challenge. Micro-coaching is enriched by identifying how we want to feel in these specific situations, leading to better performance and wellbeing. This will be an interactive and future-focused session, and will include a short, guided micro-coaching activity using a shared digital version of a card deck.

In this session, you will experience a short, guided micro-coaching activity to identify how you can make progress with an opportunity or challenge in an upcoming conversation or meeting that is important to you. We will use a shared digital version of the Emotional Culture Deck, an effective tool that takes a future-focused approach. The micro-coaching activity will consist of a short guided individual reflection. By the end of the activity, you will have generated ideas for practical next steps to get closer to your desired outcomes in your upcoming conversation or meeting. We will use Slido and short breakout groups to share general insights. You are invited to come to this interactive session with an upcoming conversation or meeting in mind. This session will be a safe and confidential space; you are invited to contribute, and to share only what you feel comfortable with.

• Slido is an easy-to-use audience engagement tool that you can access via your mobile phone browser. It does not require downloads or registration. Please bring your mobile phone to access Slido in the session.

Note: there are also 90-minute, in-person workshops on Monday 13th May if you would prefer a richer, hands-on experience of micro-coaching using the physical Emotional Culture Deck.

About the facilitator: Sonali Kumarakulasinghe is a Coach, Facilitator and Consultant. She takes a Solution Focused approach and her coaching style is informal, focused and appreciative. Sonali has an MSc in Organisational Behaviour (Psychology) and she is a Certified Practitioner with the Emotional Culture Deck."

The panel discussion on 'Developing Your Emotional Intelligence' offers participants invaluable insights and practical strategies from a diverse array of leaders, cultivating essential skills in self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication crucial for both personal and professional advancement.

Self-coaching for personal and professional growth empowers participants with vital skills and tools to proactively navigate their development journey with purpose and effectiveness.

An interactive session exploring ways in which you can prepare yourself for interviews, considering both the practical and the mental preparation to help you achieve the best possible interview you could have.

Be prepared to participate in breakout rooms.

An interactive session to signpost some of the many training and development options open to you and some options to consider reflecting on your career and progress.

A Q+A session will be held at the end for any specific queries.

Find out about a day in a Muslim's life and how the prayer is not only a pivotol part but a lot more than that!

Looking at how to turn failure into a positive rather than a negative. Discover the genuine benefits of failure. Guidance and techniques to show how to identify failure early and understand it.

This information webinar presents two new apprenticeships to the University:

Learning & Skills Mentor Level 4

Coaching Professional Level 5

The session is an opportunity for you to find out more about these new development opportunities that Cambridge is offering you and to ask any questions.

The Learning and Skills Mentor apprenticeship Level 4 is for individuals who support others with their learning and development towards agreed goals and will benefit any individual looking to develop their abilities as a mentor, team leader, coach, supervisor or manager. You must have a strong aspiration to support learners, along with a commitment to making the time to do so. You may have some pre-existing experience of informal mentoring, that can be built upon throughout the programme. This is a 15-month programme, and you will be expected to mentor at least 3 mentees on this programme.

The Coaching Professional Apprenticeship Level 5 aims to develop the capabilities of current or aspiring coaches, to allow them to develop a range of coaching skills. This is for individuals to work as an internal coach with a wide range of individuals and teams, to enhance their professional performance. Coaching is a way of leading in a non-directive manner, helping people to learn through listening and reflective open questions rather than instructing, giving advice or making suggestions. You will benefit from one-to-one coaching from experienced coach mentors and training the stretches and challenges the development of core coaching skills.

There are two options – a 17-month programme for those new to coaching and 15-month programme for those who have coaching experience. You will be expected to build up a minimum of 36 hours of coaching practice. The completion of the programme will demonstrate that you have acquired and applied the skills needed to be an effective coach.

We are looking to establish what interest there for either apprenticeship and hope that there will be sufficient interest to establish University-wide cohorts. By establishing University-wide cohorts, we are looking to encourage more departments to use apprenticeships as a way to provide focused professional development for staff.

The OCM Group, our approved training provider for these programmes, will deliver the webinar and will be available to answer any questions or concerns that you may have before submitting an expression of interest.

Programme details of each apprenticeship can be found via the links below:

Learning & Skills Mentor Level 4

Coaching Professional Level 5

There is a minimum of 8 people required for each programme, for a cohort to run. Depending on the level of interest shown, it is intended that these apprenticeship cohorts will start mid-2024. However, you will also have the opportunity to join an open (public) cohort if we are unable to reach sufficient numbers for a closed cohort. Entry to these cohorts will be by application and is open to all University employees who meet the eligibility criteria.

A link to the session will be sent with the joining instructions when your booking is confirmed.

Further information from the provider, the OCM Group.

Apprenticeship guidance.

This course shows departmental staff how to process leavers in their department directly into CHRIS and how to enter the details of a preferred candidate of a recruitment exercise when an offer has been made to a job advertised through RAS.

The Session covers detailed background and case studies of Legionella Bacteria and how it can colonise in domestic water systems. Overview of current legislation and guidance, monitoring and control measures, record keeping and escalation procedures.

This Course includes an examination.

Please contact Michelle Goldsworthy to book a place.

Legionella Awareness Training.

Please contact Michelle Goldsworthy to book a place.

During this event we will share what we know about the racial composition of the University and what staff and students have told us about their experiences.

We will present the institutional action plan to improve racial equality at Cambridge and will seek your feedback.

The Vice-Chancellor will also reflect on the University’s aspirations and the way forward towards a more inclusive University.

A light lunch will be provided from 12noon.

Remember when we used to live in precendented times? It seems like it was just yesteryear but it only feels that way because it was.

It has been a time for us to really remember the meaning of words and phrases, like how ‘just managing to stay afloat’ or ‘just keeping my head above the water’ are both overwhelmingly positive achievements (just consider what would happen if you didn’t!).

But living like this is exhausting in so many ways, so at this year’s Festival of Wellbeing, let’s think a bit about just being in this moment and being apart together.

Joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email.

How do you lead, build and contribute to creating effective Teams? What is the secret map for this? In this podcast, Reshmin Haq (PPD) discusses building effective teams using the Tuckman model with Daniela Manca (University Recovery Programme).

Access the recording of the Let us Talk Teams Podcast.