Through the MAX Academy, MAX offers professional development and capacity building training workshops to help workforce development professionals develop new skills, learn best practices, connect to resources, and engage in peer-to-peer learning. MAX Academy workshops are all about transferring how-to ideas and knowledge for addressing the most challenging issues faced by workforce developers as they seek to serve the job seeker and employer.
FORMAT
The format for MAX Academy workshops can be 90-minute virtual sessions or partial-to-full day, in-person workshops. The workshops are held quarterly.
Each workshop has an agenda designed to suit its specific purpose. Oftentimes, the workshops have included a combination of individual presentations and panel discussions featuring guest speakers. Each workshop includes dedicated time for Q&A and for participants to identify specific actions they will take based on what they learned in the workshop.
When virtual, the workshops are set up as a Zoom meeting to maximize the potential for participant engagement. When in-person, the workshops include dedicated time for face-to-face networking and peer-to-peer learning.
AUDIENCE
Attendees represent chambers of commerce, community-based nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher learning, local workforce boards, government agencies (local, state, federal), private trainers, and workforce intermediaries.
ACCREDITATION
Both the International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP) and the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP recognize training programs held through the MAX Academy as relevant training hours for their certification programs.
Hours spent attending MAX Academy workshops can count as training hours for earning a Certified Workforce Professional (CWP) credential from IAWP and also as professional development (continuing education) hours for CWP recertification.
For NAWDP’s Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP), NAWDP will accept MAX Academy training hours toward the professional development hours required for CWDP recertification.
PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS
Following are some examples of topics focused on through the MAX Academy workshops.
- State Resources for Workforce Development
- How to Engage with Employers
- IT Alphabet Soup: Understanding Credentials
- Federal Stimulus Funds Due to COVID-19
- Youth Work Experiences
- Integrated Education and Training + Work-based Learning
- Trauma-Informed Care: Help for the Helper
- Trauma-Informed Care: Serving the Customer
CONTACT
MAX board member Dr. Ray Perren, Deputy Commissioner with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), leads the programming for the MAX Academy. Ideas for future workshops can be emailed to [email protected].