Public Service Institute (PSI)

Engaging Employees II

Thursdays, April 6 to April 27
8 to 11:30 a.m.
BSPSI-0710-100, $495

April 6  - Customer Engagement
The world of customer engagement is ever changing and it is integral for organizations to excel in this area in order to thrive.  Understand the impact you as an individual can make to an organization, with both internal customers and residents.  Learn how to put yourself in the customers’ shoes and fully listen to determine what the customer really needs and how to address those needs.

April 13  -  Impactful Presences
Learn to communicate effectively and persuasively and become comfortable with your own style. Develop key presentation skills and learn how to present your ideas with conviction, control, and poise—and without fear. Receive advice on how to handle especially challenging situations. Gain confidence in presenting your ideas, whether it is to an individual or a group.

April 20 – Conflict Resolution
This session will address the reality that conflict is an inevitable part of the workplace. Whether between individuals or teams, at some point, conflict will arise and will need to be addressed.  Different people with different goals and needs come into conflict and often result in personal animosity.   But resolving conflict doesn't need to be a negative experience, in fact, managing conflict can be a catalyst for positive change

Apr. 27 – Generational Workforce
For the first time in history, 5 different generations are represented in the workforce. The challenges of multi-generational teams are heightened for employees working in local government. Attendees will gain the knowledge necessary to work with and collaborate on multi-generational teams to maximize results.

Leading Teams II

Wednesdays, April 19 to May 10
8 to 11:30 a.m.
BSPSI-0810-100, $495

April 19  - Cohesive Teams
This course is designed to develop the fundamental skills needed to effectively lead teams and help team members achieve higher levels of passion and productivity. Learn the 5 elements of a cohesive team while focusing on processes, strategies and creating accountability among team members.

April 26 - Building Trust and Credibility
Trust is essential for any organization to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive global environment. Research has found that organizations with high levels of trust are more credible, productive, flexible, innovative, and able to adapt to changing circumstances and effectively handle crises. In this workshop, you will learn how trust improves relationships at all levels, and how to model the characteristics and behaviors of a trustworthy person.

May 3– Continuous Improvement
Learn how to set organizational priorities for continuous process improvement, how to execute process improvement projects, and how to sustain the initiative for continuous improvement. The continuous improvement framework is a comprehensive and systematic approach to the delivery of services that reduce waste and inconsistencies while increasing value to customers.

May 10 – Leading Change
Gain the knowledge and skills you need to help shape the future of your organization. Explore best practices and tools for understanding and facilitating change. Be part of the change by planning and implementing organizational change to support short-term and long-term initiatives that increase an organization’s sustainability.

Organizational Leadership II

Tuesdays, May 2 to May 23
8 to 11:30 a.m.
BSPSI-0910-100, $495

May 2 – Strategic Planning
Understand the importance of strategic plan implementation and follow through best practice applications. Learn multiple techniques used in strategic planning, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and when to use each method. Explore how strategic planning fits into organizational functions and recognize the importance of a thorough strategic planning process.

May 9 – Crisis Communication
The right communications at the right time with the media or your residents can make all the difference in the world. Learn techniques to effectively manage your message and work with the news media amid major, high-profile incidents and other crises using a clearly defined strategy for crisis communication. Develop plans for a variety of crisis communications and see examples that went well and not so well.

May 16 – Succession Planning
Budgets, audits, fund ledgers, warrants and payrolls can become overwhelming until you see how they fit together. Learn how state monies filter down to local government from a veteran of Illinois Comptroller’s Office. This session places special emphasis on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected county and municipal budgets.

May 23 - Finances – From State to Local Government
Ensure that your organization is prepared for the future. Succession planning is critical to sustained and uninterrupted service levels in government. Learn strategies that will position your organization for sustained success and stability while transferring institutional memory and proprietary knowledge that can be lost when experienced workers depart organizations.

Project Management One Day Training - On Campus

Wednesday, March 8
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
BSPSI-0850-001, $225

Join us for this one-day, interactive session to increase your ability to lead and deliver projects. Learn key principles that will help you deliver your projects, including leading factors for project success and failure. Learn how to develop plans to help you and your team stay on track as well as how to respond when (not if) changes occur. Gain a better understanding of what agile project management is (and isn't) and why it's relevant to more than just systems projects. Walk away with practical techniques to identify and manage risks so you can spend less time reacting to problems and more time avoiding them in the first place.

Beginning Drinking Water Class C and D

This live virtual class prepares individuals for certification testing as a Class C and D Public Water Supply Operator.  This class can also be taken to obtain continuing education credits for Class A and B certificate holders. Following class, students are responsible for scheduling their own exam for the Drinking Water Operator Certificate through the Illinois EPA. Topics include:

• Well and distribution system operation and maintenance
• Basic water flow hydraulics
• Chemical dosage mathematics
• Environmental Protection Agency laws
• Chlorination and fluoridation

Monday, Feb. 6 to April 24, (no class on Feb. 20)
6 to 9 p.m.
BSPSI-0400-120, $575
*Course fee includes the book and shipping 

Advanced Drinking Water Class A and B

This live virtual course covers a majority of the significant procedures and concepts related to the operation and maintenance of Illinois Class A and Class B public water supply operations, and will prepare students for the Class A and Class B water operators’ IL EPA exam and certification. Students must meet specific experience, education, and examination requirements in order to qualify for certification. Following class, students are responsible for scheduling their own exam for the Advanced Drinking Water Operators Certificate through the Illinois EPA. Topics include:

• Disinfection
• Fluoridation
• Distribution
• Clarification
• Lime-Soda Softening
• Ion Exchange Softening
• Filtration
• Iron and manganese control

Tuesday, Jan. 31 to April 25
6 to 9 p.m.
BSPSI-0400-130, $590
*Fee includes the books and shipping  

Beginning Wastewater Class 3 and 4

This live virtual course will help prepare you for the Class 3 and Class 4 wastewater operators’ state exam and IL EPA certification. Applicants must meet specific experience, education, and examination requirements in order to qualify for certification. You will earn three months of on-the-job credit by completing this class and gain confidence in your abilities as you take this first step in moving up in this vital field. Following class, students are responsible for scheduling their own exam for the Wastewater Operation Certificate through the Illinois EPA. Topics include:

• Introduction to wastewater
• Collection systems
• Lift stations
• Flow measurement
• Stabilization ponds
• Sampling & laws governing treatment plants
• Chlorination

Tuesday, Feb. 7 to April 18
6 to 9 p.m.
BSPSI-0400-110, $570
*Fee includes the book and shipping 

Advanced Wastewater Class 1 and 2

This live virtual course will help prepare you for the Class 1 and Class 2 Wastewater Operator state exam. Eligibility requirements can be found on this website: www.epa.state.il.us/water/operator-cert/waste-water. Following class, students are responsible for scheduling their own exam for the Waste Water Operator Certificate through the Illinois EPA. Topics include:

• Activated Sludge
• Chemical Addition
• Digesters
• Primary Treatment
• Pumps and Pumping
• Tertiary Treatment

Thursday, Feb. 9 to April 20
6 to 9 p.m.
BSPSI-0400-140, $575 ($475 if you have taken Beginning Wasterwater in the last 12 months and have the textbook).
*Fee includes the book and shipping