A great way for you to supplement your workforce is for students to earn class credit by doing an internship in your department. Department managers may work directly with deans to set up an internship for credit.  

Some possibilities for internships would be in the Accounting Department, the marketing or sports medicine areas in the Athletic Department, or in the University Relations area.  Student interns may also be hired at a reasonable cost through normal channels in Career Services.

Retirees have many skills acquired from a lifetime of being in the workforce and in the community. They also have time, and many of them may want to learn a new skill or do something to keep busy while helping out at the same time. There are many services they could perform which would be of service to WS, such as filing, answering phones, making phone calls, planting flowers or cleaning.

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) places retirees with organizations. Alumni Relations currently uses RSVP and obtains services by placing an ad with them. There may be some costs involved with advertising and training.

The Apprentice Board of the State will not honor work that is being done through a state agency for apprentices; this has to be done through an outside business. However, we can hire people at a reduced rate and hire them informally as apprentices. These apprentices can be in whatever field of work you want from secretary to plumber.

A time table must be set up as to when the novices complete their apprenticeships (have the training and the abilities to do the job) and their pay must be adjusted accordingly.

What are the costs and the benefits of this arrangement? Cost can be reduced because you are bringing this person in on an apprenticeship. You save the cost over a period of time, i.e., 2-4 years, as you start them low and at the end of their apprenticeship they are at the wage of a fully-trained employee.

1. Employee Sharing

Employee sharing is a way of sharing the cost and services of a full-time contract employee when you do not require, or do not have the resources, to hire a full-time employee.  

Managers at the department, dean, or division level negotiate among themselves to share the services of an employee and submit a Position Requisition to Human Resources and Quality Support. Cost for the shared employee would be split among participating departments.

2. Cross Sharing

There are areas on campus that experience extremely busy times and very slow times. These areas need well-trained people during the busy times. Part-time employees do not always fill the need due to the high level of training required. In these situations, departments either suffer through the busy times or have more people than they really need during the slow times.  Cross sharing can help.

During the slow time in their home offices, employees can help in other areas or other departments. This practice requires cross training and can help break down barriers between departments. It can also help others understand the constraints and challenges of another area, while providing better customer service and relieving stress. Some departments may be able to financially reimburse the loaning department for the time they use the employee, while other departments may be able to reciprocate by loaning their own employees during slow times.

A Fellowship provides a dollar amount paid for the benefit of a student to aid in his/her pursuit of study or research.  Services by the individual are required in these arrangements. A Fellowship is attractive to an individual because it provides an opportunity for "real world" experience in his/her field of study. It is attractive to a department because of the potential for lower costs and it secures an individual with job-related skills.

Fellowships may provide academic credit to the individual, provided that prior arrangements are made with the appropriate college. There is the potential for establishing a Fellowship in any department where there is demand for an individual to obtain "real world" experience.

Job Corp is a program that the University can utilize to supplement the workforce.  The cost to obtain a Job Corp worker is much less than hiring an experienced, full-time employee because of the person’s lack of experience. Price also depends on which occupation you need.

There are many services that can be acquired from Job Corp.

1. Automotive Repair Technician
2. Bricklayer
3. Building and Apartment Maintenance
4. Business/Clerical
5. Carpentry
6. Cement Mason
7. Food Service
8. Health Occupations
9. Heavy Equipment Operator
10. Painter
11. Plasterer
12. Plumber
13. Security Officer
14. Welding

For more information, contact Job Corp at 774-4000.

Several departments on campus use volunteers. These departments advertise in the local newspaper or list themselves with outside community agencies who are trying to place volunteers.

In order to attract volunteers, the services provided must be meaningful to the volunteer. Therefore, jobs such as filing and answering phones are probably not suitable, unless the volunteer is interested in learning a specific skill.  Use of perks such as free tickets to events or use of the gym may attract volunteers.

Human Resources and Quality Support will make certain the volunteer is protected with liability coverage by having the volunteer complete a "Volunteer Form."