Level Up course registration opens for May 8-12

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  • 88th Force Support Squadron

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The 88th Air Base Wing Level Up Week May 8-12, 2023, is now open for registration. The Education and Training office has created a week of virtual and in-person development and training opportunities for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base employees and beyond to level up on their knowledge, skills and abilities.

Level Up Week spotlights the needs of Airmen and provides a wide variety of class subjects throughout the week. The course and presentation schedule were created based on the results of the WPAFB-wide personnel development needs assessment. Assessment data has been analyzed to provide uniformed and civilian members with what they have asked for in training and development. The courses were specifically selected based on the information gathered.

The goal of the Level Up Week program is to enhance mission viability and improve quality of life for Airmen while implementing collaborative projects that provide mutual value to the government.

Registration is open to all WPAFB military and civilian government employees. Register via MyETMS at https://myetms.wpafb.af.mil.  Click on the “Self-Registration” tab, search for “88 ABW” and click “Go.” The MyETMS homepage includes a tutorial for first time users. Registration will be open until two business days prior to each course’s start date and time. 

Continuous learning points can be earned for Level Up Week training courses. After attending a course, participants will need to request CLPs from their direct supervisor using the appropriate government system. It is recommended to request the number of CLPs based on the number of hours for the course (e.g., a two-hour course would result in two CLPs).

For more information, contact the Education and Training Office at 88FSS.FSDED.HRWorkflow@us.af.mil.

Course Offerings and Descriptions:

Monday, 8 May 2023

Franklin Covey - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 4.0 (8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday and Tuesday; in- person)
This course sets the foundation for professional effectiveness--increasing productivity, restoring balance and developing greater maturity and responsibility.

Insight into Force Development throughout the DAF (9 – 10 a.m.; in-person)
The Department of the Air Force is strategically pivoting towards competency-based training and development of the DAF workforce. This pivot is well underway for military members. It has already been integrated into evaluations, training, professional military education and promotion testing. The civilian career fields are just getting started with this transformation. This session is particularly important to military members and supervisors of military members. It’s also recommended for civilians wanting to become more knowledgeable on the changes coming to their career field.

Competency Based Civilian Development in Today's Air Force (9 – 11 a.m.; virtual)
This presentation will allow the participant to view and discuss how to use the many tools the Air Force has created to aid in civilian development. The tools covered includes individual development plans, Air Force foundational competencies, civilian career roadmaps, identifying career field teams and Air Force/WPAFB mentoring programs, just to name a few. By using these tools, the participant will understand development as it pertains to a competency-based approach.

Exercise Progressions: The How, What, When and Why (10 – 11 a.m.; virtual)
In this class we will discuss the importance of exercise, how much exercise we need and how to safely and effectively progress in your fitness routine. You will learn how to push past a plateau and how to incorporate helpful tips to get the most out of your workout. 

Contracting Fundamentals (1– 2:30 p.m.; virtual)
An overview of government contracting fundamentals that all acquisition professionals should know. Topics include a review of the contracting life cycle, e.g., planning, solicitation, pre-award, contract award, contract administration and closeout. Discussions will also cover how to read a contract and how to modify a contract.

Tuesday, 9 May 2023

Active Listening (9 – 11 a.m.; in-person)
You will recognize listening and the importance of giving full attention to the speaker, describing the speaker’s message and point of view, seeking clarification so that you are able to repeat the message to the sender, and interpreting and synthesizing the message from others and responding appropriately.

Study and Test Taking Skills (9 – 11 a.m.; virtual)
This two-hour course will focus on easily-applied techniques to increase personal abilities to test well. Attendees will learn to eliminate nervousness and incorporate methods that will improve test scores.

Excel: Tips and Tricks (9 – 11 a.m.; virtual)
Given demonstrations and hands-on activities, participants will gain a stronger understanding of using functions/formulas. Participants will create simple functions/formulas using VLOOKUPs and HLOOKUPs. 

Power Behind the Force: The History and Evolution of the Jet Engine (9:30 – 11:30 a.m.; in-person)
With an engine docent, trace the evolution of the jet engine from the experimental days of World War II, through the conquering of the sound barrier, past Mach 3 and into the future. Examine a series of engines--many cutaways--to discover how the temperamental machines of the past evolved into the robust, reliable equipment that power the Air Force of today. In a 2-hour walking tour, see and hear what drove the selection of propulsion for such aircraft as the F-22, the C-5, the SR-71 and the C-130. Each solution is different, and each is a classic. Leave the tour knowing how and why jet engines evolved. 

Colors Personality Course (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.; virtual)
Discover something new about yourself. Participants will complete a personality assessment. Learn how to communicate and work with different personalities and see individuals with new lenses. This training will help you communicate with others better and establish a common language. Learn to strengthen and motivate people and build working relationships.

Wednesday, 10 May 2023

Excel Jumpstart (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.; virtual)
This intermediate-level, fast-paced course will help participants learn more about what Excel can do. Participants will utilize Excel to learn about cells and ranges, formatting text and numbers, basic functions and formulas, filtering tables, PivotTables, PivotCharts and more!

Ethical Leadership (9 – 11 a.m.; virtual)
Ethical leadership is a form of leadership in which individuals demonstrate conduct for the common good that is acceptable and appropriate in every area of their life, respecting ethical beliefs and values, and being motivated by the dignity and rights of others.

Intro to Critical Thinking (9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; in-person)
The human mind is built to think. Some of us do it better than others. Every one of us can learn how to think better. Critical thinking is thinking done with depth, clarity, logic and precision. It attempts to connect patterns of information into patterns of thought, either to solve a problem, generate ideas, or come up with creative concepts. When thinking critically, viewpoints are examined, as well as the biases, data and concepts driving the viewpoints. This instructor-led course introduces critical thinking concepts and skills on which participants can build better thinking. 

Women in the Air Force: From Yesterday into Tomorrow (9:30– 11:30 a.m.; in-person)
With a docent, the tour covers historical issues, changes in laws and attitudes and women's contributions. Specific women and groups from all eras and various career fields are noted to emphasize the impact women have played in establishing women's current position in the Air Force. It starts with early female aviators and grows through the last seven decades as female pioneers pushed through the barriers to become effective leaders on all Air Force subjects. It explores topics regarding women in flight, the struggle for equality, inclusion in a post-combat exclusion policy Air Force and scientific developments produced by women working in research and development.

Competency-Based Civilian Development in Today's Air Force (1 – 3 p.m.; in-person)
This presentation will allow the participant to view and discuss how to use the many tools the Air Force has created to aid in civilian development. The tools covered includes individual development plans, Air Force foundational competencies, civilian career roadmaps, identifying career field teams and Air Force/WPAFB mentoring programs, just to name a few. By using these tools, the participant will understand development as it pertains to a competency-based approach.

Thursday, 11 May 2023

Excel: Tips and Tricks (9 – 11 a.m.; virtual)
Given demonstrations and hands-on activities, participants will gain a stronger understanding of using functions/formulas. Participants will create simple functions/formulas using VLOOKUPs and HLOOKUPs.

Structured Interview Process (9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; virtual)
Structured interviews are an industry best practice to ensure the process of selections are inclusive and equitable. In non-standardized interviews, there may be a set of questions guiding the conversation, but there is little consistency across the experience for candidates. Often this is where unconscious bias can manifest itself, and candidates don’t have the same opportunity to effectively tell their story and showcase their fitness for a role.

The History and Evolution of Rocketry: Basics, Ballistics and Space (9:30 – 11:30 a.m.; in-person)
Presented by a docent, this tour will explain the evolution of “Rocketry” and the motors and vehicles they power, from the work of Robert Goddard to the achievements of the modern age. Illustrated with exhibits from the NMUSAF, it will cover rockets used on both ballistic and space missions, explaining how they differ and how they drove rocket design. It will trace the evolution of fuels, structures, control mechanisms, guidance and other elements of rocket and missile design. The tour will last approximately two hours and be oriented toward a general audience with an interest in rocketry. Questions can take the presentation to a more expert level. The audience will leave with a clearer understanding of the complexities of ballistic and space missions and of how rocket design has evolved to satisfy the requirements.

Preventing Metabolic Syndrome (12:30 – 1:30 p.m.; virtual)
The number of Americans with metabolic syndrome continues to grow with each decade. The term “metabolic syndrome” isn’t referring to metabolism in the way we often think of it, as in, “I’m going to speed up my metabolism with a cup of coffee!” Metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors that can increase your chances of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. The good news is that metabolic syndrome can be controlled, largely with changes to your lifestyle. Join CHPS to learn what factors increase your risk for metabolic syndrome, if you’re at high risk or considered to have metabolic syndrome, and what you can do through diet, exercise and stress management to manage the condition.

Leading from Your Lane (1 – 2 p.m.; virtual)
Leadership is primarily about influence. In this course you will discover habits and behaviors that will help you become a better leader, bringing value and influence to your organization no matter where you fall within the ranking system.

So, You Want to Get Promoted (1 – 2:30 p.m.; in-person)
This presentation tells you what it takes to move up in the civilian workforce, why the Air Force looks for education and training, how to set yourself up for success, how to work the process of applying for a job and how the hiring system works behind the scenes so you know the rules. It also provides tricks for successful interviewing and resume writing. It is geared toward civilians, but military can take many valuable lessons as well, especially if they or a spouse are looking to get into the civilian workforce.

Friday, 12 May 2023

Processed Foods and Health (10 – 11 a.m.; virtual)
Highly processed food has become a staple for most people in the United States, yet may have higher saturated fat, sugar and sodium content compared with less processed foods. What are processed foods? How can I tell if a product I buy is ‘highly processed’ or ‘minimally processed?’ Learn about the benefits and detriments of food processing and how to recognize common marketing and labeling tricks so you can be more in the know the next time you go grocery shopping.

A Day in the Life of 365 (1 – 3 p.m.; in-person)
This course is an introduction to using Microsoft Office 365. This course welcomes users of ALL skill levels. We explore accessing 365 productivity apps on-line, help users obtain a basic understanding of web/cloud-based Office 365 products, and offer tools to make your daily routine much more productive and effective.