Project Description:
Miami Dade County Parks, Recreation, and Open Space is a part of Miami-Dade County government responsible for well-designed and maintained parks and open space, and year-round recreation programs for all ages and abilities. The Department serves mor than 2.7 million residents and 1.2 million affiliated non-residents and includes diverse services such as median strip, road shoulder, and causeway maintenance, while offering diverse programs that include summer and school break camps, sports, cultural arts, natural resource stewardship, and diverse services to the residents and many visitors to Miami-Dade County. With over 13,000 acres of land, 275 parks, 19 swimming pools and full portfolio of services, MD-PROS has 2,266 full‐time equivalent positions working in what is the 3rd largest accredited MD-PROS Parks department in the nation.
Leaders at the MD-PROS have indicated to the Eppley Center for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University that they have a significant need for developing their employees, providing them with opportunities to learn and grow that match the diversity of services and facilities in MD-PROS portfolio. Further, MD-PROS leaders have indicated they wish to utilize enhanced training to motivate and retain staff and align employee performance with strategic goals of MDCPROS. Further a reduction in park, recreation and related degree granting university programs has contributed to the need for a development academy, as MD-PROS is receiving less prepared applicants for vacancies in the agency. The overall need to better prepare newly hired employees for working in the agency, and for developing employees for promotion and retention align with creating an employee development academy.
The overall goal of this project is to create a training academy for MD-PROS by assessing current training conducted by MD-PROS, providing a recommended course of study for the employee development academy, and recommending efficient learning delivery vehicle for MD-PROS employees.
The objectives are:
• Utilize enhanced training to motivate and retain staff and align employee performance with strategic goals of MDCPROS
• Better prepare newly hired employees for working in the agency
• Develop employees for promotion and retention
This project will result in a framework for developing and implementing the Employee Academy within the MD-PROS department.
Keyword(s):
None of the above, Parks, Recreation, Professional Development
