Applications are being accepted from staff members for UCLA’s 2014-15 Professional Development Program (PDP). The upcoming session of the free, year-long program begins this September. The deadline for applications is April 18.

Now entering its 20th year, PDP is one of UCLA’s most successful career development programs, assisting the university in the development and retention of a highly skilled, diverse and motivated professional staff. The program has a demonstrated record of enhancing skills, strengthening institutional loyalty, and broadening participants' knowledge of university affairs.

Career staff members at PSS Grades 2 - 6 (and equivalent programmer/analyst levels) are eligible to participate, with departmental endorsement.

Managers are encouraged to consider this valuable opportunity for their staff, wrote Assistant Vice Chancellor Lubbe Levin, Campus Human Resources, in an announcement to campus leaders.

“As we plan for the future, it is important to build management competencies, implement strategies to transfer institutional knowledge, and expand career growth opportunities for UCLA’s diverse workforce,” Levin wrote.

PDP features several components, including advanced skills training, mentoring, coaching, networking and career assessment. Participants work with department sponsors on special projects of importance to UCLA, enabling them to demonstrate professional skills to campus leaders.

Learn more about PDP and apply online here. For additional questions, email PDP program coordinator Julia Sanchez at JuliaSanchez@chr.ucla.edu or call her at 310-794-0853.