Frequently Asked Questions - BPM - Grow Today

BPM Part 1: Grow Today is part of the Foundational Skills Required Training for all people leaders on our campus. As such, completion of the courses is an important part of the Achieve Together performance program.

For policy-represented employees (PPSM) (i.e., those who are part of the Achieve Together performance program), if they have not completed their Foundational Skills Required Training, they should receive a "Needs Attention" in the Job Mastery Achievement Criteria. Receiving only 1 Needs Attention does not preclude someone from receiving a salary increase or merit. Please see the Achieve Together Salary Increase or Merit page for the criteria for PPSM employees to be eligible for a salary increase or merit. 

For Union Represented employees, if they have not completed their Foundational Skills Required Training, this should be noted in their annual performance review document as not complying with a key part of their job (required training). 

Playbooks and other additional resources pertaining to a particular module can be found under Resources in the upper right-hand corner of the course window once the module has been launched.

The Berkeley People Management series and certificate program is about people-to-people work. It is designed to follow the arc of a person’s people management career at UC Berkeley – from aspiring to move into supervision to the knowledge needed to navigate policies and procedures at UC Berkeley, the skills necessary to engage teams, and finally, the leadership skills required for strategic success on our campus and beyond. 

No, the BPM Knowledge Assessment is not a quiz that checks for learning from the BPM Part 1: Grow Today courses. Rather, each course has knowledge checks built in that check what you have learned.

Instead, the BPM Knowledge Assessment has been designed to provide you with a guide on where to go next. After completing BPM Part 1: Grow Today, the BPM Knowledge Assessment will help you determine where you might still have knowledge gaps related to critical people management areas and guide you to other learning opportunities to fill those gaps.

The UC Learning Center is updated manually for every person who has completed the BPM Knowledge Assessment. Our Program Manager does this each month, approximately on the 15th and the 30th/31st. Check your status in the UC Learning Center shortly after the 16th or the 1st of the month to see your completion status.

The BPM Knowledge Assessment is not an exam (so there is no grade requirement). It is an assessment tool to help guide learning. The assessment helps identify your current knowledge (specific to UC Berkeley) in nine critical people management areas: Compensation and Classification, Complaints and Grievances, Disciplinary Action, Health and Safety, Leave and Disability Management, Payroll and Timekeeping, Performance Management, Personnel Policies and Contracts, and Recruiting and Hiring. 

In addition to receiving an overall score on the assessment, scores in each subsection are provided. Rather than focusing on the overall score, look specifically at the scores received in each sub-section. For any sub-section in which your score is less than 70%, it is suggested that you take advantage of the learning resources provided to shore up knowledge gaps related to that particular sub-section. 

As an aside, the assessment will allow you to send the report to yourself, or yourself and your manager. While sending the report to your manager is not required, we highly recommend it to start an ongoing conversation about your development needs and desires with your manager.

Once your identified gaps from the assessment are shored up, you can further develop your knowledge and skills in other areas of people management by exploring the resources available to you on our GROW page. You might, for example, decide to register for the workshops from BPM Part 2: Grow Your Knowledge and/or BPM Part 3: Grow Your Team. For senior campus leaders (M1s and above), there is also the BPM Part 4: Grow the Organization cohort-based program, designed to equip leaders with the skills and support essential for strategic success at UC Berkeley.

BPM Part 1: Grow Today is part of the Foundational Skills Required Training

Supervisors and Managers with direct reports listed in UCPath are assigned the 17 modules of the BPM Part 1: Grow Today training series through the UC Learning Center.  This assigned training series must be completed within six (6) months from when it is assigned to a supervisor or manager. 

Faculty and Lecturers with staff direct reports listed in UCPath are requested to complete (at a minimum) the BPM: Academic Leader Bundle through the UC Learning Center. This Bundle includes the six (6) UC Managing Implicit Bias courses and two (2) courses from the BPM Part 1: Grow Today series and will provide a great foundation of people management knowledge for campus faculty and lecturers who manage staff.  

Yes!  We have created specific training for faculty and lecturers who supervise staff. The BPM: Academic Leader Bundle includes the six (6) UC Managing Implicit Bias courses and two (2) courses from the BPM Part 1: Grow Today series. The BPM: Academic Leader Bundle is part of the Foundational Skills Required Training for Faculty and Lecturers. 

The BPM Part 1: Grow Today training is assigned in the UC Learning Center to those with direct reports listed in UCPath. If someone is leading a team but is an individual contributor without direct reports, they would not be assigned to take the training. 

Any individual looking into moving towards people management, including supervising student staff, is welcome to complete courses in the BPM Part 1: Grow Today training series even if they have not been assigned the course in the UC Learning Center.

Yes. The program provides a strategic level of foundational knowledge about leadership, management, and supervision that is helpful for all people managers as they navigate the opportunities related to managing anyone, regardless of the level or appointment percentage.

And since the BPM Part 1: Grow Today training is assigned in the UC Learning Center to those with direct reports listed in UCPath, it will be automatically assigned to you.

The 17 BPM Part 1: Grow Today modules are automatically assigned in the UC Learning Center to anyone with direct reports listed in UCPath (excluding Faculty and Lecturers). Because they are assigned as required courses, you can easily see your completion status by going to the UC Learning Center Home page and clicking the Required Training (Training Analysis) button. Be sure to scroll to the right side of the page to the Assignment Status column. If your Assignment Status is “Attended” then you have completed that course. 

Your manager or supervisor can also see your list of required courses on their Manager Dashboard and can assist you in knowing what courses in the BPM Part 1: Grow Today series you still need to complete.  

Another way to track your progress is to use this worksheet to see the courses that make up BPM Part 1: Grow Today and the approximate time to complete each course.

Please Note: Should you decide to restart any course in order to review the materials or refresh your learning (something that we encourage you to do, as needed), your “Completion Status” on your Transcript will not change; you will still be credited with completing the course. If you look at the Grow Today Bundle in the UC Learning Center, the status of “In Progress” will show for any course you have started/restarted and not completed, including a course you have previously completed. There is no need to worry about that status, as again, your transcript will remain unchanged. 

Individuals can print the certificate of completion directly from their transcript in the UC Learning Center.

• From the UC Learning Center home page, click on Transcript & Certificates (purple box on the main screen).

• On the top of the page, change the Date Range to All
• Hit Ctrl+F and type Grow Today in the search box.
• You will see Curriculum: BPM Part 1: Grow Today.
• Print your certificate by clicking the picture icon to the left of the name (which looks like a certificate).
• Once selected, the certificate will pop up and allow you to print it. 

Here's the easiest way to find the BPM Part 1: Grow Today eCourses:

• Go to the UC Learning Center

• Enter “Grow Today Bundle” in the learning search bar

• Click on Grow Today Bundle to view all 16 eCourses (this page will also tell you if you have completed a course, if it is in progress, or if you have not yet started it)

• Enter “Berkeley People Management Knowledge Assessment” in the learning search bar

• Click on Berkeley People Management Knowledge Assessment to start the last part of the requirement

You can use this worksheet to track your progress. 

For faculty and lecturers, here's the easiest way to find the BPM: Academic Leader Bundle:

• Go to the UC Learning Center

• Enter “Academic Leader Bundle” in the learning search bar

• Click on BPM: Academic Leader Bundle to view the 8 eCourses that make up this bundle (this page will also tell you if you have completed a course, if it is in progress, or if you have not yet started it)

Aspiring campus leaders have the benefit of being able to prepare for a people management position in advance of interviewing for the role. While earning a certificate is not an assured path to being offered a new position, this requirement enhances the candidate’s skills, giving internal candidates an advantage in an incredibly competitive labor market while supporting UC Berkeley in developing talent from within. 

Time spent on professional development is not a “loss of time” but a productive use of time because it enhances an employee’s skills and supports their professional growth.  Both benefit the University. Employees of UC Berkeley are employees of the entire institution, not just one particular department or unit. More than ever, continuous growth and development are critical to maintaining our staff's excellence and supporting the campus' mission. 

UC Berkeley supports staff professional development through systemwide Procedure 50, which states that "non-probationary career employees are eligible for up to 80 hours (non-exempt) or 10 work days (exempt) release time (prorated based on appointment) per calendar year for professional development, which should be career-ladder related." In addition, UC Berkeley has our own policy created to further support the professional development of all staff. The institution as a whole is absorbing the “cost” of professional development to support retention of a highly skilled workforce.

Time spent on professional development is “regular work,” and therefore, it is recorded as “straight time,” not "vacation" or some other type of leave. UC Berkeley supports staff professional development through systemwide Procedure 50 (in accordance with Policy PPSM-50), which states that "non-probationary career employees are eligible for up to 80 hours (non-exempt) or 10 workdays (exempt) release time (prorated based on appointment) per calendar year for professional development, which should be career-ladder related." In addition, UC Berkeley has created our own policy to further support the professional development of all staff. The institution as a whole is absorbing the “cost” of professional development to support retention of a highly skilled workforce.

The UC Systemwide People Management Certificate program is a systemwide program. To earn this certificate, a person must take 16 core courses and 4 elective courses across four UCOP-determined competencies. 

Included in the 16 core courses for the UCSPMC are the requirements for the UC Managing Implicit Bias Certificate, also a systemwide certificate series.

The BPM Part 1: Grow Today series includes the 16 core courses required for the UCSPMC and one additional requirement, the Berkeley People Management Knowledge Assessment. This means that once the BPM Part 1: Grow Today series is completed, an employee will have earned two certificates: BPM Part 1: Grow Today and UC Managing Implicit Bias. In addition, they will be only four courses away from completing a third certificate, the UCSPMC. Those who complete the UCSPMC are eligible to attend UCOP's  UC People Management Conferencein Los Angeles.

Begin by reviewing your results from the Berkeley People Management Knowledge Assessment. Rather than focusing on the overall score, look specifically at the scores received in each sub-section of the Assessment. For any sub-section in which your score is less than 70%, use the learning resources provided to shore up knowledge gaps related to that sub-section. 

You should also visit UC Berkeley’s GROW webpage to explore all the learning and development resources available through Berkeley People & Culture.

As you explore, partner with your manager to create a professional development plan to strengthen any areas you wish to develop. The plan might include attendance in suggested workshops, individual coaching from your manager or a Career Coach from Berkeley People & Culture, participation in one of our campus’s many Staff Organizations, on-the-job stretch assignments, and so much more!

The Berkeley People Management program consists of four certificate series, touched on briefly below:  

The BPM Part 1: Grow Today series is designed for everyone. This fully online workshop series is designed for all staff, from seasoned people leaders to those desiring to become managers, supervisors, or team leads. Seasoned people leaders can use these content refreshers for pertinent people management information. Aspiring leaders can use these quick learning experiences to gain a sense of the breadth of knowledge and depth of responsibility required for a campus leadership role.

There is no time limit for completing this series of courses unless you have been assigned this training because you are a manager/supervisor. Managers/supervisors have six (6) months to complete this training.

The BPM Part 2: Grow Your Knowledge and BPM Part 3: Grow Your Team series are best suited to individuals with current and/or previous people management experience. This can be the supervision of direct reports, volunteers, students, etc. and/or a leadership role in a staff organization or project team, in either a current or previous role. As long as the individual has engaged in overseeing the work of others in some capacity (now or in the past), they will have the background necessary for engaging in the interactive portions of each workshop.

The BPM Part 2: Grow Your Knowledge series provides instructor-led workshops using the Zoom platform to share and help participants learn and practice the knowledge necessary to navigate policies and procedures in our unique campus environment.

The BPM Part 3: Grow Your Team series (also delivered via an expert facilitator using the Zoom platform) provides learning and practice opportunities related to the skills needed to engage teams for ultimate group success at UC Berkeley.

Once the Part 2 or Part 3 series is started, an individual has two years to complete the entire series. This means that once a person takes their first workshop in either series, they have two years from that date to complete the remaining workshops in that particular series to be eligible to receive the certificate for that series.

For example, the BPM Part 3: Grow Your Team certificate has 10 components. If you started this series by taking BPM 207 Leading Change on July 9, 2024, you have until July 9, 2026, to finish all 10 components required for the BPM Part 3: Grow Your Team certificate.

We require a two-year window to complete BPM Parts 2 and 3 as course materials are continually updated due to the changing nature of the workforce and the evolution of employment policies.

The BPM Part 4: Grow the Organization series is a cohort-based program for senior campus leaders (M1s and above and PPSM staff with large programmatic responsibilities). It offers in-person workshops, a 360° leadership assessment, and integrated group coaching to equip leaders with the skills essential for strategic success at UC Berkeley and the support necessary to bring their best selves to the role. Participants complete this cohort series over a ten-week period.

The time to complete the online content for the BPM Part 1: Grow Today series and the BPM: Academic Leader Bundle varies depending on how deep and reflective you choose to be. That's the beauty of self-paced, online learning! The BPM Part 1: Grow Today curriculum takes at least 9 hours to view. The BPM: Academic Leader Bundle takes about 4 hours to view. Each training module includes a “playbook” and additional resources for use during the session and afterward for reference. Individuals can spend additional time (generally 15-35 minutes per module) with these materials and resources at their discretion.

Please view this worksheet to get a general idea of the length of each eCourse.

The BPM Part 1: Grow Today series must be completed only once. While the series does not need to be completed more than once, managers, supervisors, and team leads are encouraged to use these modules as content refreshers for pertinent people management information as often as is useful, and to refer back to the playbooks that are listed in the Resource link in all of the BPM Part 1: Grow Today eCourse windows. 

No. No other workshops fulfill the BPM Part 1: Grow Today certificate requirements.

The Berkeley People Management program replaced the former campus supervisory program, Keys to Enhance Your Supervisory Success (KEYS). Workshops in the KEYS program were last taught in 2017. Content taken towards completion of any KEYS program certificates will not be counted towards completion of any Berkeley People Management certificates, as workshop materials are continually updated due to the changing nature of the workforce and the evolution of employment policies.

Yes. Regardless of other training you have completed, this requirement is a stand-alone requirement for all employees who manage staff.

The BPM Part 1: Grow Today training is required because it includes content critical to supporting the success of our employees and ensuring that supervisors and managers have the skills necessary to create a thriving, safe, and inclusive workplace at UC Berkeley. 

If managers and supervisors fail to complete these basic courses, we can expose our community to potential harm and the University, as well as ourselves, to legal liability and reputational damage.

UC Berkeley leadership believes that professional development is important for everyone and that having this requirement will benefit the entire workforce. It is not viewed as a punitive measure because of widespread poor management skills. We understand the power of having a growth mindset; continuous growth and development are critical to maintaining our staff's excellence and supporting the campus's mission. 

People management policies, practices, and collective bargaining agreements are complex, and everyone can benefit from dedicating some time to refreshing and practicing their leadership skills. In addition, promoting equity, inclusion, and belonging across the entire campus benefits everyone. Creating a common language and ensuring a common understanding of baseline knowledge benefits the whole institution. 

Due to the changing nature of the workforce and the evolution of employment policies, content refreshers are prudent for even the most seasoned professional. The required training helps ensure we are all working in a safe, respectful, inclusive, and welcoming environment, goals we all aspire to.

BPM Part 1: Grow Today was designed with new and experienced managers in mind. Even our most experienced and highly trained managers can benefit from refreshing and updating their management skills. More than ever, continuous growth and development are critical to maintaining our staff's excellence and supporting the campus's mission.  

People management policies, practices, and collective bargaining agreements are complex, and everyone can benefit from dedicating some time to refreshing and practicing their leadership skills. In addition, promoting equity, inclusion, and belonging across the entire campus benefits everyone. Creating a common language and ensuring a common understanding of baseline knowledge benefits the whole institution. Due to the changing nature of the workforce and the evolution of employment policies, content refreshers are prudent for even the most seasoned professional.