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You may have seen the front-page, above-the-fold story last week in the Seattle Times about Microsoft's proposal for large American employers to pay a hefty increase in the fees charged for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)-related work visas, known as H-!B visas, in exchange for lifting the limit on such visas. Here is the link.

H-1B visas allow U.S. companies to bring in highly skilled foreign workers, such as computer scientists and engineers, to work in the U.S. for an extended period of time. Many U.S. firms, in particular high-tech companies like Microsoft, contend the Hi-B program is necessary, because there are not enough U.S. workers who possess the requisite skills. However, the H1-B visa program has bcome increasingly controversial over the years, because many Americans see the program as a means for U.S. companies to displace high wage American workers with foreign workers willing to work for less. Persistent high unemployment in this country has only added fuel to the fire.

Microsoft is proposing to increase the current $1,500 fee per H1-B visa to $10,000. The proposed increase will bring in an estimated $500 million a year. Microsoft wants the money to pay for more teacher training in STEM subjects and to subsidize more computer science courses to train young American college students for STEM jobs. In effect, Microsoft is proposing an exchange granting many more visas immediately so companies can bring in more foreign workers to address skill shortages, coupled with a long-term plan to fill the high-tech jobs pipeline with trained American workers.

From the WLP public policy perspective, the good news is that Microsoft is taking a very public position acknowledging the skills-gap issue and is proposing that American companies pay some serious money to the government to address the problem. The less appealing aspect is that Microsoft is not proposing to use any of the money on retraining adult workers, in effect ignoring the huge social issue of long-term unemployment.

I have brought this issue to the attention of National ASTD staff and the Public Policy Council. They have expressed interest in studying the issue and exploring ways to engage Microsoft in a dialog to improve the proposal.

What are your views on this issue? Public policy will play an increasing role in -- and impact on -- our profession. The only question is whether we will work to influence workforce development to benefit society and the work we do.

William "Bud" Wurtz, PhD
Public Resource Information and Strategies

Intrepid Learning, ASTDps’s partner on the Innovation Initiative, is presenting a free webinar on “The Innovation Worker: A Commitment to Organizational Creativity” on Wednesday, September 26th at 11 AM.
The session’s description captures perfectly what the Innovation Initiative is about:
“Innovation is no longer in the hands of the few; it should be cultivated, supported and sought after to empower all employees to be active participants in every department in your organization. The new “innovation workers” should be partnered with, relied upon, and admired for their daily influence on every part of your business, large or small.
“It’s the responsibility of the organization to partner with their innovation workers to empower them to be innovative and creative. Join JD Dillon, Director of Learning Development for Kaplan University with Judy Albers, Director of Client Management to explore how to build an overall organizational philosophy that invests in innovative talent in the same way they might invest in monetary assets.”

The webinar will explore how to build an overall organizational philosophy that invests in innovative talent in the same way they might invest in monetary assets. So participate in this session and open the door to creativity by:
• Understanding how an organization needs to integrate innovation into every facet of their business
• Evaluate the role of innovation worker and their significant influence over the way today’s business operates
• How empowered employees can foster change in a creative organization
• The value of an organizational mission statement for today’s employee

Elevate your training to a virtual level with asynchronous e-learning programs.

The two-day program helps you develop individualized, asynchronous e-learning experiences that motivate learners to change their behavior. Invigorate your traditional instructional design with fresh e-learning techniques based on examples from organizations who have implemented successful asynchronous virtual training programs. Particular attention is paid to how to create instructional design solutions from scratch. This is not a tools or webinar training class and does not address issues of designing and delivering live, virtual instructor-led webinars. The focus is on skillfully meeting instructional design challenges in any industry, and on applying principles of effective e-learning to individualized asynchronous tutorials, games, simulations and other e-learning models.

The two-day program helps you develop e-learning experiences that motivate learners to change their behavior. Invigorate your traditional instructional design with fresh e-learning techniques based on examples from organizations who have implemented successful virtual training programs.

The E-Learning Instructional Design Certificate Program starts Thursday, September 20, 2012 at New Horizons, 11808 Northup Way, Suite 270, Bellevue, WA 98005. The workshop begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m. each day.

Product Code: ELSE0912

http://store.astd.org/Default.aspx?tabid=167&ProductId=22678

We submitted a “Sharing Our Success” (SOS) best practice for our VP of Finance Succession Planning process, and achieved CORE compliance for 2011undefinedso we are being acknowledged with this honor!  The Chapter Recognition Committee was impressed with our submission because it is an example of best practice onboarding when it comes to your VP of Finance. This method ensures that nothing slips through the cracks and also provides the individual in that position with a clear directive on his/her goals.

Because of this award, our chapter received a Free ASTD Learning System, a cash prize, a letter of recognition from the President & CEO of ASTD National, Tony Bingham, and recognition in a number of National websites and newsletters!  We’re excited to announce this award to all of you!

This demonstrates that your current Board of Directors work very hard to create and implement best practices for the field of workplace learning and its professional ASTD chapter.  Thank you for your support and sharing in our excitement!

The University of Washington offers the certificate in E-Learning Design and Development, a 9-month online program that engages adult professionals in the concepts and best practices of e-learning. Explore approaches to e-learning, instructional designs, tools and procedures for e-learning environments. Discover how to effectively assess program content and usability. Learn the best ways to launch and manage e-learning programs. Gain hands-on experience creating a project of your choice using strategies and techniques acquired during the program. The 2012-13 program begins in early October. The application deadline is September 30.
http://www.pce.uw.edu/certificates/elearning-design-development/web-autumn-2012/

Eggs & Issues Governmental Training Consortium

The ASTD Puget Sound chapter is looking to build a local government training consortium to improve the quality of public services by developing, accessing and expanding learning resources for public agencies. If you are from a local, state or federal governmental agency and interested in increasing communication among agencies to share best practices and strengthening the practitioner community, come and join us in an Eggs & Issues focus group. You’ll be joining training representatives from Pierce Transit, Renton Federal Reserve Police, City of Seattle, King County and the US District Court Western District of Washington. Our first meeting is on July 19th, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.  at Endolyne Joe’s at 9261 45th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98136. It will be a no-host breakfast if desired. If you are interested in participating, please contact Sandra Wong at Sandra.wong@seattle.gov or call at 206.684.7608. 

ASTDps members - don't forget to cast your vote for President-elect.  Ballots were sent out last week via e-mail.

Taught by Diane Darling, this is half-day, focused program for people who want to invest in themselves by organizing and strengthening their networking strategies and skills.

Why call it a retreat? It's a retreat from your daily work, be it doing sales calls, attending meetings, running your own business, or looking for a job -- it's time just for you!

Weds, June 20th, 8:30am - 12 noon, 2100 Building.
Click here for more information and register today!

The human mind is capable of fantastic things. Once new material or skills are learned and the mind is changed, it never goes back to its original shape. The challenge for trainers is to create an environment and deliver information that taps into the full potential of a learner’s brain. This can be done through novelty, change, and many other concepts that brain-based researchers have found enhances the ability to acquire, retain and recall information.

To register and to get more information:

The Creative Trainer: Strategies to Make Your Learning Events Sizzle

Next ASTD meeting:  7:30 - 9:30 a.m. is at a different location!

South Bellevue Community Center, 14509 SE Newport Way, Bellevue, WA 98009

This experiential presentation will share best practices for developing and delivering a Virtual Training Workshop.  We have all participated in the painful and drawn out Virtual sessions where learning does NOT take place.  This presentation will share based on real experience, how Virtual Training can be brought to life, how participants can be engaged and how effective learning can take place.