Executing Statewide Contracts, managing the COMMBUYS Market Center, issuing supplier diversity certifications, and implementation of the Small Business Purchasing Program are a few of the initiatives which the Operational Services Division (OSD) oversees on a daily basis. While each initiative has staff dedicated to administering and executing relevant programs, the job of the OSD Training department covers the whole spectrum.

Trainer Leslie Doughty leads a customized training for the City of Lawrence.

With a customer base of Executive Agencies, Municipalities, Quasi-public Agencies, and Vendors across the state, the Training team must educate a broad community on a broad array of products and services. To provide both internal and external audiences with the tools needed to utilize the many resources under the umbrella of OSD, the Training team offers both in-person and online educational opportunities. Led by OSD’s Director of Training, Barbara Miller, a staff of 13 professionals is responsible for developing and maintaining materials and teaching dozens of different programs.

The department offers training on how to connect your business to the Commonwealth, conducting procurements, the COMMBUYS Market Center, Supplier Diversity Office certifications, and more through a variety of methods, including:

• Instructor Led Courses
  OSD instructors lead hands-on training in Boston and around Massachusetts.

• Webinars
  Join OSD instructors and receive training from the comfort of your own desk.

• Drop-in Sessions
  Stop by to have your questions answered during these personalized, topic-based help sessions.

• Webcasts
  Learn at your own pace and on your own schedule with a library of webcasts available on the OSD website.

• Job Aids
  Download step-by-step instructions and guidance on how to utilize OSD systems and certifications.

• Customized On-site Training
  Looking to train a group of staff members? OSD trainers are available for personalized, on-site training sessions.

So far in FY15, more than 400 courses have been offered, welcoming more than 5,000 attendees. More than 12,000 people have watched the 20 webcasts available online and there currently are 39 Job Aids available for reference.*

While participants reap the benefits of a full-service training curriculum delivered in the format that best meets the student’s needs, the Training Department and, ultimately OSD, benefits from its interaction with the students. “With so many areas to cover, it’s important that we ensure that training materials remain current and comprehensive. We invite feedback from everyone who attends classes or uses our online resources, and use their responses to refresh and improve our offerings,” shared Miller. The valuable feedback obtained from students is shared with the Help Desk and the Marketing and Communications department to help understand the user’s experience with OSD’s programs and services. Job Aids, webinars, and course materials are updated frequently, and new classes are created as needed. With the pending launch of COMMBUYS Phases II and III later this summer, the team is currently developing classes to help users navigate the new features of the e-procurement system.

For answers to basic questions regarding Training, visit the FAQ page.

For more information on OSD offerings, visit the website at http://www.mass.gov/osd/.

*Numbers reported from OSD’s Training Department as of April 10, 2015.

Tags: certification, COMMBUYS, Job Aids, Operational Services Division, Procurement, Purchasing, Small Business Purchasing Program, Supplier Diversity, Training, Webcasts, Webinars