JULY 2007

University of Maryland Office of Professional Studies Launches New Professional Development Center

The University of Maryland Office of Professional Studies announces the establishment of the Professional Development Center. Through one of our partners, the National Business Services Alliance (NBSA), the Professional Development Center will provide innovative skill and knowledge assessment tools to help organizations better identify and address their workforce development needs.

"The new Professional Development Center will build upon OPS's existing professional programs and comprehensive services to provide value-added learning solutions for organizations," says Dr. Judith Broida, Associate Provost and Dean, Office of Professional Studies. "By using NBSA's innovative and proven method to objectively evaluate employees, we will be able to develop effective learning solutions for individuals, teams, or organizations that meet specific job requirements."

"We look forward to working with the University of Maryland's Office of Professional Studies to implement human capital development and certification programs that are guided by the highest standards and commitments to education, job training and career development," said Dan Steneker, Founder and CEO of National Business Services Alliance.

OPS will utilize the assessment tool CView, which provides a visual representation of the skills and knowledge of an individual or group in performing a specific job when compared to national standards. Developed by CE Technologies Inc., the tool is a combination of an employee's self-assessed and tested job skills, extracted through self-reporting and computer adaptive testing.

In addition to needs assessments, OPS will continue to develop and deliver customized learning solutions—from one-day workshops to full master's degrees to groups of 10 or more employees.

"The University of Maryland looks forward to combining our strengths with NBSA's existing network of partnerships to build a mutually beneficial relationship, " says Provost Nariman Farvardin.

According to Dean Broida, "The Professional Development Center is an extension of what we do best—provide real-world, customized, and flexible educational programs for government and industry. It was a natural fit."