Atkins University’s training programs bring together our highly-talented professionals for a unique training and teambuilding experience. We expect that you will exercise sound judgment, common sense, courtesy, and respect in line with the values and culture of Atkins throughout your involvement with the program.  

Invited participants are expected to attend the entire program, from the opening activity to the last.  These programs represent a substantial commitment to your career growth and increased ability to contribute. Attending the complete program is the minimum level of commitment expected of you in return. If there is some likelihood that project or client responsibilities will prevent you from attending fully, you and your manager should defer attendance to a later date.

During the Sessions. The programs include a full agenda of classroom sessions and related activities. You are expected to arrive on time, to be respectful of presenters and peers, and to participate in all activities. Atkins University carefully controls program schedules and provides comprehensive agendas detailing these schedules. You are expected to schedule your travel  to fit the program schedule. If you are traveling by air you should allow a minimum of two hours between arrival and scheduled start time and between scheduled end time and your departure. Please discuss any special circumstances with the appropriate Atkins University representative before finalizing travel arrangements.

Time for Non-Training Work. Because of the firm’s commitment to training activities that benefit the firm as well as the individual, the general rule during these flagship programs is that “Learning is the job. Atkins is the client.” However, we recognize that project or client emergencies do come up. Every effort is made to provide time for you to address these urgent issues outside of class time during breaks and lunches. However, these opportunities are limited. You are expected to return to class commitments on time at the end of these break periods. You and your manager are urged to plan appropriate adjustments to your workload during the period you will be in training. In many cases, connections are available on site to allow you to use your wireless-enabled laptop or e-mail device during the breaks. Using these devices or cell phones are not permitted during the training sessions, except for assigned classroom activities. You may excuse yourself from a training session in order to address urgent issues. However, credit for completed training will only be awarded per the guidelines below.

Credit for Attendance. If you miss more than 30 minutes of any individual module and more than 2 hours of training time overall you will be required to make up missed sessions as outlined below, at your division’s expense. Full credit for the training will only be awarded once all sessions are made up.  

Session Make-up. Atkins University provides three options for participants to make up missed training sessions:

• Return to a future session. 
• Attend a regional training session, if available.
• WebEx or videoconference, by special arrangement only.

Any and all expenses incurred for make-up sessions must be borne by your division. You may elect to make up the training on your own time, if appropriate. These circumstances are addressed on a case-by-case basis and must be discussed with the University staff and your manager.

Participation in Evening Activities. Scheduled evening events and gatherings are considered part of the overall training program. These may include group dinners and teambuilding or social activities. The firm believes that these events provide an excellent venue for developing relationships, sharing ideas, building bonds for future work sharing, meeting principals in the firm, etc. You are expected to participate in scheduled evening events. Any events that are optional are so noted in the agenda.

Local Staff Participation. If you are an invited participant living in the same city as the program location, you are expected to participate as fully as those traveling from out of own. This includes full attendance in the classroom during the day and attendance at scheduled evening events. You may choose to commute to and from the venue, but you are expected to arrive on time and to stay through the scheduled time of evening events.

Scheduled Evening Events  

As described above, scheduled evening events and gatherings are considered part of the overall training program. For such events Atkins often provides transportation, food, and beverages, including adult beverages.

Late Evening Events. Generally, scheduled evening events officially end at a reasonable hour, noted in the agenda. You are free to continue social activities beyond this end time if you choose. You  are expected to understand your limits and to use common sense and judgment regarding these activities. Regardless of how late you may choose to continue social activities, you are expected to be on time and fully engaged and participating at the start of the next day’s activities and throughout the day. 

Participation of Spouses or Guests. Scheduled evening events are as much a part of the learning for the program as the class time. In the same way that  spouses or guests  would not attend the classroom, they should not attend the scheduled evening events.

Expense Reimbursement. Atkins University will reimburse reasonable expenses incurred during the training programs. However, you have a responsibility to demonstrate financial restraint in the same way you would exercise fiscal caution with a client’s funds. You are expected to use common sense and restraint in the type of expenses incurred, especially for meals. Expensive meals and amenities such as cigars are not consistent with Atkins culture or policies. Blatantly excessive purchases will be scrutinized and may be deemed non-reimbursable, either charged directly to the your division or denied for payment outright. Although alcohol consumption is acceptable at scheduled evening events, individual alcohol expenses are not reimbursed by Atkins University.

Educational Assistance Policy /Professional Development Requests

Atkins North America Policy #462.0 discusses the firm’s Educational Assistance Program and/or Professional Development Requests.

RedVector Course Limits

As a learner of Atkins University, you have access to over 2,100 courses through RedVector.  At any given time, a learner can only sign up for a maximum of 12 credit hours.  Atkins University encourages you to frequently check your “My Courses” tab within your learning dashboard, available through Manage My Learning, to see how many courses you are enrolled in. 

Questions, Comments, Feedback

Atkins University and the Organizational Sponsors who oversee these programs have worked to develop and maintain professional education programs reflecting Atkins values and reputation for excellence. Our goal is that you, your divisions, and the firm as a whole will continue to realize enormous value from these programs. We value your questions and feedback in continuing to make these programs the fuel for our future success.

University Staff:

Ann Yakimovicz, Learning and Development Manager
Michelle Williams, Sr. Training Coordinator
L. Tina Brown, Training Coordinator

Organizational Sponsors:

Leadership Class – Atkins Executives and Mike Newton, Sr. VP of Human Resources, North America
Program and Project Management Training Initiatives – Project Management Office (PMO)
Program Manager Program  - Kevin Hoeflich 
Project Manager Program  - PMO
Client Service Manager Program  - Barry Schulz
Manager Essentials Program – Harry “Butch” Neal
Marketing and Business Development Institute  - Pamela Foster Brady
Championing Diversity Program  - Cecilia Green
Business Systems Training  - PMO

Rosetta Stone Language Learning Program