[accordion title="What%20is%20the%20Supervisor%20and%20Manager%20Development%20Program%20(SMDP)?"]The Supervisor and Manager Development Program (SMDP) is a flexible, co-op-specific education program focused on strengthening the leadership and supervisory skills of co-op supervisors and managers so they can improve their team’s performance in the four mission-critical areas of safety, member satisfaction, reliability and cost control. The curriculum consists of courses that address various knowledge and skills required by today’s co-op supervisors. For every five credits you complete, you will earn an electronic certificate acknowledging the total number of credits you have completed. When you achieve the “20 Credit SMDP Certificate,” a printed certificate and press release (which can be used to publicly recognize your accomplishment in local media) will be mailed to your CEO.

This program is intended for a wide range of co-op staff with leadership responsibilities, from key contributors considering a supervisory role to new and experienced supervisors to mid-level managers.[/accordion]

[accordion title="How%20can%20I%20take%20the%20courses?%20Will%20the%20courses%20be%20online?"]SMDP courses are available at Cooperative University, through your statewide or co-op, and as pre-conference workshops at various NRECA conferences. NRECA is currently exploring ways to make the courses available online as well. Stay tuned![/accordion] 

[accordion title="How%20do%20I%20decide%20which%20SMDP%20courses%20to%20take?%20"]One of the benefits of the SMDP is flexibility - you get to choose which courses you take. To customize the program for your needs, determine what your knowledge and skill gaps are and register for the courses that will help you close those gaps. You may want to work with your immediate supervisor and/or human resources staff to discuss your professional goals and identify courses that support those goals. Your co-op may also specify what courses they want their staff to take.[/accordion] 

[accordion title="How%20will%20I%20show%20that%20I%E2%80%99ve%20taken%20SMDP%20courses?%20"]Once we’ve received confirmation of course attendance, we will update your NRECA attendance record. You can access that in the Member Center section of cooperative.com.

For every five credits you complete, you will earn an electronic certificate acknowledging the total number of credits you have completed. When you achieve the “20 Credit SMDP Certificate,” a printed certificate and press release (which can be used to publicly recognize your accomplishment in local media) will be mailed to your CEO.[/accordion]

[accordion title="When%20will%20I%20receive%20the%20electronic%20certificate%20for%20each%20group%20of%20five%20credits?"]The electronic certificate will be emailed approximately four weeks after the courses have been posted to your NRECA attendance record. You can access your attendance record through the Member Center section of cooperative.com.[/accordion] 

[accordion title="Who%20are%20the%20instructors?"]Our team of experienced instructors will be teaching the SMDP courses. In fact, some of them are helping with the development of the courses. As the program is further developed, we may add instructors who have co-op experience to our team.[/accordion] 

[accordion title="Why%20are%20you%20retiring%20the%20Supervisory%20Certificate%20and%20Management%20Essentials%20Certificate?"]To better meet our members’ needs. Based on the changing knowledge and skills that co-op staff need to successfully lead teams, we’re building a flexible, co-op-specific education program for staff who supervise others. The Supervisory Certificate and Management Essentials Certificate were built ten to fifteen years ago on a set of knowledge and skills that aligned with the industry and workforce trends at the time. The Supervisor and Manager Development Program is designed so that, as skills needed by co-op staff change over time, new courses can be added to the program to keep it up to date with member needs. This approach also provides flexibility and cost savings by not requiring co-op staff to take courses they may not need as they pursue their professional goals.[/accordion] 

[accordion title="I%20have%20started%20my%20Supervisory%20Certificate%20(or%20Management%20Essentials%20Certificate).%20Can%20I%20finish%20this%20program%20or%20do%20I%20have%20to%20take%20courses%20in%20the%20Supervisor%20and%20Manager%20Development%20Program?"]The choice is yours! We’ll continue to offer the Supervisory Certificate or Management Essentials Certificate courses until the end of 2018. If you want to complete either of those programs rather than take courses in the Supervisor and Manager Development Program (SMDP), you can do that until the end of 2018. You’ll receive your certificate in those programs once you’ve met the requirements.

However, if you want to start taking SMDP courses, go for it! Those courses you’ve already taken in either the Supervisory Certificate or Management Essentials Certificate count toward the SMDP. For example, those who have completed the nine half-day courses in the Supervisory Certificate will have 4.5 credits that count toward the SMDP. When they take one of the SMDP courses, they will receive an electronic certificate acknowledging their achievement of 5 credits.[/accordion]

[accordion title="Why%20aren%E2%80%99t%20you%20offering%20the%20Supervisory%20Certificate%20courses%20or%20the%20Management%20Essentials%20Certificate%20core%20courses%20at%20Cooperative%20University?"]This is the first step in transitioning to the Supervisor and Manager Development Program. We want to offer the latest-and-greatest courses to our members and reduce confusion about the various supervisory-related programs. For those who have completed the core courses in the Management Essentials Certificate and want to complete that program, we’re offering the in-person elective courses at Cooperative University. The online elective courses in the Management Essentials Certificate program will be offered through 2018.[/accordion] 

[accordion title="When%20will%20NRECA%20stop%20offering%20the%20courses%20in%20the%20Supervisory%20Certificate%20and%20Management%20Essentials%20Certificate,%20and%20where%20can%20I%20take%20these%20courses%20until%20that%20time?"]The courses in the Supervisory Certificate and Management Essentials Certificate programs will be available through onsite training by co-ops or statewide associations through 2018. The Management Essentials Certificate online courses will be offered through 2018.[/accordion] 

[accordion title="I%E2%80%99ve%20started%20working%20on%20the%20Supervisory%20Certificate%20(or%20Management%20Essentials%20Certificate)%20but%20won%E2%80%99t%20be%20able%20to%20complete%20it%20before%20the%20program%20is%20sunset%20at%20the%20end%20of%202018.%20What%20courses%20in%20the%20Supervisor%20and%20Manager%20Development%20Program%20should%20I%20take?"]Below are some recommendations. These recommendations do not imply a mandatory requirement.

If you’ve already taken these courses….	Consider taking these courses to achieve the 5-credit SMDP certificate.
Supervisory Certificate Courses: Getting Started as a Supervisor (380.05) Personal Time Management (381.05) A Supervisor's Role in Managing Change (382.05) Improving Your Effectiveness Through Communications (383.05) Total credits: 2 credits	Supervisor and Manager Development Program courses: Everyone Communicates; Few Connect: Tools for Bridging the Gap (711.1) You Can’t Do It Alone: Building a Strong Team (712.1) Engaging and Developing High-Performing Employees: Bringing Out Their Best (713.1) Total credits: 3 credits
Supervisory Certificate Courses: Getting Started as a Supervisor (380.05) Personal Time Management (381.05) A Supervisor's Role in Managing Change (382.05) Improving Your Effectiveness Through Communications (383.05) Motivating Employees (385.05) The Supervisor and Human Resources (386.05) Total credits: 3 credits	Supervisor and Manager Development Program courses: Everyone Communicates; Few Connect: Tools for Bridging the Gap (711.1) Engaging and Developing High-Performing Employees: Bringing Out Their Best (713.1) Total credits: 2 credits
Management Essentials Certificate Core Courses Advanced Workplace Communication Strategies (640.1) Leading and Managing Teams (641.1) Maximizing Employee Performance (642.1) Planning and Leading Change at Your Co-op (643.1) Total credits: 4 credits	Supervisor and Manager Development Program courses: Everyone Communicates; Few Connect: Tools for Bridging the Gap (711.1) Total credits: 1 credit
Management Essentials Certificate Elective Courses Managing Successful Projects (650.1) Negotiating and Managing Contracts (651.1) Cooperative Finance and Accounting for the Non-accountant (655.1) Crucial Conversations for Co-op Staff (657.1) Total credits: 4 credits	Supervisor and Manager Development Program courses: Engaging and Developing High-Performing Employees: Bringing Out Their Best (713.1) Total credits: 1 credit
Management Essentials Certificate Elective Courses (Online) Writing with Power - (652.1) Delegating Effectively - (653.05) Avoiding HR Pitfalls - (654.05) Conducting Effective Meetings (656.1) Total credits: 3 credits	Supervisor and Manager Development Program courses: Everyone Communicates; Few Connect: Tools for Bridging the Gap (711.1) You Can’t Do It Alone: Building a Strong Team (712.1) Total credits: 2 credits

[/accordion]

[accordion title="The%20portfolio%20of%20courses%20in%20the%20Supervisor%20and%20Manager%20Development%20Program%20seems%20less%20robust%20than%20what%20was%20available%20previously.%20Is%20this%20it?"]To more effectively meet our members’ needs, we have streamlined the number of courses, while focusing on the most important competencies needed by co-op supervisors and managers. We will continue to add courses to the Supervisor and Manager Development Program. It is designed so that as skills needed by co-op staff change over time, new courses can be added to the program so it stays up to date with member needs.[/accordion] 

[accordion title="How%20will%20I%20show%20that%20I%E2%80%99ve%20taken%20Supervisor%20and%20Manager%20Development%20Program%20courses?"]Once we’ve received confirmation of course attendance, we will update your NRECA attendance record. You can access that in the Member Center section of cooperative.com.

For every 5 credits you complete, you will earn an electronic certificate acknowledging the total number of credits you have completed. When you achieve the “20 Credit SMDP Certificate,” a printed certificate and press release (which can be used to publicly recognize your accomplishment in local media) will be mailed to your CEO.[/accordion]

[accordion title="I%20have%20completed%20my%20Supervisory%20Certificate%20(or%20Management%20Essentials%20Certificate).%20Can%20I%20enroll%20in%20the%20Supervisor%20and%20Manager%20Development%20Program?"]There is no formal enrollment process, and the program is open to all co-op staff regardless of what courses they’ve already taken. To get started, all you have to do is take one of the Supervisor and Manager Development Program (SMDP) courses, and NRECA will begin tracking your progress in the program. As an added bonus, the courses you’ve taken in either the Supervisory Certificate or Management Essentials Certificate count towards the SMDP. For example, those who have completed the nine half-day courses in the Supervisory Certificate will have 4.5 credits that count towards the SMDP. When they take one of the Supervisor and Manager Development Program courses, they will receive an electronic certificate for 5 credits.[/accordion] 

[accordion title="I%20just%20received%20my%20Supervisory%20Certificate%20(or%20Management%20Essentials%20Certificate).%20Should%20I%20earn%20a%20Supervisor%20and%20Manager%20Development%20Program%20certificate?"]Learning never stops. We encourage co-op staff to pursue the Supervisor and Manager Development Program (SMDP) certificates even if they have already achieved one or both of the Supervisory or Management Essentials Certificates. To customize the SMDP for your needs, decide what your professional goals are and sign up for the courses that support those goals; you are free to take any of the courses in any order. You may want to work with your immediate supervisor and/or human resources staff to determine your goals. Your co-op may also specify what courses they want their staff to take.[/accordion]