From pilot to program

What started as a summer pilot now fuels year-round growth. Explore how Yale’s C&T Training helps staff build skills and momentum campuswide.

The event space buzzes as more than 250 staff members mingle among seating areas draped with Yale-blue tablecloths. Many reconnect with friends or former colleagues they’ve met over the years. Smiles, laughter, and voices permeate the air. A new season of the Clerical and Technical (C&T) Training and Development series is about to begin.

Humble beginnings

Formed in 2011 as a small summer pilot by Cathy Vellucci, retired lead administrator of business operations in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, along with union stewards Ann DeLauro and Marcy Kaufman, this training program has grown into a year-round initiative. In 2017, university leadership and representatives from Labor Union Local 34 agreed to annual funding to support the training series, which equips staff with essential soft and technical skills and fosters both personal and professional growth.

“The first summer was a pilot with about ten staff participating and volunteers teaching,” said DeLauro, administrative coordinator in the Department of Italian Studies. “After survey feedback from Local 34 members, we learned people wanted more promotional and skill-building opportunities. The next year, we launched the C&T Summer Training program.”

Enhanced offerings

The Best Practices team that manages the program has taken a thoughtful approach to continuous improvement, guided by the C&T Training and Development Committee.

Together, the committee and Best Practices team collaborate with Local 34 employees, managers, and Yale Human Resources partners to understand learning needs and to develop skill-enhancing classes and tools that focus on improved job performance and career mobility. These include technical self-assessment tools and learning resources that cover career navigation, business knowledge, and systems expertise.

“We do attendee surveys after every class and take that feedback to the committee when deciding tweaks or additions to our course offerings. As a result, we’ve expanded technical options and added campus tours, such as the Grove Street Cemetery and Sterling Memorial Library,” said Lorraine Skibitcky, Best Practices facilitator.

“Microsoft classes remain in high demand because they directly translate to job skills,” she said. “The campus tours are popular because they provide details about Yale’s physical landscape, and staff learn about career opportunities in areas new to them.”

In 2025, C&T staff enrolled in more than 50 virtual and in-person courses, including Microsoft Excel Basics, Business Etiquette, and How to Navigate Workplace Change. Each June, the training sessions kick off with a half-day themed event that includes an inspirational speaker, fun activity, and breakfast. The theme for 2026 is Communication.

“Every year, this opening session fills up within days after registration goes live,” said Pamela Cox, training and development support specialist. “It’s gotten so popular that for this year, we moved it to the Omni New Haven Hotel’s ballroom, which accommodates up to 350 people.”

Year-round options

C&T staff are entitled to no less than 30 hours of training per year and are encouraged to work with their supervisors to plan for coverage within their department. While this program is targeted at this staff population, the team also collaborates with the New Haven Hiring Initiative and New Haven Works to offer options to local residents.

“The summer sessions run from June to August, but we offer classes year-round,” said Toby Bates, associate director of Best Practices. “We also create customized courses for departments that help build specific skills. Group learning is beneficial because everyone learns together, and managers are supportive of this setup,”

Furthering your career

Yale staff members, Linda Torres and Keith Mazzadra have participated in and benefited from this program.

“I attended my first kickoff event in 2017,” said Mazzadra, senior administrative assistant. “The whole experience really made an impact on me. What impressed me is that not only does Yale want you to do well in your current career, but they also want you to further it.”

Torres, who was promoted earlier this year to financial analyst in Financial Planning & Analysis, said this program helped her gain technical experience and make the adjustment from recent college graduate to full-time working professional.

“I was a communications major in college,” said Torres. “Within the C&T program, I took several Excel courses and Business Etiquette, all of which helped me expand on what I had learned as a New Haven Promise intern and navigate workplace culture. As a result, I had more confidence to take on challenging responsibilities within my department, which directly led to my current promotion.”