Kirkwood Community College, Diversity Focus partner to launch Diversity Beyond Labels training

We Create Here was an initiative within the Gazette Company to develop evolving narratives and authentic conversations throughout Iowa's Creative Corridor. read more

Kirkwood Community College and Diversity Focus are partnering to launch a new online training course called Diversity Beyond Labels.

Diversity Beyond Labels is designed to give all Corridor companies a chance to train employees in the areas of diversity and inclusion.

The first two phases of the four part training have already been developed, said Amy Lasack, Kirkwood's director of training and outreach services.

The first, hour-long phase is computer-based training that covers how diversity impacts individuals and what diversity is, Lasack said.

"Our hope is that individuals will take the online class but then also companies might be interested in looking at ways to purchase Diversity Beyond Labels, the computer training for their employees and just get the conversation started about diversity," she said.

The training is $59 for an individual or $550 for ten seats. Lasack said Kirkwood and Diversity Focus plan to use profits from the sale of the training to eventually develop additional training.

The second phase includes eight hours of face to face training. The focus of this part of the training is to give participants a better understanding of diversity and inclusion in the business community.

"It allows folks to get more involved in the discussion, understand and role play, how to handle certain situations," Lasack said. "If they're in a group setting and something is said, how do you handle that? How do you recognize characteristics of a team that embraces the inclusion piece of diversity? How do you figure out effective communication to support a diverse workforce?"

Companies can also choose to break the training into smaller, four-hour sessions.

Kirkwood plans to work with Diversity Focus to eventually tailor the training to specific industries such as education or law enforcement.

"Working with Diversity Focus, one of the things that we talk about all the time in the area is wanting to really have an inviting feel in the Corridor, an inviting feel as an employer," Lasack said. "Being able to provide training so that everybody can help make that happen, that's really our motivation."

For more information, contact Amy Lasack at amy.lasack@kirkwood.edu.