3.7. Professional Development

Recognizing the importance of continual professional growth and development, TMS allocates a portion of the operational budget for this purpose each year. TMS encourages the development of employees through supervision, in-service training, staff meetings, mandatory job-specific training requirements, workshops, seminars and conferences and formalized training at post-secondary institutions. Professional development goals and objectives will be determined annually in accordance with TMS strategic goals and objectives. The majority of the professional development funds will be directed to TMS initiated training which advances the strategic goals of the School. School initiated training must be approved by the Head of School and the Chief Administrative Officer. A smaller percentage of annual funding will be made available to support employee-initiated training. Supervisors must approve employee-initiated training. TMS may reimburse up to 100% of the cost of this training for regular full-time employees under the following conditions: ● A PD Request form must be submitted and approved by both the Supervisor and Human Resources prior to enrolment in any training course or program ● The training must be of direct benefit to the employee’s current job ● Funds are available within a Department’s Professional Development budget ● Reimbursement will occur only after initial payment by the employee, submission of relevant receipts and documented evidence of successful completion of the course ● The Supervisor may limit or disallow funding in order to ensure equitable allocation among departmental staff ● Faculty who are taking courses to improve their placement on the salary grid will not be compensated for the expenses of these courses

TMS reserves the right to determine the School’s professional development goals annually and to change or amend this policy at any time without notice.