LearnOn Ongoing Learning and Professional Development Program at SlideShare

At SlideShare, we want to build an internet company that ranks amongst the world’s best. We strive to foster a culture of creativity that gives employees ample scope to implement their ideas, while working on challenging problems. And SlideShare values the spirit of open and shared learning, as is evinced best by what we have built – one of the world’s largest platforms for professional and educational content that is largely free and unrestricted in access. Apart from the organic learning at work, we want to provide employees with an avenue for accelerated learning in areas of their interest. We want employees to expand their knowledge base and explore new areas. In view on this, SlideShare is launching LearnOn, an employee program aimed at ongoing learning and professional development . This program will help employees upgrade their skills and develop themselves professionally and academically. LearnOn has four components

1. Online Certification Opportunities for all employees 2. In person Agile Training for Senior Engineers 3. Opportunities for attending skill building conferences/workshops (Case by Case basis) 4. In house training on general skills for all employees

In Person Agile Training for Senior Software Engineers

Purpose: The purpose of this training is to equip Senior developers with an understanding of agile development practises and imbibe its methods. If you a Senior Software Engineer and have spent at least 18 months in the company, SlideShare will sponsor you for an in person training in Agile methods. We will expect you to participate actively in the training, bring back learnings and help spread that in the rest of the team. The course will be selected from one of these two a) Good Agile (http://www.goodagile.com/) Length: 2 days Where: Bangalore & Gurgaon (they have a yearly calendar) Cost: app $595 b) Scrum Master Training (http://scrumfoundation.com/classes/asia/in) Length: 2 days Cost: app $750 Location: Regularly in Bangalore, sometimes in Delhi In case of outstation travel, hotel & travel costs will be borne by the company. To be eligible, your performance in the organisation as measured by the Performance Appraisal System should not fall below the 60% stage (or its equivalent in the current or future appraisal schemas) for at least two previous appraisal cycles at the time of the training.

Online Certification Opportunities for all employees

Purpose: Online education has become increasingly popular and the goal of these courses is to educate yourself in an online classroom setting while you are working in a job. And the learning has higher impact since you can relate it to your work. Eligibility Criterion and Rules 1. Depending on the length of your employment with SlideShare, you can get reimbursements for

online certifications as given below:

After completing 12 months, course reimbursements worth 500$ during Year 2.

After completing 24 months, course reimbursements worth 750$ during Year 3.

After completing 36 months, course reimbursements worth $1000 during Year 4.

After completing 48 months, course reimbursements worth $1250 during Year 5 and every year after.

Please note that this is not an entitlement or allowance, but a reimbursement for online certificates obtained by you if it complies with the rules of LearnOn. And clubbing across different periods in not allowed.

2. For each stage, you can start the course only after the qualifying period is over. There has to be an official communication to the company about your interest in the course. Once you have obtained the permission, you can apply for admission for the course, fulfil its criterion and register for the course.

3. The minimum duration of the course should be one month. Maximum duration should be 12

months. You will have to attend regular office work hours during this period, without any reduction and fulfil all your responsibilities. If there is a term ending examination, a one day leave will be sanctioned to take the examination.

4. The course should be broadly related to what you do (though it does not need to be directly

related to your work). For example, a developer cannot take a cooking or candle making course. However, a developer can take a database or a usability course.

5. How to take a course under LearnOn:

First of all, make sure it's on the approved list of courses and that you fulfil SlideShare’s criteria for taking a course.

You should be a regular employee for the entire duration of the course (notice periods excluded).

You should fulfil the length of employment criteria as described in "Length of Employment".

Your performance in the organisation as measured by the Performance Appraisal System should not fall below the 60% stage (or its equivalent in the current or future appraisal schemas) for at least two previous appraisal cycles at the time of the course application and its duration.

6. After making sure you meet eligibility criteria, get permission from SlideShare. You will be

required to complete an application form showing that you are committed to completing the course, and other requirements.

7. Once the form is completed, you can proceed to apply for the course and go on to complete it.

Once your course is over, you will have to submit some documents (completion certificate etc), and SlideShare will reimburse you the eligible amount within 30 days.

8. If the course is more expensive than your approved cost, you can pay for the rest of the course

yourself. SlideShare will reimburse only as per the prescribed limits. 9. You have to be a regular employee of SlideShare for the entire duration of the course (till

reimbursement). In case you decide to leave midway, the reimbursement will not be done, and prior permission (if obtained earlier) will stand cancelled.

10. If you do not complete the course and drop out midway, then part reimbursement will not be

made. The initial list of approved courses are given below. This list will be expanded as more courses get approved. And we will try to cover all disciplines – Engineering, Design, General Management, Project Management, Social Sciences etc. Please note that only courses from globally renowned universities and accredited institutions will be allowed. Employees can suggest other courses to be included in the list, but the decision of the company on eligibility of the course is final and binding.

List of Approved Courses

Online Project Management Courses

a) Software Project Management courses (Univ of Texas)

http://lifelong.engr.utexas.edu/swpm/index.cfm b) Software Project Management Course (UC Irvine)

http://unex.uci.edu/courses/sectiondetail.aspx?year=2011&term=Spring&sid=00160 c) Agile Project Management Course (UCLA Extension)

https://www.uclaextension.edu/r/Course.aspx?reg=W1618 d) d) Foundations of Project Management (UCLA Extension)

https://www.uclaextension.edu/r/Course.aspx?reg=W3639

Oreilly Self-Paced Distance Learning Courses

Whether you take them individually or with Certificate of Professional Development in mind, completing each of our online distance learning courses will earn you Continuing Education Units from the University of Illinois, and will count toward any Online Certificate Programs that include that course.

Beginner Courses

Linux/Unix Sysadmin I: The Basics of System Administration Introduction to HTML and CSS Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming

Intermediate Courses

Linux/Unix Sysadmin II: Networking and DNS Learn Perl for CGI Programming DBA 1: Introduction to Database Administration DBA 2: Administering MySQL Introduction to PHP Java Programming 1: Introduction to Java and the Eclipse Development Environment Java Programming 2: The Java Programming Language JavaScript 1: Client-Side Programming PHP/SQL 1: Introduction to Database Programming Learn SQL for Database Programming Learn Unix for Web Programming Learn VBScript C++ Programming 1: Introduction to C++ Perl Programming 1: Beginning Perl Python Programming 1: Beginning Python Introduction to XML Introduction to C Programming Perl Programming 2: Intermediate Perl Python Programming 2: Getting More Out of Python

Advanced Courses

Linux/Unix Sysadmin III: Unix Services (including email and web servers) Linux/Unix Sysadmin IV: Scripting for Administrators, Sed, Awk, and Perl

Learn C#.NET DBA 3: Creating a Data Warehouse DBA 4: Analyzing Data Java Programming 3: Java Programming Foundations Java Programming 4: Java Application Building JavaScript 2: AJAX PHP/SQL 2: Relational Theory and Logical Design PHP/SQL 3: Seamless Web 2.0 Integration Learn Visual Basic .NET

Opportunities for attending skill building conferences / workshops (Case by Case

basis)

SlideShare will be sponsoring employees for attending skill building conferences or workshops from time to time. This is on a case by case basis. The conference should be related directly to the area of the employee’s work. We will identify the conference ourself, or employees can suggest as well. Each decision will be taken one at a time, and will take into account factors like

whether the conference is actually useful

whether employee is eligible/suited for attending it

conference dates and whether it clashes with regular work

does cost involved comply with internal budgets for conference, travel etc

parity amongst different employees etc., and maintaining a sense of fairness/equity

In house training on general skills for all employees

From time to time, we will be conducting in-house training programs on general skills like Leadership, Time Management, Motivation, Delegation, Communication and Presentation Skills. This could be done by our own HR team, or by industry experts or external consultants. All employees will be eligible for this, and will be intimated accordingly. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: This is the first draft of LearnOn at the time of rollout. Employees should expect changes as we get specific

feedback for how it is working. SlideShare reserves the right to revise or withdraw it anytime as per its own discretion.

For eligibility of employees under LearnOn, factors like performance in job, motivation, team work, disciplinary record etc will be taken into consideration. Please check with HR for specifics in case you wish to apply.

Date: September 1st, 2011