Renewed confidence, meeting new people the best part of training program

'It was a great experience,' says Robynne Maksymetz

July 26, 2010 -- Deron Hamel

Robynne Maksymetz says gaining a stronger sense of confidence and meeting new people from OMNI Health Care homes, as well as from head office, were the top things she walked away with as a graduate of the new managers' training program.

She says the six-day course, which is offered to OMNI team members throughout the year, provided an opportunity to learn new skills, build upon existing strengths and network with her counterparts at other homes, most of whom she never would have met, if not for the program.

"Meeting the different people from within the company and meeting the different people from within each home was great," she says. "It was a great experience."

Maksymetz, who has worked as a life enrichment aide at Springdale Country Manor in Peterborough County for two years, says she hopes she can someday use the knowledge she gained through the program to become a life enrichment co-ordinator (LEC).

"Hoefully, now that I've completed the program, one day I can become . . . the type of manager that OMNI would like to see within their homes," she tells the OMNIway.

Maksymetz says she is also impressed by the fact that people from OMNI's head office, including president and CEO Patrick McCarthy, chief operating officer Candace Chartier and operations director Shawn Riel, showed up to talk with program attendees, as part of the course.

"Everyone (was) on the same level," says Maksymetz. "Pat McCarthy came in and spoke with us, as well as a few other people from head office, and it was just like speaking with a co-worker."

OMNI's new managers' training program, which is led by corporate partner Silver Meridian, is open to all team members at the organization's 17 long-term care homes and is an important resource for people considering management positions with the company.

Through the program, participants choose a managerial discipline for their focus. Participants then spend a week shadowing the manager they choose.

For this component of the program, Maksymetz did her job-shadowing with Riverview Manor LEC Sherry Baldwin. She characterizes this opportunity as "a great one-week experience at a different home.

What are the greatest benefits you've had from participating in OMNI's new managers' training program? If you have a story you would like to share with the OMNIway, please contact the newsroom at 800-294-0051, ext. 23, or e-mail deron(at)axiomnews.ca.

If you have feedback on this article, please contact the newsroom at 800-294-0051, or e-mail deron(at)axiomnews.ca.

Back to News