2026 Public Sector HR Essentials Certificate Program - Starting on 5/26/2026
Includes Multiple Live Events. The next is on 05/28/2026 at 3:30 PM (EDT)
PSHRA’s Public Sector HR Essentials Certificate Course Syllabus
Please let us know if you run into any problems or have questions as soon as possible. We want to make sure you are to have the best possible learning experience.
Course Material (All you need is on your dashboard)
- PSHRE Workbook (PDF and Word Versions)
- Public Sector HR Essentials Lessons Summary
- HR20/20 Report
Course Design:
The course spans ten weeks and follows a specific timeline with a sequence of lessons and cohort sessions.
Time Commitment:
Plan for 2 hours for each online lesson to read, complete activities, and prepare for cohort sessions. Individuals have varying learning paces, so it might take more or less time for each person. We recommend completing lessons a day or two before the cohort sessions to allow time for reflection on what you've learned and the development of your plans. All course materials are included on your course dashboard (no textbook is required).
Course Cohort Session Schedule (subject to change):
- Start Date: 5/26/2026
- Completion Date: 8/7/2026
- Cohort Session 1: 5/28/2026 - 3:30 - 5:00 pm ET
- Cohort Session 2: 6/18/2026 - 3:30 - 5:00 pm ET
- Cohort Session 3: 7/8/2026 - 12:30 - 2:00 pm ET
- Cohort Session 4: 7/23/2026 - 3:30 - 5:00 pm ET
- Cohort Session 5: 7/30/2026 - 3:30 - 5:00 pm ET
- Cohort Session 6: 8/6/2026 - 3:30 - 5:00 pm ET
Course Content:
Week 1 - Introduction
Cohort Session 1: Introduction
Week 2 - Lesson 1: Public Sector Basics
Week 3 - Lesson 2: Recruitment
Cohort Session 2: Public Sector HR Basics & Recruitment
Week 4 - Lesson 3: Selection
Week 5 - Lesson 4: Classification and Compensation
Cohort Session 3: Selection, Classification & Compensation
Week 6 - Lesson 5: Benefits
Week 7 - Lesson 6: Labor and Employee Relations
Cohort Session 4: Benefits and Labor Management Relations
Week 8 - Lesson 7: Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity
Week 9 - Lesson 8: Organizational Development
Cohort Session 5: Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity, Organization
Week 10 - Lesson 9: Course Summary
Cohort Session 6: Course Summary and Wrap-up
Certificate of Attendance earned upon course completion.
Making public sector work better®.
Isabel Godina-Vergara, PSHRA-SCP
Human Resources Manager
City of Nampa, ID
Isabel serves as the Human Resources Manager for the City of Nampa, Idaho, where she has dedicated over 19 years of her professional life. Isabel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and Human Resources Management, as well as the esteemed PSHRA-SCP certification.
As HR Manager, Isabel is responsible for the full spectrum of HR operations—from Recruiting and Employee Relations to Strategic Planning and Team Development. Isabel is passionate about training; she regularly facilitates programs for her internal customers, including DISC training and various communication and leadership workshops.
Dedicated to continuous learning, she is always pursuing additional educational opportunities, which she then translates into valuable knowledge for her peers. She recently started a small business and plans to launch a nonprofit to continue sharing her HR expertise with the wider community.
She has been an active, dedicated member of PSHRA since 2007.
When she manages to step away from the world of HR, Isabel loves enjoying Idaho's scenic views while camping, hiking, off-roading, and paddleboarding, exploring further out. She has also recently developed a love for snorkeling.