Public Sector HR Essentials Certificate Program (NEW)
Upcoming Courses
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This class will start on March 25, 2025 and end on June 3, 2025
Welcome!
We are excited to announce the launching of the New Public Sector HR Essentials course.
Thank you for your course registration. We are so excited you have looked to PSHRA® to help you grow in your career.
Whether you want to sharpen your skills, transitioning to public sector, want a refresher, this is the place you belong.
With this change, the PSHRA-CP certification component will operate separately with a brand-new proctored exam and certification process. The course, exam, and certification will no longer be packaged together. There will be separate fee to take the CP Exam and become certified.
The new course includes:
- Condensed 10-week format
- Flexible schedule and learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere and 24/7
- Public Sector Focused – Tailored for you
- Delivered online and asynchronously
- 4 Live Zoom Course Check-ins and 1 hour in length
- Get Personalized feedback and support
- Course Dashboard contains everything you need – no third-party textbook to buy.
All your course materials are included on your course dashboard (no textbook to buy).
Don’t hesitate to contact us:
- PSHRA – Debbie Tankersely-Snook, Associate Director, Member Programs, Membership - meetings@pshra.org
Making public sector work better™.
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
Meetings and Discussions:
- Course Cohort Meetings take place in Zoom Events – You will receive your Individual Zoom Link once the course starts.
- Course Discussion Board take place in Your Course’s Engage Community – You will be automatically enrolled into this community. Your course’s community Link is - Coming Soon.
Course Design:
The course spans ten weeks and follows a specific timeline with a sequence of lessons and cohort sessions. You will receive details about the dates, times, and locations of cohort sessions.
Time Commitment:
Plan for 1 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: 3/25/2025
- Completion Date: 6/3/2025
- Cohort Session 1: 4/7/2025 -12:00 - 1:30 pm ET
- Cohort Session 2: 4/22/2025 - 2:00 - 3:30 pm ET
- Cohort Session 3: 5/6/2025 - 1:30 - 3:00 pm ET
- Cohort Session 4: 5/29/2025 - 2:30 - 4:00 pm ET
Course Content:
Week 1 - Introduction
Week 2 - Lesson 1: Public Sector Basics
Week 3 - Lesson 2: Recruitment
Cohort Session 1: Public Sector HR Basics & Recruitment
Week 4 - Lesson 3: Selection
Week 5 - Lesson 4: Classification and Compensation
Cohort Session 2: Selection, Classification & Compensation
Week 6 - Lesson 5: Benefits
Week 7 - Lesson 6: Labor and Employee Relations
Cohort Session 3: Benefits and Labor Management Relations
Week 8 - Lesson 7: Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity
Week 9 - Lesson 8: Organizational Development
Cohort Session 3: Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity, Organization and Final
Week 10 - Lesson 9: Course Summary
Certificate of Attendance:
You will earn a Certificate of Completion upon completion of the course.
Cancellation Policy:
Professional Development Cancelation Policy
Making public sector work better™.
Cheryl Cepelak
Having retired from the State of CT in July, 2022 with 34 years of service, Ms. Cepelak’s experience is in the areas of training and organizational development, including facilitation; strategic planning; performance management; leadership and supervisory development; and human resources, recruitment and retention.
She has taught numerous classes in these areas, instructing for Public Service Human Resources Association (PSHRA) and CT’s Training and Development Network, along with consulting and facilitating leadership and strategic planning sessions for various organizations.
Ms. Cepelak’s state career spanned across 5 agencies with achievements including serving as Deputy Commissioner of Administration at the DOC for almost 10 years; hiring a COVID-focused team at DPH; and serving as an Interim Director at ADS / BESB. She recently began consulting for The Moss Group and her work includes a nationwide scan of Correctional Training Academies.
Ms. Cepelak earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut in 1986 and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Quinnipiac University in 2012.
Ms. Cepelak has been a member of the International Public Management Association for Human Resource professionals (IPMA-HR) since 1999 and in 2007, received the IPMA-HR designation, Certified Specialist, Organizational & Employee Development and served as the national President in 2020.
Currently, Ms. Cepelak is a Duty Office for the CT/RI Red Cross Chapter and a 200 hour Pranotthan trained yoga teacher.
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This class will start on March 11, 2025 and end on May 20, 2025
Welcome!
We are excited to announce the launching of the New Public Sector HR Essentials course.
Thank you for your course registration. We are so excited you have looked to PSHRA® to help you grow in your career.
Whether you want to sharpen your skills, transitioning to public sector, want a refresher, this is the place you belong.
With this change, the PSHRA-CP certification component will operate separately with a brand-new proctored exam and certification process. The course, exam, and certification will no longer be packaged together. There will be separate fee to take the CP Exam and become certified.
The new course includes:
- Condensed 10-week format
- Flexible schedule and learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere and 24/7
- Public Sector Focused – Tailored for you
- Delivered online and asynchronously
- 4 Live Zoom Course Check-ins and 1 hour in length
- Get Personalized feedback and support
- Course Dashboard contains everything you need – no third-party textbook to buy.
All your course materials are included on your course dashboard (no textbook to buy).
Don’t hesitate to contact us:
- PSHRA – Debbie Tankersely-Snook, Associate Director, Member Programs, Membership - meetings@pshra.org
Making public sector work better®.
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
Meetings and Discussions:
- Course Cohort Meetings take place in Zoom Events – You will receive your Individual Zoom Link once the course starts.
- Course Discussion Board take place in Your Course’s Engage Community – You will be automatically enrolled into this community. Your course’s community Link is - Coming Soon.
Course Design:
The course spans ten weeks and follows a specific timeline with a sequence of lessons and cohort sessions. You will receive details about the dates, times, and locations of cohort sessions.
Time Commitment:
Plan for 1 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: 3/11/2025
- Completion Date: 5/20/2025
- Cohort Session 1: 3/18/2025 - 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm ET
- Cohort Session 2: 4/11/2025 - 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm ET
- Cohort Session 3: 4/24/2025 - 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
- Cohort Session 4: 5/15/2025 - 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
Course Content:
Week 1 - Introduction
Week 2 - Lesson 1: Public Sector Basics
Week 3 - Lesson 2: Recruitment
Cohort Session 1: Public Sector HR Basics & Recruitment
Week 4 - Lesson 3: Selection
Week 5 - Lesson 4: Classification and Compensation
Cohort Session 2: Selection, Classification & Compensation
Week 6 - Lesson 5: Benefits
Week 7 - Lesson 6: Labor and Employee Relations
Cohort Session 3: Benefits and Labor Management Relations
Week 8 - Lesson 7: Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity
Week 9 - Lesson 8: Organizational Development
Cohort Session 3: Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity, Organization and Final
Week 10 - Lesson 9: Course Summary
Certificate of Attendance:
You will earn a Certificate of Completion upon completion of the course.
Cancellation Policy:
Professional Development Cancelation Policy
Making public sector work better®.
Joe Gilkerson
Human Resources Director
Prince William County
Joe is currently the Human Resources Director for Prince William County, Joe has held Human Resources positions at the department head level in private sector, in local and federal government, and higher education. Prior to his civilian career, Joe was in the Marine Corps serving as an Infantry Unit Leader with a tour as a Drill Instructor /Senior Drill Instructor at Parris Island, SC.
Joe has completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management, a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership, the Senior Executive Institute (SEI) from the University of Virginia, a Graduate Certificate Program in Local Government Management (from Virginia Tech) and has earned Senior Certified Professional (PSHRA-SCP) designation from the Public Sector Human Resources Association, the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification from the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM). Joe is the past Virginia chapter president for IPMA-VA (2010-2011).
Joe and his wife, Amy reside in Fredericksburg with their son Bruce who is a Senior attending the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) pursuing a Civil Engineering degree.