Associate Professional in Human Resources Specialist

559 Hours / Access Length: 2 Years / Delivery: Online, Mentor Supported

Course Overview:

• Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) – learn solid human resource principles, timely research, recent events, and the important challenges facing managers and employees in today's business climate. 
• Microsoft Office Suite – explore the features of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Outlook.
• Human Resources Soft Skills – combines the skills needed to successfully maintain employee relations within a company. Learn the basic tools to handle numerous human resource situations such as interviewing, orientation, training, safety, harassment, discrimination, violence, discipline, and termination.
• Workplace Essentials Soft Skills – learn a variety of skills needed for customer and business support, including dealing with difficult customers, generating return business, and teamwork within the company. 

This course prepares a student to take the HR Certification Institute ® aPHR ® certification exam and the Microsoft Office 2019 (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint) national certification exams.

Course Outline:

Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) Exam Prep Curriculum:

Lesson 1: Business Management/Leadership and Strategy

In this unit students will learn Human Resource management as it relates to establishing HR policies and an employee handbook, the difference between HR generalists and HR specialists, and commonly used methods of budgeting. Students will have knowledge of company mission statements and business plans, as well as organizational design and development. This unit will discuss HR budgets and metrics, as well as the benefits of an HRIS and outsourcing HR functions. Finally, students will learn HR ethics and how it relates to the Sarbanes Oxley Act and how to conduct HR research and analytics.

Lesson 2: Talent Planning and Acquisition

This unit will discuss all aspects of employee discrimination including the Civil Rights Act, age discrimination, Americans with Disabilities Act, reverse discrimination, and more. Students will learn Human Resource planning, job analysis, job descriptions, and information contained in a job specification. By the end of this unit students will have a clear understanding of recruiting, to including employment interviews, pre-employment tests, background checks, and the retention of employee records.

Lesson 3: Learning and Development

This unit discusses the relationship between compensation and other human resources functions (i.e., staffing, performance evaluation, training and development, and employee relations). Students will learn both compensation and benefits laws and regulations, as well as how to create employee benefits programs. Finally, students will compare and contrast managed health care plans and be able to give examples of the various options.

Lesson 4: Total Rewards

In this unit students will learn various training methods and the comparative advantages of conducting employee training. Students will also learn successful orientation training and an effective onboarding program. Finally, students will gain the required knowledge of the role that performance evaluations can play in an organization, as well as effective strategies for improving employee retention.

Lesson 5: Employee and Labor Relations/Employee Engagement

This unit will focus on the employee life cycle and how it can be used as a tool for evaluating employee relations using methods to evaluate job satisfaction. Students will learn labor relations as it applies to grievance and employee discipline systems and workforce behavior problems. In addition, this unit will discuss individual employment rights as it relates to employment at-will, constructive discharge and an employee’s departure from an organization.

Lesson 6: Safety, Health and Security

In this unit students will learn risk management. Students will gain knowledge of the process of assessing and measuring risk and developing strategies to protect the financial interests of a company, including safety, workers compensation, unemployment insurance, security, loss prevention, and emergency preparedness. Students will have a clear understanding of employee health and wellness, data management, and privacy protection.

Microsoft Office Suite 2019 Curriculum:

Word 2019:

Lesson 1: Creating and Modifying a Flyer

In this lesson, we will start by opening a Microsoft Word document, entering text, and inserting images into Word. This lesson culminates in the creation of a business flyer. 

Lesson 2: Creating a Research Paper and a Multi-Page Document

In this lesson, we will learn the skills needed to successfully create a research paper in Microsoft Word. Changing line spacing, using shortcuts, creating a bibliography, and working with comments in a document will all be covered. We will also learn to work with multi-page documents, including creating a cover page and editing lists and tables.

Lesson 3: Creating a Business Letter and Using Mail Merge

In this lesson, we will learn how to create a business letter, including creating a letterhead and printing envelopes. We will learn the mail merge function to customize form letters and address envelopes. 

Lesson 4: Creating a Resume and a Newsletter

In this lesson, we will work with a template to create a resume and create and format a newsletter. 

Lesson 5: Using Collaboration and Creating a Reference Document

In this lesson, we will explore how to create charts in Microsoft Word. We will explore collaboration techniques, including blogging, and how to link a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to a Word document. We will also work on creating a reference document, with proper navigation.

Lesson 6: Creating an Online Form and Using Macros

In this lesson, we will learn how to create a template and create an online form for electronic distribution. We will then learn more advanced features of online forms, using Macros.

Excel 2019:

Lesson 1: Creating a Worksheet

In this lesson, we will start by opening a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and learn how to navigate the document. We will enter text, format the cells, and save a project.

Lesson 2: Working with Formulas and Large Worksheets

In this lesson, we will learn how to enter formulas in the spreadsheet and verify the formulas using Range Finder. We will also use the IF function to perform a logical test and freeze and unfreeze rows and columns.

Lesson 3: Financial Functions and Working in Multiple Spreadsheets

In this lesson, we will learn how to use the financial functions of Microsoft Excel, such as Amortization schedules and the mortgage payment calculator. We will also create a consolidated worksheet and learn to work across several spreadsheets.

Lesson 4: Creating Tables and Templates

In this lesson, we will learn how to create, format, and sort tables. We will also work with templates, import data, and work with SmartArt.

Lesson 5: Using PivotTables and Complex Problem Solving

In this lesson, we will learn some more advanced features, such as PivotTables and other Excel charts. We will also learn how to perform complex problem-solving and customize Excel add-ins.

Lesson 6: Data Analysis and User Interfaces

In this lesson, we will learn how to use Macros in Microsoft Excel and perform other data analysis. We will also learn how to collaborate in Microsoft Excel and create a custom theme.

Outlook 2019:

Lesson 1: Managing Email Messages

In this lesson, we will start by adding a Microsoft account to Outlook and work on composing an email message.  We will also reply to a message, and learn how to attach a file to a message, create and move messages into folders, and check spelling as you type in Outlook.

Lesson 2: Managing Calendars

In this lesson, we will learn how to work with calendars in Outlook. Topics include creating and scheduling appointments, meetings, and events, and sharing your calendar. 

Lesson 3: Managing Contacts

In this lesson, we will learn how to work with contacts in Microsoft Outlook. We will view and sort a contact list, edit a contact, and learn about creating contacts in various ways.  

Lesson 4: Tasks

In this lesson, we will work on the task function in Microsoft Outlook.  Topics will include categorizing and managing tasks, categorizing email messages, and working with display and print views.

Lesson 5: Customizing Outlook

In this lesson, we will explore how to customize Outlook. We will customize email messages, create signatures and stationery, and customizing the calendar.

PowerPoint 2019:

Lesson 1: Creating and Editing Presentations with Pictures

In this lesson, we will start by opening Microsoft PowerPoint, creating a title slide, and adding additional slides. We will also start working with images by inserting them, and resizing pictures. This lesson concludes with learning how to save and print a PowerPoint file.

Lesson 2: Enhancing Presentations with Shapes, SmartArt, WordArt, Charts, and Tables

In this lesson, we will learn how to build onto and enhance presentations with a variety of tools in Microsoft PowerPoint. We will learn about themes in PowerPoint, as well as adding elements such as SmartArt, WordArt, charts, and tables.

Lesson 3: Customizing Slide Masters and Collaborating

In this lesson, we will learn how to create a master slide and presentation and customize slide elements. We will also learn how to collaborate in Microsoft PowerPoint and animate content on the slides. 

Lesson 4: Tables and Charts

In this lesson, we will work on inserting graphics from a file, and drawing and formatting tables. We will also insert a linked spreadsheet from Excel, and learn to modify and format a linked Excel chart.

Lesson 5: Adding Media to a Presentation

In this lesson, we will explore how to enhance presentations by adding a variety of media. We will also learn how to create graphics and add action buttons to make a professional presentation.

Lesson 6: Delivering the Presentation

In this lesson, we will learn best practices in delivering the presentation. Topics will include printing and saving the presentation and creating a customized slide show.

Human Resources Soft Skills Curriculum:

• Business Succession Planning
• Contract Management
• Crisis Management
• Developing a Lunch and Learn
• Employee Onboarding
• Employee Recruitment
• Employee Termination Processes
• Generation Gaps
• Health and Wellness at Work
• Hiring Strategies
• Human Resource Management
• Measuring Results From Training
• Millennial Onboarding
• Talent Management
• Train-The-Trainer
• Universal Safety Practices
• Workplace Diversity
• Workplace Harassment
• Workplace Violence

Workplace Essential Soft Skills Curriculum:

• Appreciative Inquiry
• Business Acumen
• Business Ethics
• Business Etiquette
• Change Management
• Civility In The Workplace
• Conflict Resolution
• Customer Service
• Customer Support
• Cyber Security
• Delivering Constructive Criticism
• Developing Corporate Behavior
• Handling a Difficult Customer
• Networking Outside the Company
• Networking Within the Company
• Risk Assessment and Management
• Safety In The Workplace
• Team Building For Managers
• Teamwork And Team Building

All necessary course materials are included.  A Microsoft Office 365 subscription is provided for 2 years to complete the Microsoft Office courses.

Certification(s):

This course prepares a student to take the HR Certification Institute ® aPHR ® certification exam and the Microsoft Office 2019 (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint) national certification exams.

• Cable and DSL internet connections are recommended for the best experience.

• CPU: 1 GHz or higher
• RAM: 2 GB or higher
• Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher
• Speakers / Headphones
• Microphone (Webinar / Live Online sessions)

• Microsoft Windows 7 or 10 (Home, Pro)
• Mac OSX 10 or higher.
• Latest Chrome OS
• Latest Linux Distributions

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

• Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
• Latest Mozilla FireFox
• Latest Microsoft Edge
• Latest Apple Safari

• Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
• PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
• Courses may require other software that is denoted in the above course outline.