Elevating Expertise at WashU Libraries
Skilltype transforms talent management by capitalizing on library-specific training opportunities and providing a snapshot of staff at Washington University Libraries, making it easier for staff to learn and grow in their careers.
Location: Missouri, USA
Organization Type: Academic Library
Use Cases:
Align Staff Responsibilities with Stakeholder Needs
Provide Comprehensive Training and Development
Develop Skill Gaps Analysis
Preparing for a foundation of future growth
Washington University Libraries (WASHU Libraries), an esteemed institution dedicated to fostering knowledge, faced a unique challenge. Unlike many organizations that struggle with outdated or inefficient systems, Washington University Libraries had no prior system or process for career management and talent strategy.
The need for a solution became evident during a pivotal strategic planning process, combined with an in-depth workforce analysis. The aim was to identify skills that resonated with the evolving demands of the campus community. The search for a reliable platform led them to Skilltype – an intuitive tool tailored for the librarian profession. It was an easy choice, not only because of Skilltype’s library-centric design but also due to its affordability, potential value to staff, and enriched content.
A visionary step forward with Skilltype
In their quest, Skilltype shone through, distinguished by its library-centric interface and comprehensive capabilities.
WASHU Libraries tapped into Skilltype for:
- Career Management
- Collaboration
- Employee Engagement
- Talent Strategy
“One of the primary benefits is that staff can access content from relevant conferences they attended. Furthermore, those who couldn’t attend can also benefit from the learning. Skilltype, with its diverse features, has immensely aided our organization in engaging employees and assisting them with career and professional development. We’re constantly unearthing new ways to leverage the platform, aiming to gauge its real impact.”
Jackie Lorrainne
Associate University Librarian at Washington University in St. LOUIS
A fresh outlook on development at WASHU Libraries
At first, Skilltype was met with caution. Yet, as staff engaged with the platform, their initial reservations transformed into advocacy. Now, an impressive 85% of the staff turn to Skilltype, a testament to its integration and impact.
With Skilltype, WASHU Libraries has a clear lens on staff talents and skills. This visibility empowers precise, interest-driven training and development. It moves away from costly, traditional conferences, favoring Skilltype’s rich content pool. This strategic choice yields significant cost savings and informed decisions on conference participation.
Standout Skilltype features
“We have a greater sense of staff talent and skills. We also know the areas of interest and can provide training and development opportunities as needed.”
Jackie Lorrainne
Associate University Librarian at Washington University in St. LOUIS
Skilltype’s unfolding impact at WASHU Libraries
In this new landscape, WASHU Libraries is not only observing the horizon of advancement—it’s defining it with Skilltype. This strategic alliance has ushered in a new age of agility and intention, positioning the library not just as a custodian of knowledge but navigating through the evolving demands of academic scholarship with newfound agility and purpose
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Skilltype?
Skilltype’s talent platform uses real-time data to help information professionals and their teams identify, develop, and share expertise. The platform aggregates thousands of training resources, opportunities, and talent profiles of individuals, describing each with a controlled skills vocabulary to create a personalized career and organizational development experience.
Who is Skilltype for?
Skilltype is used by library managers and their teams, along with communities, conference organizers, and vendors that train information professionals. Customers include libraries of all sizes ranging from 5 employees to 500 across North America, Europe, and Asia. Skilltype’s largest customers have thousands of data points being surfaced to help inform career pathways and organizational development strategy.
Where is Skiltype’s content from?
Skilltype indexes training resources and opportunities from over 100 conferences and training providers, enhances the records with our proprietary skills ontology, and delivers them to users through a personalized recommendation engine. We also partner with training providers who aim to grow and engage their communities using Skilltype’s tools.
How easy is Skilltype to setup?
Small libraries can be up and running in a day or two. Larger libraries may require more conversations and take up to a week or two. No implementation or professional services teams required. Just appoint a project manager to coordinate with our onboarding team on the timeline you set to roll it out across your organization.
How much does Skilltype cost?
Skilltype is priced on a per-employee basis. Most libraries sign annual or multi-year subscriptions, but we support shorter pilots for larger organizations with complex use cases. Skilltype also works with consortia to streamline your procurement process and offer discounts for Enterprise capabilities with additional features and premium support are available for organizations upon request. Contact us to get more details.
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