Welcome to Alaska Airlines C.O.R.E.

TrainingCUR/516

NICK KAMENY

OCTOBER 16, 2014

C.O.R.E. (Company Optimization & Redefining Excellence)

Course Description

This course will familiarize new Customer Service agents and Flight Attendants of the key elements to the sustainability of Alaska Airlines. During this seminar, new hires will participate in a variety of engaging activities, group discussions, and instructor lecture including supplemental multimedia guest speakers.

Topics addressed include company history, current company conditions and values, customer service, environmental improvements, corporate social responsibility, and economic impacts. Class size is maximized at 25 employees per six hour session lasting two consecutive days at the Alaska Airlines corporate headquarters in Seattle, Washington.

Learner Characteristics

Employees enrolled in this course have strong customer service backgrounds ranging from retail to the hospitality industry. Most employees have at minimum 5-7 years of work experience with direct customer interaction including five employees with prior airline experience.

There are a total of 15 women and 10 men in the course with ethnicity representation from the Caucasian, African-American, Latino, and Pacific Islander demographics. Employees range in age from 21- 50. Most participants in this course would be considered spatial learners.

Needs Assessment

Senior leadership at Alaska Airlines understands the importance of sustainability within the market. As industry mergers have occurred during the last five years to save financially struggling airlines, Alaska Airlines has continued to be successful by focusing on key sustainability factors. Though leadership was cognizant of the multitude of these projects, many operational and front-line staff were not aware of these elements. Flight Path, a one day seminar, was created to highlight some of these main business essentials with employees. However, Alaska Airline executives have determined the need for expansion of this particular training.

Based on course evaluations and personal observations, Alaska Airlines leadership believe these key business strategies reflecting the company’s goals and mission need to be incorporated within the new hire training. This will allow employees to understand the sustainability factors of Alaska Airlines and how important their roles contribute to these company objectives.

Delivery Modality

This course will be instructor led within a corporate classroom environment. Multi-media videos will be shared throughout the course along with individual and group assignments. Laptops, tablets, or smartphones may be used during the course for team activities.

Learning Context

This two day seminar will be conducted at the Alaska Airlines Corporate Headquarters located in Seattle, Washington. The instructional training is held within a corporate classroom environment consisting of tables that sit two individuals comfortably.

The classroom has state of the art technology with built in microphones and cameras to record training sessions and stream live to various locations if needed. The classroom also has an overhead projector and whiteboards used throughout the training.

Instructional Goals for C.O.R.E. Seminar

Employees will learn about the history and current state of the company.

Staff will have the opportunity to strengthen their customer service skills

and share best practices among colleagues while understanding the

values and ethics of Alaska Airlines.

New hires will explore workplace diversity, employee engagement, along

with the commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Employees will understand the importance of economic growth within the

company and the impact on the regional economy.

Staff will be able to recognize various methods Alaska Airlines has

implemented to improve environmental conditions within the organization.

Instructional Strategies This course has been designed to incorporate a variety of instructional strategies as the customer service representatives learn about key sustainability factors at Alaska Airlines.

Participants will experience a training session that encompasses experiential learning, individual participation, partner and teamwork, along with interactive activities.

In addition, new hires will enjoy a collaborative learning environment while utilizing problem based and critical thinking skills.

The combination of these instructional strategies provides an opportunity for all types of learners to retain the information and successfully pass the course.

Instructional Strategies and Activities

Throughout the two day training, participants will experience a multitude of activities that have a direct correlation to the primary based objective. These activities include word searches, group breakout sessions, partner discussions, role play, and case studies.

Though the course is not technologically heavy, various applications will be used to promote audience engagement. These applications include Padlet and Poll via text. At the conclusion of the course, survey monkey will also be used for evaluation purposes.

Implementation

The C.O.R.E. Training seminar will be hosted at the Alaska Airlines Headquarters in Seattle, Washington. The length of the seminar will be hosted two consecutive days consisting of six hours per day.

Instructional time will be conducted in two hour blocks for a total of three segments per day. A ten minute break will be offered after the first block segment as well as a one hour lunch break after the second block segment. The course is scheduled to begin at 8:00am and conclude at 3:00pm.

Senior leadership will make the final determination on the exact days of the training seminar. This training is mandatory for all new hires in customer service and flight attendant positions.

C.O.R.E. Training – Day One 8:00am – 8:30am

Introductions

Icebreaker – Divide by Decade

8:30am – 9:30am (Welcome to Alaska Airlines)History Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqNiPkmIOKw

Lecture: History of Alaska Airlines

Lecture: Current State of Alaska Airlines

Interactive Activity: Alaska Airlines Website and Route Map: http://www.alaskaair.com/content/route-map.aspx?lid=nav:planbook-routeMap

C.O.R.E. Training – Day One

Goal

Employees will learn about the history and current state of the company.

Learning Objective

New hire employees will summarize the history and current state of Alaska Airlines by completing a 10 question fill-in-the blank and corresponding word search activity with 100% accuracy.

Activity One: Word Bank -- Individual

Activity One (Part Two): Word Maze – Partner

C.O.R.E. Training – Day One 9:30am – 10:00am (Core Values)

Flight Attendant Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kkWtUrctEY

Lecture: Intro to Core Values

10:00 – 10:10am (Break) 10:10am – 10:40am (Core Values Conclusion)

Goal

Staff will have the opportunity to strengthen their customer service skills and share best practices among colleagues while understanding the values and ethics of Alaska Airlines.

Learning Objective

Participants will explain how they can incorporate the Alaska Airlines Core Values into their current role by providing one situational example with 100% accuracy.

C.O.R.E. Training – Day One

Activity Two: Verbal Core Value Example – Team and Individual

Formative Assessment: Temp Check using Padlet

10:40am – 12:00pm (Customer Service)

Voucher Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b1hSw_bxxY

Lecture: Customer Service

SNL Video: https://screen.yahoo.com/nadeen-burger-castle-000000292.html

Group Discussion: Customer Service. Good and bad examples. Shared experiences and best practices.

12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch

C.O.R.E. Training – Day One

1:00pm – 2:00pm (Customer Service Conclusion)

Goal

Staff will have the opportunity to strengthen their customer service skills and share best practices among colleagues while understanding the values and ethics of Alaska Airlines.

Learning Objective

Employees will examine an Alaska Airlines airport operations case study and provide customer resolution through a role play scenario with 100% accuracy.

Activity Two (Part Two): Role Play Scenario

C.O.R.E. Training – Day One 2:00pm – 3:00pm (Corporate Social Responsibility)

Making the Connection Video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbDJ916ZeZs

Lecture: Diversity, Employee Engagement, and Corporate Social

Responsibility

Fallen Soldier Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9TvQ1DaAk0

Formative Assessment: Exit Card/List any outstanding questions

Conclusion of Day One

C.O.R.E. Training – Day Two 8:00am – 8:30am

Icebreaker – Rollick (Charades game)

Recap of Day One Material

8:30am – 9:30am (Corporate Social Responsibility Conclusion)

Flight Attendant Drill Team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLKN6G80jFA

Lecture Conclusion

Goal

New hires will explore workplace diversity, employee engagement, along with the commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Learning Objective

After completion of the Social Corporate Responsibility segment of the seminar, participants will cite two company features, facts, or programs that highlight these initiatives with 100% accuracy.

Activity Three: Remembering Corporate Responsibility

C.O.R.E. Training – Day Two 9:30am – 10:00am (Economy Impact)

Training Campus Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6eMtVKLFbU

Lecture: Impact on Economy

10:00 – 10:10am (Break) 10:10am – 10:40am (Economy Impact Conclusion)

Lecture: Impact on Economy

Goal

Employees will understand the importance of economic growth within the company and the impact on the regional economy.

Learning Objective

After reviewing the Alaska Airlines economic achievement highlights, employees will explain the significance of one of the four categories with 100% accuracy.

C.O.R.E. Training – Day TwoActivity Four: Poster Board Highlights

Formative Assessment: Temp Check using Online Poll

10:40am – 12:00pm (Environmental Initiatives)

Going Green Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTyCM05sLMU

Lecture: Environmental Initiatives

Goal

Staff will be able to recognize various methods Alaska Airlines has implemented to improve environmental conditions within the organization.

Learning Objective

Upon completion of the Alaska Airlines environmental initiatives section of the training, participants will complete a True/False quiz with 100% accuracy.

Activity Five: True/False Quiz

C.O.R.E. Training – Day Two 12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch

1:00pm – 2:00pm (Wrap-Up)Hometown Airline Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yQ4UMZof8w

Lecture: Wrap Up/ Question and Answer

Best of 2013 Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugbRnZC4kHA

Summative Assessment

2:00pm – 3:00pm (Evaluation and Assessment)Summative Assessment Exchange/Team Grading

End of Course Formative Summative Evaluations via Surveymokey

Conclusion of Day Two

Summative Evaluation of Program Outcomes

Students will be requested to complete a brief end of course survey via https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2D72M59 that address the following questions:

Q: How effectively did your facilitator lead discussions of course material?

Q: How well did your instructor relate course topics to each other?

Q: Did the presenter allow too much time for discussion, too little time, or about the right amount of time?

Q: The following course activities added value to the CORE Training

Videos, Group Discussion, Role Play/Case Studies, Team Activities, Quiz

Q: Overall, how would you rate the event?

Q: Please feel free to share any additional feedback regarding your experience in CORE Training and what you would do to enhance the course.

Future Implications

Upon receipt of participant feedback, the facilitator and curriculum designer will collaborate to review the results. Given the outcome, proposed enhancements can be made to items such as course material and duration.

Feedback, results, and suggested course improvements would also be shared with Alaska Airlines executive leadership. Based on their response, additional changes would be implemented for future training courses.

Thank you for being part of the Alaska Airlines Team!

References Alaska Airlines (2013, November 11). Alaska Airlines Fallen Soldier Program [Video file].

Retrieved from Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9TvQ1DaAk0

Alaska Airlines (2014, March 6). Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Drew [Video file]. Retrieved from Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kkWtUrctEY

Alaska Airlines (2014, August 8). Alaska Airlines Training Camp with Russell Wilson Commercial [Video file]. Retrieved from Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6eMtVKLFbU

Alaska Airlines (2013, December 31). Best Moments of 2013 - Alaska Airlines [Video file]. Retrieved from Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugbRnZC4kHA

Alaska Airlines (2014, June 10). Seattle's Hometown Airline [Video file]. Retrieved from Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yQ4UMZof8w

Alaska Airlines. (2014). Sustainability Report. Retrieved from http://www.alaskaair.com/content/about-us/sustainability/sustainability-report.aspx

References Alaska Airlines (2013, November 6). Welcome to Alaska Airlines [Video file]. Retrieved

from Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqNiPkmIOKw

Estorninos, D. (2011, April 12). Alaska Airlines "Voucher" :30 TV [Video file]. Retrieved from Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b1hSw_bxxY

Jennings, C. (2013, December 13). Green Earth Journal TV Show - Alaska/Frontier Airlines [Video file]. Retrieved from Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTyCM05sLMU

Nwbsbeth (2011, July 31). Seafair Torchlight Parade 2011: Alaska Airlines [Video file]. Retrieved from Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLKN6G80jFA

Saturday Night Live (n.d.). Nadeen at Burger Castle [Video file]. Retrieved from Yahoo Screen website: https://screen.yahoo.com/nadeen-burger-castle-000000292.html

Sparkworks Media (2014, July 23). Alaska Airlines - Making the Connection [Video file]. Retrieved from Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbDJ916ZeZs