Preparing for Work Assignments
Being Proactive for your Work Assignment
What training or skills-building resources are available to graduate student workers? How can students leverage professional development opportunities through these roles? How can you be proactive for your next work assignment as a TA, RA or Sessional? The GSA partnered with the Centre for Teaching Excellence to prepare this worksheet to get you started on the right path. With both resources and reflection activities, this worksheet will help orient and prioritize your goals to get the most out of your work assignment.
As UW employees, TAs are required to complete various online training components including: (i) Employee Safety Orientation; (ii) Workplace Violence Awareness; (iii) WHMIS 2015; (iv) Returning to Campus Safely during COVID-19; (v) Accessibility Training
While these training components are mandatory, the completion of these training modules may not be counted towards your total termly hours as a TA (see key questions below for more information). If it is your first term as a TA, it is important to discuss with your course instructor the extra responsibility of training to ensure a fair distribution of hours and labour are allocated (see TA time allocation form).
The Centre for Teaching Excellence offers many free resources to build your skill set in TA training and teaching, giving and receiving feedback, and supporting student mental health. Consider these modules and certificates to enhance your professional development, especially if you are considering a career in academia.
Questions
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the GSA Labour Coordinator at gsa-labour@uwaterloo.ca.