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Verizon Communications

Winner

Company: Verizon Communications Inc., New York, NY
Entered by: Hudson Valley Community College
Company Description: Verizon is a leader in delivering broadband and other communication innovations to wireline and wireless customers. Verizon serves 53 million customers; has one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks; and operates one of the nation's premier wireline networks, serving home, business and wholesale customers, with a diverse workforce of more than 250,000.
Nomination Category: Team Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Human Resources Team

Nomination Title: Verizon/CWA/IBEW Next Step Program Team

1. Tell the story about what this nominated team achieved in the past year (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

The Challenge

By the mid-1990s the senior leaders of NYNEX (now Verizon) and its two principal employee unions, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), knew they must adapt if the company was to survive and thrive in a business environment of deregulation, global competition, and rapid technological change. Employees would need:

• A broad understanding of the telecommunications industry,technologies,
and underlying physical and engineering principles,

• Critical thinking and problem solving skills, with a quality- and
customer-focus, working in a team environment,

• The skills, confidence, and desire to be lifelong learners, embracing
new technologies.

The Solution

The Next Step Program (NSP) became the vehicle for achieving these results. 
The leadership team turned to community colleges in New York and New England
(NY/NE) for program development and implementation. Requirements for NSP,
beyond those given above, included:

• The need for a common program across a six state footprint

• An AAS degree in Telecommunications Technology as the earned credential

• Students to attend class one day per week for four years, on company
time

• Best educational practices and technologies to be employed, including
laptop computers (for faculty and students), simulation
software, and the internet

A coalition of twenty-five colleges teamed to develop, accredit, and deliver a
common AAS degree program at twenty-eight locations. The entire Program is
funded by Verizon and managed by Co-Directors from the company, CWA, and IBEW.

Today, the NSP boasts:

• Over 3,200 graduates,
• 21,152 applicants since its 1995 inception
• On average, 7 employees applying for each available seat
• Participants who surpass their national counterparts in higher GPA ranges
• A participant retention rate of 75%, versus a 48% national rate
• 30% of graduates who continue their formal education

Two Lead Colleges oversee the consortium of Partner Colleges. A Program
Coordinator at each College manages Program implementation to insure quality
and consistency of delivery, collectively meeting biannually with Lead
Colleges, Verizon, and union personnel to share best practices and resolve
challenges.

Program Evaluation of each college is formally conducted. Curriculum
development is an ongoing process that includes at least two faculty meetings
a year in addition to use of electronic communications approaches. Input from
company, union, faculty, students, and industry experts insures the Program
content is appropriately updated each year.

The Result

The business environment envisioned by the leaders who were the driving force
for NSP was “on-target”. The public-switched telephone network evolved into a
more efficient, high speed, packet switched, internet-protocol based network,
where broadband services – including internet, video, and voice – are bundled
for delivery to the consumer. New technologies and services are developed
almost daily. Verizon technicians must employ their knowledge and skills to
solve complex installation issues involving customer computers and networks in
addition to mastering the Verizon infrastructure. Our frequent and continuing
contact with students and graduates validates our belief that the NSP is the
foundation supporting the technician in this new and challenging environment.

2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

The Challenge
Need for the Program
http://www.nspinfo.com/need.html
Program History
http://www.nspinfo.com/history.html

The Solution
Mission Statement
http://www.nspinfo.com/mission.html
Program Description
http://www.nspinfo.com/history2.html
Team Organization Chart
http://www.nspinfo.com/teamchart.pdf
Partner Colleges
http://www.nspinfo.com/program.html
The Curriculum
http://www.nspinfo.com/currnew06.pdf
http://www.nspinfo.com/coursedescriptions.html
Umbrella Competencies
http://www.nspinfo.com/challenge.html

The Results
National Recognition for the Next Step Program
http://www.nspinfo.com/awards.html
First Graduation Video (please be patient while this loads)
http://www.nspinfo.com/1stgrad_output.mpg
Next Step Program 10 Year Report Card (NSP GPAs versus national benchmarks)
http://www.nspinfo.com/GPAREPORT.pdf
CTAC - Technical Assistance Center featuring award winning NSP Graduates
http://www.nspinfo.com/ctac.html
Best Practices Booklet
http://www.nspinfo.com/bestpractices03.pdf
Facts-at-a-Glance
http://www.nspinfo.com/facts.pdf
Student Quotes (please be patient while this loads-the slide show will run automatically)
http://www.nspinfo.com/facins05.pps
http://www.nspinfo.com/students.html
Impact on Colleges
http://www.nspinfo.com/impact.html
News Archives
http://www.nspinfo.com/TroyRecordEditiorial.jpg
http://www.nspinfo.com/cwanewsletter.jpg
http://www.nspinfo.com/nassaunews.pdf
http://www.nspinfo.com/nassaupaper.pdf

Please note: if you’re prompted to enter a password when opening a file, if
you select ‘cancel’ the file will still open.

3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated team:

NSP visionaries:

Ivan Seidenberg, Chairman of the Board and CEO - Verizon, steering the company
through two of the largest telecommunications mergers in history; began as a
cable splicer's assistant; one of few Fortune 500 CEOs to work his way from
the very bottom to the very top.

Morton Bahr, then CWA President (21 years); guided the 630,000-member union
through its most challenging era since its 1938 founding; retired in 2006.

Myles Calvey, a national leader of Verizon IBEW members; Second District International Executive Council member; business manager of Boston Local 2222; Chairman of the T-6 Council.