Employee Orientation

People on a virutal meeting

Our employee orientation education is about supporting a positive employee and supervisor experience as they move through the onboarding journey.

It advocates for the shared responsibility between employee and supervisor for onboarding and fosters a consistent, coherent experience. Programming provides timely information, tools and hands-on learning that sets employees up for success and helps supervisors lead the onboarding process with confidence and clarity.

Orientation Curriculum

U of A Employee Orientation Course for Employees: Prepare, Discover, Learn

The University of Alberta Employee Orientation Course is designed to help you copilot your onboarding journey and set you on a path where you can thrive and grow in your role. Combined with the U of A Onboarding Program, this self-paced, multimodal and interactive course provides you with a structured overview of the community expectations at the U of A along with education about our current priorities. Throughout the course, you will be equipped with tools and resources to support your onboarding journey.

Learners also have access to optional modules that deepen their understanding of the U of A and how you can set yourself up for success.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Explain the components of a 90-Day Plan
  2. Recall important elements from U of A policies and procedures that guide our behaviour
  3. Recognize your role and responsibility in creating a safe and healthy work environment
  4. Match employee categories at the U of A and the associated collective agreements
  5. Outline key components of Indigenous Initiatives and Access, Community + Belonging at the U of A
  6. Define the seven service excellence principles and six service competencies

Audience

This course is intended for FTE Support Staff, NUE, APOs, and TLAPOs. There are employee categories excluded from this orientation course.1  Employees who are required to complete the orientation will automatically be enrolled in this course. Any U of A employee can also self-enrol . To support your success, employees are required to complete this course within 30 days of beginning their appointment.

Estimated time for completion

2.5 hours 


U of A Orientation Course For Casual Employees

Recognizing the diverse needs of employees, the U of A Employee Orientation Course for Casual Staff is a streamlined version of the course completed by employees. It covers mandatory topics about the expectations at the university and our service cultures. Throughout the course, you will be equipped with tools and resources to support your onboarding journey.

Learners also have access to optional modules that deepen their understanding of the U of A, its history and current priorities,and how you can set yourself up for success.

Learning Outcomes

  • Explain the components of a 90-day plan
  • Recall important elements from U of A policies and procedures that guide our behaviour
  • Outline what your role and responsibility is in creating a safe and healthy work environment
  • Match employee categories at the U of A with the associated collective agreements
  • Define the seven service excellence principles and six service competencies

Audience

This course is intended for all Casual staff. Casual staff will automatically be enrolled in this course. Any U of A employee can also self-enrol. To support your success, employees are required to complete this course within 30 days of beginning their appointment.

Estimated time for completion

1.5 hours

Learn more about Employee Types + Funding Sources


New Employee Welcome and Connect

The New Employee Welcome and Connect event is an optional complement to the self-paced, online U of A Orientation Course. In this in-person event you will have the opportunity to build your sense of belonging through opportunities to network with other members of the campus community. You will also connect your learnings from the Orientation course to your work by thinking about how you will create impact in your role and align with the University of Alberta’s strategic direction.

Learning Outcomes

  • Identify key resources that support employee onboarding 
  • Review SHAPE - the vision for the University of Alberta’s future
  • Critically reflect on how you will contribute to the university and Lead with Purpose 
  • Connect with other U of A employees and build a sense of belonging

This session builds on the knowledge developed in the self-paced Employee Orientation Course. It is strongly recommended that all session participants complete the online orientation course prior to attending the in-person event. Please note: this session does not cover employment questions such as access to payroll, benefits, pension, etc. If you have questions about these aspects of your onboarding, please reach out to the Staff Service Centre.

All U of A staff members who have not attended a previous in-person orientation are welcome. This event is not designed for students who are working at the university as part of their educational programs or casual short-term/part-time staff.

Date Location
Thursday July 16, 2026 North Campus 
Thursday January 21, 2027 Virtual (online)

View upcoming sessions


Workshops that address the curriculum are offered and added throughout the year. Visit the U of A Events hub to find available courses. If you're interested in offering a workshop to your team that currently has no availability, contact org.learning@ualberta.ca to discuss options.

Questions?

Contact Organizational Development at org.learning@ualberta.ca.