Designed for new employees

Start off right with our comprehensive onboarding and employee welcome program. Learn to navigate the university environment and quickly find the information you need to get started.

Take UBegin to:

  • Complete all new employee requirements, mandatory training, and related tasks
  • Choose your customized UBegin program from available options and enrol in classes
  • Learn about all the programs and services available to you as you explore UCalgary

Enrolment: A Quick Reference Guide

This user guide shows learners how to register in a learning program and enrol in a class for the program, using the Enterprise Learning system.


Registration and Completion Process

Register for UBegin Program

All faculty and staff should complete all program requirements for UBegin within the first two months of employment.

Register now

Register for Upcoming Courses

UBegin courses are offered regularly throughout the year — customize a plan that works for your schedule.

Register now

Required Courses for All Employees

Environment, Health, and Safety courses are mandatory and required for all new employees to complete. 

All university employees, supervisors, and managers. Existing employees, supervisors, and managers are also required to complete this training.

  • Occupational Health & Safety Orientation (required for all employees)
  • Hazard Assessment Training (required for all employees)
  • Harassment and Violence Awareness Training (required for all employees)
  • Incident Reporting & Investigation Training (required for all university supervisors and managers, as well as employees who participate in conducting incident investigations)

Strongly Recommended Courses for All Employees

These courses developed specifically for new employees will help you become an informed, engaged, and efficient UCalgary employee as quickly as possible. The courses are optional but recommended.

Welcome to the University of Calgary! As part of UBegin, this half-day session is recommended for all new Support Staff (AUPE), Management & Professional Staff (MaPS) and Academic Staff.

In this session, you will be introduced to the organization, environment and strategic vision of the university. The presentation will also provide an overview of the university's culture and strategic initiatives. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to meet and network with other new colleagues during the session.

For staff that are members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), a short presentation will welcome you to the union, provide you with further information, and provide an opportunity to answer any questions you may have.

New Employees looking for more information regarding the on-boarding process should visit this link to review the onboarding checklist:
https://www.ucalgary.ca/hr/training-development/onboarding/seven-onboarding-essentials.


This course supports the following core competencies: University Understanding, Knowledge & Technical Skills

Respectful conduct is a critical component of developing a healthy, energetic and productive campus community. This workshop focuses on competencies and strategies to enhance the personal and leadership effectiveness of employees and our workplace culture. This session is very interactive, practical and supportive.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this workshop, the participant will:

  • Explore why respect in the workplace is critical to our success
  • Identify the policies and procedures connected with a respectful workplace at UCalgary
  • Recognize the continuum of respectful behaviour and define key terms such as harassment and violence
  • Connect respect to engagement, performance and health through examination of how respect and disrespect impacts employee wellbeing
  • Identify specific strategies for fostering respect in our culture and taking personal responsibility

Intended audience: All Eligible Employees

Number of hours: 3 hours

Alberta's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act and being Cybersafe has an impact on how we conduct business at the university. These General Awareness sessions are intended to provide a broad overview staying cyber aware, and the underlying principles and intent of the FOIP Act as well as the effect of these on University policies and procedures.

Intended audience: All Eligible Employees

This course will introduce learners to the history and content of our Indigenous Strategy, ii' taa'poh'to'p, guiding our way forward  'in a good way' on the path towards reconciliation in response to the 2015 Final Report on Truth and Reconciliation. It includes the following topics: Territorial Acknowledgement, What Is Reconciliation?, Our Journey, Guiding Principles, Conceptual and Cultural Models, Looking to the Future, and Resources.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this workshop, the participant will:

  • Participants will be able to describe the journey, development, and the cultural gifts of the University of Calgary's Indigenous Strategy, ii' taa'poh'to'p
  • Participants will recognize the importance of the traditional territorial acknowledgement for the Southern Alberta region
  • Participants will be familiar with the important foundational documents and rationale for the development of the Indigenous Strategy

Intended audience: All Eligible Employees

Number of hours: 1 hours

This course provides a basic introductory level overview of the history and diversity of Indigenous people in Canada.

The introductory level session provides an overview of the diversity of Indigenous people in Canada. The topics covered in this session provide information on terminology related to Indigenous peoples and the concept of reconciliation, explore common misconceptions, and offer an opportunity for participants to learn more about and consider the effects of colonization and the impact of residential schools.
 

Learning objectives: 

  • The diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada, the terminology related to Indigenous peoples in Canada, common misconceptions, colonialism, the legacy of residential schools, the movement towards reconciliation, and some common tenants of Indigenous knowledge systems.

Prerequisite for this course is The Story of ii' taa'poh'to'p.

Intended Audience: All Employees, faculty and students
Number of hours: 3 hours

Jump start or enhance your use of the My UCalgary Portal; this course explores the many ways you can use the portal to streamline your work activities.

This workshop is best suited for newer employees or for those who would like to learn some tips and tricks on the navigation of the portal. We will do our best to help with any questions specific to your needs. To make this workshop interactive, feel free to bring your  laptop or tablet to access the live environment.
 

Intended audience: All Eligible Employees

Number of hours: 20 minutes

This workshop is designed to equip participants with resources and strategies to improve health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Learning Objectives:

  • Explore connections between health and wellbeing and our work
  • Discuss what UCalgary employees can do to improve wellbeing at an individual level and a community/organizational culture level
  • Become familiar with Staff Wellness, the Campus Mental Health Strategy and other resources at UCalgary

Intended audience: All Eligible Employees

Number of hours: 1.5 hours

 

An introduction to the foundational concepts of HR and Financial processes including transactions within PeopleSoft. Learn about approval authority, delegation, roles, position management, etc.

This eLearning course offers an introduction to the foundational concepts used at the university that support the administration of HR and Financial processes.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this workshop, the participant will:

  • How is approval authority defined?
  • What authority can be delegated?
  • How authority is defined by key roles in PeopleSoft and how those roles support approval workflow.
  • What do I need to know about the department and reporting structures and how they create the overall organizational structure in PeopleSoft?
  • How is position management used and the difference between positioned and non-positioned roles?
  • What HR Manager reports are available and how do I access them?
  • What are the various roles and appointment types at the university?

This course is valuable in helping you understand the background structures that support financial and HR transitions.

Intended audience: budget owners, managers and delegates.

Number of hours: There are five interactive eLearning modules titled HR Foundations and each module is approximately ten minutes in length with the entire course running approximately 54 minutes.

Additional Courses for Managers

In addition to the UBegin courses for all employees, reports-to managers are encouraged to take the following courses specific to management job functions.

UFundamentals courses provide a foundation of leadership principles and tools for the University of Calgary front-line managers who have at least one direct report.

Intended audience: managers new to the university with at least one direct report or recently promoted managers with at least one direct report

Additional safety training may be required for your role. Be sure to check with your manager and review the Occupational Health & Safety course listings.