Enterprise in Your Community
Herb Stufflebeam gives the gift of knowledge
When HRIS Training and Development Specialist Herb Stufflebeam saw empty seats in some of his Corporate computer training classes four years ago, he also saw an opportunity to give back to the St. Louis community. Today, Herb offers those seats free of charge to employees from area non–profit organizations such as the Urban League, Voices for Children, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and, most recently, the International Institute.
“We have community business partners whose employees need the same computer training we offer our employees,” says Herb. “Offering them spots in our classes when we have them available just makes sense.”
The International Institute began sending employees to Herb's classes after meeting him at Enterprise's Volunteer Fair in 2006. Since January, Herb has trained 88 institute employees in computer applications including MS Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Access. As interest grew, Herb also offered three classes exclusively to International Institute employees in MS Excel Basic and Outlook Basic.
Herb says he enjoys adapting the Enterprise training tools to fit the needs of the institute's employees, and has learned from them as much as he has taught.
“Employees from nine different countries attended one of the classes in May, so I had the opportunity to learn about their traditions and cultures,” says Herb. “They're very eager to learn and we have a lot of fun.”
A member of United Way, the International Institute provides a wide array of social services to the 8,000 refugees and immigrants who move to St. Louis annually, helping them make the transition from overwhelming dependence to productivity and self–sufficiency. It also sponsors events such as the upcoming Festival of Nations (Aug. 25–26 in Tower Grove Park) to promote public awareness of the important contribution ethnic diversity makes to the St. Louis economy.
“The institute makes a tremendous difference in the lives of immigrants and refugees, some of whom have faced incredible odds to come here,” says Senior Vice President of North American Operations Randal Narike, who serves on the organization's board of directors. “This training partnership lets us support their employees and the important work they do in our community.”
