Orientation: new employees attend sessions to learn about our agency, its history and mission, benefits, and other aspects of life at USCIS.
Officer training: new immigration services officers, refugee officers, and asylum officers complete several weeks of residential training to prepare them for their careers.
On the job training: employees acquire knowledge and skills through hands-on experience with USCIS systems and processes.
Specialized training: employees who perform unique functions receive training to build specific knowledge and skills.
Career Growth and Development
Individual Development Plan: employees and supervisors can jointly develop a plan to identify employees’ short- and long-term learning and development goals.
Mentoring: structured programs match USCIS protégés with mentors.
Workforce Development Seminars: seminars held locally cover topics ranging from pre-retirement and financial planning to leadership skills for non-supervisors.
Professional Development Speaker Series: we sponsor voluntary monthly discussions on topics ranging from goal-setting and networking to interviewing skills.
Professional Development Program: Both full- and part-time employees can receive funding for training and education.
Leadership
All new supervisors complete a year-long Leadership Foundations Program, which consists of activities to complete within the first 90 days, a week-long course, and continued developmental assignments.
Coaching: supervisors can apply to receive confidential one-on-one coaching with a certified leadership coach from inside or outside the agency.
Leadership education and development: we offer short- and long-term leadership development opportunities to employees from the GS-4 to Senior Executive Service levels.
Supervisory training: we support supervisors with blended learning programs, supplemental developmental opportunities, and a give-back requirement where they learn through teaching peers.
eLearning
Online books, videos, courses, and job aids: USCIS employees can access a large collection of tutorials and reference materials through the SkillSoft library.
Webinars: wherever employees work in the agency, online conferencing connects them to subject matter experts and supports sharing effective practices.
Test preparation materials: independent study supported by USCIS can qualify employees for professional certifications such as Project Management Professional and more than 50 certifications in information technology.
Organizational Development
Consultations for offices and teams: leaders arrange for tailored activities to improve quality and communication.
Lean Six Sigma: process consultants work with employees to analyze business processes and improve the quality of our work products.
Communities of practice: groups capture, develop and share organizational knowledge and real-world experiences.