Foundational Skills Program Offers Duke Employees a Path to Growth

Apply by March 1 to develop leadership and tech skills and connect with a mentor at Duke

Sunrise and a road

Duke employees looking to grow their leadership and technology skills can now apply for the Foundational Skills Program, which returns this year with a more efficient and accessible format.

First launched in 2018, the Foundational Skills Program is one of the premier development programs offered by Duke Learning & Organization Development (L&OD), a unit of Duke Human Resources. Designed for non-administrative Duke University and Duke University Health System employees in service areas or in certain job levels, the program provides in-depth instruction on using essential tools such as Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel as well as time management, customer service, business writing and more.

Participants are also paired with mentors within Duke who have earned the Certified Executive Administrative Professional (CEAP) designation.

Senior Learning & Organization Development Consultant Marjorie Siegert

“This is for anyone who is excited about professional development,” said Marjorie Siegert, L&OD Senior Learning & Organization Development Consultant who organizes the program. “Whether participants want to learn more, expand their network by being part of a cohort or get that mentor experience, anyone that’s excited and eager to learn will find opportunities to grow.”

To apply, employees can be nominated by their supervisors or nominate themselves using this online form. The deadline to register for the roughly year-long program is March 1, 2025.

To be eligible, participants must have at least one year of service at Duke and currently working full-time in non-administrative roles categorized as levels 1-5, B1 or B2.

In a departure from past programs, which required participants to devote 12 hours per week, the 2025-26 version will consist of 10 full-day, on-site instructor-led sessions scattered between April 2025 and March 2026.

“We’re covering things that can help people be better where they are now, so if the opportunity arises for them to lead a project or lead a team, they have the skills to do so,” Siegert said. “And people don’t have to be away from their jobs for as long and they’re getting skills they can immediately start applying.”

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