Strategies for Employee Development and Growth
Employee development and growth are important to Union Pacific's future success. Opportunities are available for women and minorities to reach their full potential through the development of new and expanded skills. Internal job postings, in-house training programs and educational assistance help employees achieve their career goals.
Career Opportunities
Equal opportunities are afforded all employees. The Union Pacific corporate policy states:
The corporation, through its policies and practices, provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, genetic information or status as a veteran in compliance with applicable federal laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, demotion, termination, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Career Development
Career development is emphasized at Union Pacific. Employees are constantly challenged to learn new technology, keep up with the latest trends in their field and improve themselves as employees. UP's Educational Assistance Program encourages full-time, regular staff employees to increase their value within the company through enrollment in job- or career-related courses offered during non-working hours by accredited schools, colleges and universities. The program pays up to 80 percent of the cost of tuition and fees, with refund reimbursements made after successful completion of courses. Union Pacific provides training opportunities to employees through internally developed training programs. The corporation also encourages employees to attend outside developmental seminars.
The quality of Management Training at Union Pacific is such that employees who take internal management development and quality improvement courses may transfer credit to degree-granting academic institutions. To be accredited, the courses must be applicable to the employee's program of study, must not duplicate courses already taken, and must be accepted by the employee's school. Eligible courses may count for both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. A full curriculum of courses is available through the UP training department.
Specific programs which are inclusive and provide leadership training for highly motivated employees are the Management Development Program (MDP), Leadership Development Program (LDP) and the Operations Management Program (OMTP), the latter designed for those specifically interested in careers in the Operating Department.
The recently developed Field Management Training Program (FMTP) provides opportunities for Operating Department agreement/union employees to enter management. A college degree is not a prerequisite for acceptance into the program. This program, in conjunction with the OMTP, provides balanced access into UP's management team both from colleges and from within the company.
The FMTP candidate brings technical experience into entry level positions, and their broad-based knowledge of railroad operations is a valuable and recognized asset. This program is twelve weeks in duration, much shorter than the OMTP. One of the cornerstones of FMTP is a university program, developed specifically for the Union Pacific by the business school at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Upon completion of the program, the new FMT joins the management ranks, providing a blend of experience and background with their OMT counterparts.