Our Learning Team at the CCMA Awards

On Saturday night, the 14th of November, the eBay Learning team for Dublin and Dundalk dusted down their best formal wear to attend the CCMA awards after being shortlisted in the category of Best Training & Development Programme. The CCMA otherwise known as the Customer Contact Management Association is the leading industry association for the promotion and development of the contact centre industry in Ireland. Each year they host their annual awards which looks at organisational excellence across wide ranging categories from best training and best use of social media to teammate and team lead of the year. Coming up against 46 rival companies the eBay training team were shortlisted in their category for the second year in a row, again obtaining a top 5 finish! The submission concentrated on how they have harnessed technologies to complete training at a local and global level. This achievement really goes a long way to benchmarking the great work they have been doing against other major contact centre industries based in Ireland. After having a wonderful night of best practice sharing, networking (and socialising) the team are already motivated to go one step better and win the competition in 2016. Well done Learning Team!

You can learn more about the CCMA by visiting their website: www.ccma.ie or go directly to their awards ‘book of the night’ to read all about the entrants and winners here.

November Writing Challenge

We were challenged to write a post/short story/blog entry based on the picture above. Here is a short excerpt of the entries (click the title to read the entire entry):

Smoking kills your teeth and gums like schools kill creativity by Danielle
"Why do children have greater creativity and innovation to adults?  Do you think it is just a coincidence that children have incredible imaginations, love getting messy, making music, drawing, painting, and creating stories?  Why doesn't any of this carry into adulthood? Are we truly designed by nature to lose these precious gifts?"

Arthur by Sean Delaney

"Goma in central Congo is a dangerous place. I know, I have lived here all my life. Dangers exist in many forms, there is poverty and social risks and there are gangs of rebels who exist to exist. The gangs give kids purpose, a role and some meaning where otherwise there is nothing."

The Wall by Colton Todd

"Instructional Design is like a creepy wall...
One is a job, the other has eyes and is smoking a cigarette."

Primal Angst by Micha

"A week had passed since I embraced my newfound talent, the skill to understand the nature of things just by looking at them; an ability that – for the lack of a better term – I came to call my “second sight”. My girlfriend Carol was already in full remission. "

October Writing Challenge

October Writing Challenge

We were challenged to write a post/short story/blog entry based on the picture above. Here is a short excerpt of the entries (click the title to read the entire entry):

Taking Gestalt, by Micha
"I walked by a leaf and felt the sudden need to look closer again. That second it hit me again, with all its force. I saw the leaf and instantly knew everything about it. I knew when it budded out, which tree it grow on, how many aphids roamed over it, when it fell and how long it lay on the ground. I just knew everything."

Leaf, by Colton

"Instructional Design is like a leaf

One is a job, the other is part of a tree"

Reuse, Recycle & Repurpose: Creating Something New Out of Something Old and How it Applies to Training, by Jenn

"At first glance it’s hard to connect how a pile of leaves relates to training, even with one leaf made out of book paper or newsprint. As I sat pondering the connection I decided to just look up what else could be made out of book paper."

The Library of Lost Books, by Jasmin
"The wind blows from the east, promising a cold winter, I thought, when I walked through the Park. I love those colors of leafs, falling from trees and dancing in the wind. For a moment I feel like a child."

Too much fun at Adam's Wedding

Fun at Adam's Wedding. Pictured: Randi Williams, Chrissey Hayes, Jenn Gilbert, Jerrick Gober, Alice Burgi, Shaun Prinster

Too much fun at Adam's Wedding

Mr. Adam Bird said "I Do" on the 3rd of October to a fellow eBayer and some of us were lucky enough to attend the festivities. You can see the progression of fun from the photos above! From left to right, right as we got there, during the evening and right as we were leaving. Thanks for the super fun evening Adam and Larissa (and super thanks for the open bar!)