Member benefits
Education
Director of Education
Articles by Jamie Lumm.
The NALC Education Department provides educational opportunities and training materials for NALC officers, stewards, activists and members. Director of Education Jamie Lumm works closely with national officers and headquarters staff to develop training modules on a wide variety of subjects as well as present educational programs at training events across the country.
NALC Leadership Academy
Information on the Leadership Academy
Since 2005, NALC has sponsored letter carriers representing each of its 15 regions for this intensive training program to develop the skills effective leaders need.
Under the tutelage of their mentors—established NALC leaders such as branch presidents or national business agents—the students combine three separate weeks of classroom learning with take-home assignments and special projects.
The mentor also should be in a position to provide time and venues for the student to practice the skills he or she has been building at the Academy, to be available to observe their mentee’s work and to provide appropriate feedback and critique.
During the classes, students discuss effective leadership skills and the union’s legislative agenda. They learn about topics such as the Dispute Resolution Process, strategic planning, branch financial responsibilities, retirement issues, route protection, workers’ compensation, effective negotiation techniques and getting NALC’s message out.
Each week of the Academy also includes an ongoing emphasis on effective written and oral communication skills in forums such as membership meetings and training, as well as in written reports and oral presentations about their take-home projects.
All Leadership Academy graduates leave with new skills and a confidence that they may never have thought they would, thanks to this rigorous but rewarding program.
Students are required to complete outside learning projects upon returning home following Weeks 1 and 2, and upon graduation, the students will spend a fourth week working in their national business agents’ offices.
The application period for the 2025 NALC Leadership Academy is now closed. Stay tuned for 2026! The NALC Leadership Academy is open to all active NALC members and consists of three week-long sessions held over a five-month period at the Maritime Institute near Baltimore. Applications are available here.
For more on the Leadership Academy, click here.