To assure employees throughout the organization have access to the training they need, the company established the California Casualty University in mid-2004. Dubbed CCU, it is a software-based educational portal that provides access to courses and tool, including off- and on-line training.

Although the University is just two years old, it has already captured a national award.

CCU won first runner-up in the Corporate University Best of Class (CUBIC’s) “Best Virtual Corporate University/Best Use of Technology” category. “The award winner was the Defense Acquisition University - Department of Defense, the largest training organization in the world,” according to Barb Gurnett, Vice President of Education Development Services for California Casualty.

In the “Best Virtual Corporate University/Best Use of Technology” category, entries were judged on their ease of navigation, user customization capability, best portal look and feel, participant usage (deep reach within the organization), and evidence of best use of technology (using technology in a way that creates, enhances, or streamlines the learning process to either/or save money and/or time and increase efficiency and/or productivity.

The CUBIC Awards were created four years ago “to honor, recognize and promote corporate universities and/or training and development departments of organizations that demonstrate true best practices.” CUBIC Award entries are judged by a panel of leading experts and practitioners in the training field.