The Bureau Of Bureaucracy

I work for a large company full time and wanted to add a few weekend shifts at a different location than my normal office in order to make a few extra bucks.  In a perfect world this is what would've happened: I would have expressed interest in the opportunity and since I'm already known to the company I would be allowed to pick up shifts in a few weeks, if not instantly.  Instead, below is what actually happened.

I applied for the job and after a few months of delays I finally met the director and got the ball rolling.  I then filled out countless amounts of paperwork explaining who I was and what I was applying for and why I was qualified (I already work for the company, mind you...).  The powers to be only meet periodically to review such applications so a few months later that part of the process was complete.  Then I was scheduled for orientation, more than 6 months after I applied for the job.  I just completed 16 hours of orientation, only 3 of which were useful.  The other 13 hours either covered stuff that I already know since I already work for the company (I know who the CEO is...) or covered complete bullshit like how to introduce yourself properly or how you should wash your hands.  This is all for an occasional weekend job for a company I already work for.  I try to keep a smile through all of it but honestly there were times during the process where I thought about telling them to just forget it because all of the hassle isn't worth it.

I would like to know how long education on how to be polite has been going on in new employee orientations.  Is that a new thing or has that been going on for years?  Don't get me wrong, I know exactly why they do it.  They do it because there are enough idiots out there to screw up something as simple as introducing yourself politely.  But when you are a professional the whole thing is a bit insulting and quite honestly is a waste of my time.