FORT RUCKER, Ala. (Sept. 10, 2015) -- Civilian employees play a vital role in accomplishing the Army's various missions, and the U.S. Army Installation Management Command is providing a way for those employees to further their careers.
The IMCOM Workforce Development Headquarters Centralized Mentoring Program is a program designed to help civilian employees -- GS-grades 9-13 -- grow by being mentored by GS-grades 13-15 employees for an entire year, according to Traci Dunlap, Fort Rucker Suicide Prevention Program manager.
"It's a pretty exciting program and it's a great opportunity for growth," said Dunlap, who spent the last year going through the program and briefed garrison employees at two workforce briefings Sept. 3.
The application period for next year's program begins Sept. 21, with the program beginning in January. Applicants must have their supervisors sign off on the application, as well as have current employment statistics reports completed that are relevant to their grade level, said the suicide prevention program manager. The program is open for people GS-grades 13-15s to become mentors, as well.
"The program is very competitive," she said. "Last year, when I got accepted, I was told that there were about 112 applications to the program and it was narrowed down to only 30 people who were admitted."
Unlike last year, this year's program was opened to more GS grade levels to allow civilian employees from GS9 to explore and expand their careers, said Dunlap. The program year will consist of an orientation, a job shadow week and a capstone group project.
Some of the things that will be discussed over the course of the program include career program management, resume building, setting effective career goals, and understanding professional strengths and weaknesses, she said.
During the shadow week, there is even an opportunity for people to venture out of their current career path and see what other organizations might have to offer them.
"If you work for (a particular organization) and you'd like to see what some other organizations are like, don't have tunnel vision. Open your mind and see if you want to try something different," she said. "Don't think that since you were for (one organization) that you have to go do your shadow week with them.
"I did my first shadow week in San Antonio, Texas, with the (Army Substance Abuse Program) because that's who I currently work for, so I thought that would be the best place for me to start," she said. "As it turns out, my mentor was also friends with (Dr. Beverly K. Joiner, Fort Rucker deputy to the garrison commander), so I kind of got a second mentor shadowing this past year and got to spend time with her, follow her for a week and see what goes on at that level."
Although this year's program will require less travel on the part of the mentees, Dunlap said the program will be no less demanding of participants. There will be multiple virtual workshops on career program management, as well as teleconferences to minimize temporary duty assignments.
"The program does last an entire year and it is pretty demanding," she said. "Don't get accepted into the program and think that you can just skate along."
To culminate the program, mentees will have to work on a group project that will test mentees' ability to work together, as well as problem solve.
"The project that they'll have you work on is an IMCOM-level problem that they'll want solutions to," said Dunlap. "They use these groups to come up with new solutions to these problems to brainstorm some ideas. This is a real-life program, so look at your year and make sure you can fit it into your schedule -- don't take it lightly if you get accepted."
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