WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 10, 2014) -- Army civilians seeking leadership opportunities now have a more effective roadmap for advancements and new assignments.
GS-14s and 15s have a path to professional development, senior-level educational or experiential opportunities and leadership positions through the Senior Enterprise Talent Management program, or SETM. Training includes attending the Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., two-year enrollment in the Defense Senior Leader Development Program and temporary duty to a developmental assignment.
This program, in place now for three years, provides the depth and breadth of experiences needed for advancement to Army enterprise leadership positions, said Scott W. Rowell, capabilities-based civilian workforce integrator, Army G-1.
Other tracks are now being developed for other GS levels, he said, and those programs will not only benefit civilians, they will also provide additional talent for the Army.
The Enterprise Talent Management program, or ETM, is being designed for GS-13s and 14s. This too will provide a pathway toward enterprise leadership, he said. Selectees will attend a 24-month-long executive leader development program and go TDY for up to 90 days to locations where they can broaden their expertise.
Another opportunity under development for civilians is a 10-month-long course at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. The course launch is planned for 2016, with 20 civilian enrollees, GS-13/14. The details, such as follow-on assignments, are still being worked out. U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command is assisting with the development of this rollout, Rowell said.
The Army is now working to develop similar programs for civilians who are GS-12 and below, he said, not only for leader development tracks but also for technical development.
Those efforts are just some of what's been going on under the big umbrella of Civilian Workforce Transformation, a plan that's been in place now for four years.
There are about 250,000 civilians categorized as technical experts, just under 35,000 functional leader/managers and the goal of these efforts, he said is to grow about 2,000 "enterprise leaders" from within to fill senior positions.
Other CWT initiatives include improved career program development and Army Career Tracker, or ACT. Every Army civilian is now benefiting from these initiatives, he said.
In 2011, all Army civilians were mapped to one of 31 career programs. Previously there were 23 career programs.
Those 31 career programs were mapped to the framework that will support the Army of 2020, he said. This effort gives "the civilian cohort a true capability to the Army," he said, "designed to help the Army achieve its missions."
Each of those 31 career programs has a leadership chain and professional staff that includes career management support and career program managers. Those 31 career program managers, he said, are now equivalent to branch proponent managers on the uniform side.
Staff in each of the career programs have been receiving training and they are now in the position to implement new and existing initiatives. Equally important, they can now help civilians determine their own developmental pathway, he said, adding that he expects a real person to answer the phone if someone calls with a question.
Not long after the 31 career programs were stood up, the Army Career Tracker went live.
ACT is a leadership development website that allows users to search through and select education and training opportunities, monitor their career development and get personalized advice from their leaders about which opportunities may be the most helpful, Rowell said.
ACT, he said, was initially only for enlisted Soldiers, but in 2011 was expanded to officers and now Army civilians.
As with any initiative, Rowell said command emphasis is essential in ensuring civilians complete their individual development plans and get the necessary counseling to further their training and development.
The end state, he said, is to build a "capabilities-based workforce that's focused on putting the right person in the right job at the right time with the right development, to benefit the Army."
Those interested in leadership development should contact their supervisors or career program managers or the Senior Civilian Leader Management Office.
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Related Links:
Army.mil: Inside the Army News
Army.mil: Professional Development Toolkit
STAND-TO!: Army Career Tracker
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