Corpus Christi -- Department of the Army Civilians with a desire and passion for leadership and excellence are encouraged to apply for the Upward Leader Investment for Tomorrow (UPLIFT) Program FY16. Corpus Christi Army Depot's (CCAD) Workforce Development Division announced an open call for applications for this six-month professional development course.
The leadership program was designed specifically by CCAD's Workforce Development staff to give depot employees an opportunity to engage with their colleagues and mentors in a structured leadership model exploring concepts and principles from the Army and business industry.
UPLIFT students will participate in a two-hour mentorship workshop and program involving individual and group projects and homework that amounts to a commitment of 88 hours.
The program's mentorship component became increasingly valuable as training coordinators incorporated student feedback to improve subsequent classes.
"As part of the mentorship, students go out and find a mentor, then the mentor and protégé go through a workshop to prepare them for their partnership for the duration of the course," explained Manuel "Manny" Guzman, the UPLIFT Program Manager who helped design the course and continues to ensure its success.
UPLIFT is one of the many ways Army Civilians can invest in their self-development to build upon their skill set which, in turn, improves the Army profession.
In 2014, the Army restructured the Civilian Education System (CES) and provided new guidance on leadership training and development (Army Regulation (AR) 350-1).
The Army is adapting its training to develop leaders who can maintain an advantage over tomorrow's uncertainties and effectively operate in a more complex and decentralized operational environment.
The leader development programs seek to prepare agile and innovative Army Civilians who can lead during times of change and uncertainty, and prepare for the rigors of service as multi-skilled leaders.
The UPLIFT program at CCAD, however, is in a league of its own when it comes to adapting to new challenges.
UPLIFT's Program Manager, Manny Guzman is CCAD's Leader Development Team Lead. He's the go-to guy for nearly 2,500 people seeking information on professional development, academic degrees, mandatory training from higher headquarters, career tracking, and mentorships. He and Craig Tuttle played foundational roles in establishing a custom training program specifically for CCADers.
The Leader Development Team have the training piece down to a collaborative art form, serving more as a sharpening stone for some of the Army's most engaged Civilians to sharpen the spear of leadership.
"We're constantly assessing the program, getting feedback from our students and monitoring the progress as the program goes along," Tuttle said.
"You can go to a training seminar at any other location and, once you leave, that subject matter expert (SME) is gone," said Jane Scott of traditional classroom environments. She graduated UPLIFT in August 2015 and works for CCAD's Directorate of Infrastructure and Risk Management.
"Having this kind of support within our organization is exactly what we need to sustain the Army depot and help it grow," she added.
FY 2016 UPLIFT applications can be found on CCAD's Portal home news page or on the Workforce Development Page. The open call runs now through 12 February 2016. Interested employees should complete the application package and submit it through their chain of command for endorsement prior to the application deadline on the end of the 12 February work day.
CCAD's UPLIFT course is intended for all non-supervisory CCAD employees. Applications are available through the depot's internal homepage and on the Workforce Development Division page.
Applicants should read through the directions carefully to help them determine whether or not they are qualified for UPLIFT and prepared to meet the commitment required to ensure their success in the program.
Part I should be completed by the applicant. Part I A: Applicant Information, asks for basic information about the candidate along with a list of any previous leadership training and experience in a resume style. Part I B asks for the Applicant Narrative by responding to three questions pertaining to their leadership goals; their intended contribution to UPLIFT or CCAD; and their willingness to adjust their current routine to succeed in UPLIFT.
Part II is completed by the applicant's chain of command. It includes the supervisor's nomination, the division's chief's approval, and the director's endorsement.
Supervisors are asked to commit to support their employee's UPLIFT needs, to complete a supervisor checklist, and to certify that their employee meets UPLIFT's eligibility requirements and that the application package is complete.
Then package is routed to the division chief for approval. Then it's routed once more to the nominee's director for endorsement, Part II C. Once endorsed, applications should be e-mailed under the subject line: "UPLIFT Application and Endorsement Packet" to the directorate's training coordinator for processing.
Professional biographies are required with every package to receive consideration by the selection panel. If applicants completed the distance learning portion of their CES, a copy of their certification of completion should also be included.
Once everything checks out, UPLIFT finalists appear before a selection panel for final acceptance into the UPLIFT course.
With the first UPLIFT class scheduled for 29 March 2016, application deadlines are just around the corner. Packets must be completed and submitted to their chain of command before the February 12th deadline.
If programs like UPLIFT were adopted by every Army Civilian, tomorrow's organic industrial base could be the strongest, the best and most reliable and adaptable team of patriots to succeed in every aviation maintenance support mission now and in the future.
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