HUMAN CAPITAL INITIATIVES AND CHALLENGES WITHIN DOC FINANCE COMMUNITY Lisa Casias Deputy CFO, Depart

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HUMAN CAPITAL INITIATIVES AND
CHALLENGES WITHIN DOC FINANCE COMMUNITY
Lisa Casias Deputy CFO, Department of
Commerce March 11, 2008
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Accounting Finance FTEs
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HIRING/RETENTION

• Department-Wide Internship Programs
• NAF National Academy of Finance
• Provides opportunity for talented area high
  school students to obtain hands-on experience in
  finance and accounting related fields
• Offered in the summer between the students
  junior and senior years
• Students are hired under the Student Temporary
  Employment Program at the GS-1 level and are
  placed throughout the bureaus
• Developed in partnership with the National
  Academy Foundation, a national non-profit,
  school-to-career foundation
• Targeted to students enrolled in a two-year track
  in accounting and finance
• Serves as a means of developing potential future
  federal finance staff.

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HIRING/RETENTION

• Department-Wide Internship Programs, contd.
• FCIP Federal Career Internship Program
• Two-year program designed to prepare college
  graduates for federal careers in accounting
• Targeted to college graduates interested in
  pursuing a career in accounting
• Selected candidates are appointed to accounting
  positions under the Schedule B Authority at grade
  levels GS-5, 7, and 9
• Candidates become eligible for permanent
  positions upon successful completion of the
  program
• Has proven to be an excellent source for filling
  hard-to-fill finance positions.

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HIRING/RETENTION

• Department-Wide Internship Programs, contd.
• Post Secondary Internship Programs
• These are both summer and academic year paid
  internships
• Targeted to U.S. citizens enrolled as
  undergraduate or graduate students at two and
  four-year accredited educational institutions
• Includes on-site work experiences with DOC
  bureaus and offices to integrate academic theory
  and workplace requirements, gain relevant skills
  and knowledge, explore Federal career options,
  develop professional networks, and gain a greater
  awareness of the role of Federal agencies
• Interns receive stipends as well as paid
  round-trip transportation expenses between their
  schools/homes and work locations, and assistance
  with temporary housing
• Most internships are in the D.C. Metro area, but
  some are available at locations around the US
• Interns are not DOC employees rather, they are
  affiliated with one of the five sponsoring
  organizations with which we collaborate to
  recruit interns
• The five organizations are Hispanics Assoc. of
  Colleges and Universities, American Indian
  Science and Engineering Society, Minority Access
  Inc., Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and the
  Washington Center.

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HIRING/RETENTION

• Student Educational Employment Programs (Paid)
• Provides employment opportunities for all
  students...high school, undergraduate, graduate,
  and vocational/technical. Students are employed
  year round under a flexible work schedule.
  Comprises two components
• Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP)
• Offers temporary employment, from summer jobs to
  positions that last as long as candidate is a
  student
• Needs not be related to candidates academic
  field of study.
• Student Career Employment Program (SCEP)
• Valuable work experience directly related to
  candidates academic study
• Provides formal periods of work and study while
  attending school
• Candidate may be eligible for permanent
  employment after successfully completing
  education and meeting work requirements.

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HIRING/RETENTION

• Student Educational Employment Program (Unpaid)
• Student Volunteer Service
• Offers unpaid training opportunities to students
  in high school and college
• Provides work experience related to students
  academic program
• Allows students to explore career options and
  develop personal and professional skills
• Provides exposure to the various missions and
  responsibilities of the Department.

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Developmental Programs/Succession Planning

• ALDP (Aspiring Leaders Development Program)
• 12-month program - provides a series of
  developmental experiences to enhance leadership
  competencies. 
• Track 1 targets employees at grade levels GS-7
  through 9 (or equivalent).
• Track 2 targets employees at grade levels GS-11
  and 12 (or equivalent). 
• Includes weeks of formal core training, 60-day
  developmental work assignment outside of staffs
  office, action-learning team projects, speaker
  events, book reviews, shadowing assignments, and
  mentoring from senior managers.
• ELDP (Executive Leadership Development Program)
• 18-month program - provides candidates with a
  wide variety of competency-based leadership
  development experiences
• Targets employees with high potential at GS-13
  and 14 levels (or equivalent)
• Includes 120-day developmental assignment, an
  action-learning and team project, and access to
  individual mentors and coaches.
• Concentrates on developing participants in the
  following leadership competencies creativity
  and innovation, conflict management,
  decisiveness, human resources management, and
  influencing/negotiating/mentoring.

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Developmental Programs/Succession Planning

• SES CDP (Senior Executive Service Candidate
  Development Program)
• 18-month duration
• Prepares qualified candidates for SES positions
• Careers In Motion
• Improves skills and mobility of employees for
  potential advancement to higher levels
• Includes career development workshops that best
  meet development needs
• Others
• Mentoring Program
• Administrative Professional Certificate Program

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Flexibilities/Incentives

• 1. Non-Monetary Incentives
• AWS
• Telework
• Credit Hours
• Cross Training
• 2. Monetary Incentives
• Paybanding
• Performance Based Bonuses
• Technical Position Designation
• On the Spot Awards

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Others - Future

• Retention Bonus
• Student Loan Repayment
• Recruitment and Relocation Bonus
• Cooperation with the CFO Council on Human Capital
  Initiatives

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CHALLENGES

• Dollars
• Budget Constraints Limiting Monetary Incentives
• Pay Gap for Starting Salaries
• Lack of Candidates
• Shrinking Pool of Candidates for 510 Series on
  Certificates
• Few Candidates on Certificates Meeting Pertinent
  Experience
• Competition Among Federal Agencies for Same Types
  of Talents
• Competition with the Private Sector where
  Accountants are in High Demand/Inability to
  Compete with the Private Sector for Talented
  Employees

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CHALLENGES

• Qualifications
• Academic Degree usually not Required for OPM
  Qualifications Standards 510 Series (may impact
  the quality of candidates)
• OPM Qualification Standards Do Not Offer
  Additional Credit for CPA Credentials
• Process
• Ranking of Applicants Determined by Human
  Resources/Automated
• Timeliness of the Hiring Process.

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Questions?