Impact of the ATEC Mentor Program on DAWIA Certification

Abstract

The purpose of this research project is to add to the body of research on mentoring and to apply lessons learned unique to the Army Evaluation Center (AEC) regarding Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification compliance. U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC), located at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, is the nation's preeminent Test and Evaluation Command. ATEC faces numerous mission-related challenges over the next few years, including BRAC, consolidation efforts, funding shortages, manpower reductions, etc. To remain a premier test and evaluation organization valued by its customers, it is necessary to ensure that the Army sustains a high-quality, high-performing workforce of acquisition, technology, and logistics professionals. The DoD depends on this workforce as its greatest asset, one that is critical to DoD's success. Given that there are formal mentor programs in place with the overwhelming support of senior leadership, why is the DAWIA certification compliance rate so low? ATEC leadership supports mentoring of the workforce, and there is an AEC Mentor Program. Likewise, DAWIA certification requirements of at least 75 percent have been directed since 2006. This study attempts to answer the following question: Does the AEC mentor program provide adequate guidance to the workforce for individuals to understand certification requirements and how to meet them? Data were collected to investigate the workforce perception of the effectiveness of the AEC Mentor/Career Development Program in preparing the workforce to understand and meet DAWIA certification requirements. The target population surveyed included both supervisory and nonsupervisory AEC workforce employees. This researcher's hypothesis is that the U.S. Army Evaluation Center provides adequate guidance to the workforce via the Mentor/Career Development Program, allowing members to understand certification requirements and how to meet them.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA549310

Entities

People

  • Stephanie J. Halcisak

Organizations

  • Defense Acquisition University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Administrative Personnel
  • Base Closures
  • Best Practices
  • Business Administration
  • Employment
  • Human Resources
  • Information Systems
  • Job Training
  • Knowledge Management
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Acquisition
  • Organizational Structure
  • Performance Appraisals
  • Personnel Management
  • Professional Development
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Military/Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technology
  • Organizational Process Management (OPM).