TRAIN THE WAY YOU FIGHT
process. If our old training process isn’t producing the desired outcome, then we need to change our approach. More and more training is being done online, and we lose the benefit of the interaction we had in the past—the ability to hear how others managed a problem and what worked and what didn’t.”
THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE Te acquisition world is experiencing seis- mic shifts, as the Army and DOD focus on rapid fielding, modernization and finding ways to keep pace with technol- ogy. Beyond systemic changes and Army policies, Smith believes the workforce needs to have the technical skills to make that happen.
“Our folks need the right balance of hands- on experience and classroom education,” Smith said. “Lt. Gen. Paul Ostrowski [principal military deputy to the assis- tant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology] was able to push through some of those curriculum changes at Naval Postgraduate School [NPS], and I think that’s the smartest thing they could have done.”
WELCOME TO PEO EIS
Smith, center, and Brendan Burke, center right, deputy PEO, hosted a full- day newcomers orientation on Sept. 15. Smith and her leadership team have taken steps to strengthen the transition for newly hired employees from training for their jobs to doing the job, by reinforcing the fundamentals of acquisition and program management. (U.S. Army photo by Scott Weaver, PEO EIS)
“If you can show metrics and you
can give data, people may not like it, but they can’t argue data.
26 Army AL&T Magazine ” Spring 2020
In 2019, NPS awarded its first-ever master of science degrees in systems engineering management to a class of 30 Army acqui- sition officers. Te new curriculum focuses on advanced technical skills and allows participants to apply their education in hands-on projects during their training. “We desperately need that technical train- ing and practical application,” Smith said, “rather than being so focused on simply obtaining a certification or passing a test.”
“Put the focus back on the total systems engineering process,” Smith said. “Defin- ing and identifying the problem is only the first step. Understanding what to do once you identify the problem is challenging when you understand the differences in software systems versus weapon systems.
We’re trying to groom people to take command at that next level, and I think teaching them how to manage technol- ogy is much more valuable. Tey have to know enough technology to be able to manage it.”
Smith feels that progression through school should be more thoughtful, with a focus on ensuring the right balance of actual experience in a program office managing cost, schedule and performance. “At NPS, you’re reintroducing them to management of technology and updating their skill sets. I’ve heard from students there who feel it’s really been stretching them, because they hadn’t used their math or engineering skills in years,” Smith said.
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