Education and training opportunities
FY14 Acquisition Education and Training (AET) Announcements
The FY14 schedule for AET opportunities has been finalized. All AET opportunities (except for Acquisition Leadership Challenge Program) will be announced through the Army Acquisition Professional Development System (AAPDS). To access AAPDS, login at the Career Acquisition Management Portal (CAMP). Next, click on Career Acquisition Personnel and Position Management Information System (CAPPMIS). Once in CAPPMIS, select the AAPDS tab, and then select the Application Module link. Click on Apply and view all Army Director of Acquisition Career Management (DACM) available opportunities. For information on any program, go to the USAASC website.
FY14 AET Schedule:
Acquisition Leadership Challenge Program (ALCP)*:
*NOTE: ALCP will not be announced using AAPDS. Please contact your command/organization Acquisition Career Management Advocate (ACMA) or Organizational Acquisition POC (OAP).
Acquisition Tuition Assistance Program (ATAP): The ATAP FY14 announcement will open April 28, 2014 and close May 26, 2014. Anyone approved for funding during this announcement may not start courses earlier than Oct. 1, 2014.
Competitive Development Group/Army Acquisition Fellows (CDG/AAF): The CDG/AAF Announcement is on hold for FY14. Due to the current hiring freeze, we have been unable to bring new fellows on board from the FY13 announcement. If/when the hiring freeze is lifted, we will first work toward finalizing the FY13 board results before conducting another announcement.
Defense Acquisition University-Senior Service College Fellowship (DAU-SSCF): The DAU-SSCF Announcement will open Jan. 29, 2014 and close April 2, 2016. REMINDER: applicants need to complete Civilian Education System (CES) Advanced Course before the start of the Fellowship.
Defense Civilian Emerging Leaders Program (DCELP): The DCELP Announcement will open May 5, 2014 and close June 13, 2014. NOTE: these dates are tentative as this is a DOD scheduled program and they have not provided specific dates.
Excellence in Government Fellows (EIGF): The EIGF Announcement will open June 12, 2014 and close July 2014.
Naval Post Graduate School-Masters of Science in Program Management (NPS-PM): The NPS-PM Announcement will open Feb. 3 and close March 18, 2014.
School of Choice (SOC): Because of the current fiscal environment, there will not be a SOC Announcement in FY14. Should a command have an urgent need to send a high performing workforce member to obtain his/her Bachelor or Masters Degree during duty-time, please contact the AET Branch Chief Scott Greene to discuss options.
Civilian Education System
The Army, Director for Acquisition Career Management (DACM) Office sponsored programs such as the Defense Civilian Emerging Leaders Program (DCELP) and the Defense Acquisition University – Senior Service College Fellowship (DAU-SSCF) Program are coordinated through the Army G-3/5/7 Office, and the Army DACM office is now required to enforce completion of the applicable CES course (Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced) as a pre-requisite to be eligible to apply to these programs. That being said, there have been quota availability issues this year and the Army DACM office was able to successfully lobby the Army G-3/5/7 office to suspend the CES pre-requisite for DCELP this year; however, it will be strictly enforced next year.
Why do you need to know about CES? Individual acquisition workforce members need to work with their supervisors and CES Quota Managers to try to get into the appropriate level course if they, their supervisor, or their command desire them to seek advanced leadership opportunities that require CES as a prerequisite.
Per Army Regulation 350-1, many civilians are required to complete the appropriate CES course(s) depending on their grade level and supervisory responsibility. This becomes especially important as individuals desire to apply to more senior level programs sponsored by the Army’s Director for Acquisition Career Management (DACM) Office, the Army, and/or the Department of Defense.
There are three ways to complete the CES requirement:
1. Take the course through the Army Management Staff College
2. Submit for equivalency: You have already completed an Army approved equivalent course
3. Submit for Constructive Credit: You feel you have already met the course learning objectives through your past training, education, and experience.
To find out which level of CES you are required to complete, go to the Army Career Tracker (ACT).
To enroll in a CES course, go to the Civilian Human Resources Training Application System (CHRTAS). If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact your local training coordinator or CES quota manger.
View the Acquisition Civilian Leadership Development Plan (ACLDP) to see how the CES training opportunities are integrated into your civilian career path.
DAU Training
The FY14 schedule has been available for student registration since May 16, 2013. Students may apply using AITAS. Planning and applying early will afford students better opportunity in obtaining a class in the timeframe requested. Students may continue to apply for the remaining FY13 courses available on the schedule. Encourage your supervisor to approve your training request as soon as you apply. Applications cannot be processed until the Supervisor approves the training request in Army Training Requirements (ATRRS) and Resources Internet Training Application System (AITAS). Students should view the DAU iCatalog to ensure they meet the prerequisite(s), before applying to a DAU course. A weekly low-fill listing, posted weekly on DAU’s website, allows students the opportunity to attend classes coming up in the next 60 days. Low-fill classes within 60 days from the start date of the class are available on a first-come, first-served basis for priority 2 students and 40 days for priority 3-5 students. Please remember that even if a class is on the low-fill list, students must choose a cost-effective location for their training.
Applications cannot be processed by the Army registrar’s office until the supervisor has approved the training requested by their employee. It is also imperative that the student and supervisor email addresses be listed correctly on the AITAS student profile. Please apply through AITAS. For more information on DAU training, including systematic instructions, training priority definition or FAQs, go to ASC’s DAU webpage. Once you receive a confirmed reservation in the requested class, ensure you attend the class as scheduled. Cancellation requests for confirmed reservations must submitted at least 30 calendar days before the class starts or by the reservation cutoff date, whichever is earlier, to avoid a no-show.
For FY13: DAU central funds are entirely separate from budgetary actions within a service or agency to mitigate budget execution issues in FY13. DAU travel for required Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification courses is centrally funded by DAU through the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC) so long as the traveler selects a cost-effective location. For details, see Status of Travel Funding for the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Training in FY13, Jan. 29, 2013.
For FY14, we anticipate a 30 percent cut in DAU travel funds. At this time, USAASC will only fund priority 1 (required training) travel to cost-effective locations. Depending on funding received, we may also elect to centrally fund priority 2 applying to cost-effective locations.
DAU has implemented the revised FY13 furlough schedule for classes held July 8 through Sept. 20, 2013. Please see detailed information on the USAASC website DAU Furlough Memo on Training Impacts in FY13. DAU will keep up-to-date furlough information on their website.
The USAASC Budget and Course Manager support is also subject to furlough. A 20 percent reduction in the workload may delay travel worksheet processing. All requests, including submission of the travel worksheet (for students approved for DAU funding), should be completed no later than 15 days before the start date of the course. Students may start their travel order as early as 60 days before the start date of the course.
Requirements for DAWIA certification still exist and are not extended due to the furlough. Workforce members and their supervisors should plan their training and ensure they have adequate time to complete prerequisite training before attending the follow-on course. Reservations in follow-on training will be cancelled if prerequisite requirements are not met 30 days before the start date of the follow-on course.
FY14 Certification Changes: DOD Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (AT&L) career field certification standards for the new fiscal year are implemented every October. FY2014 changes are outlined in the following table. The eleven changes will be effective for the respective certification career fields on Oct. 1, 2013. For career fields not listed in the table, there are no approved changes to date. For certification considerations under the FY2013 standards, workforce members must submit their certification application by midnight Sept. 30, 2013. To view the most current career field certification standards required for your current acquisition position, please go to DAU’s iCatalog.
- If you have questions on any Acquisition Education, Training, and Experience (AETE) programs or DAU Training, please contact the the AETE Branch Chief Scott Greene @ scott.greene4@us.army.mil
