Navigating career advancement as a federal employee can often feel like a complex maze. The rapid pace of technological innovation continuously reshapes the landscape of work. Automation alters roles, and entirely new positions emerge, demanding an evolution in skill sets. In today’s “knowledge economy,” the need for advanced skills and up-to-date knowledge is paramount for professional growth.
To empower the Federal Financial Management workforce in this evolving environment, the CFO Council has launched a government-wide Career Planning and Training Tool (CPTT). This innovative tool is designed to streamline and enhance career planning, acting as a vital link to essential training resources. The CPTT equips federal employees with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive amidst changing demands.
The CPTT represents a forward-thinking proof of concept, built upon a unique public-private partnership. This framework enables a more agile and centralized approach to federal career planning, training, and professional development. As an initial prototype, the CPTT’s core functionality is intentionally straightforward. However, increased engagement, demand, and utilization from federal employees will likely pave the way for future funding. This could lead to expanded features, enhanced functionality, and broader application across various sectors of the federal workforce.
Your participation in this pilot program is crucial. By using the CPTT, you directly contribute to the vital effort of improving federal career planning and development. If you recognize the value of such a resource and wish to see its expansion, demonstrate your support by: (1) utilizing the CPTT to enroll in courses offered by partner vendors, (2) sharing information about the CPTT with your colleagues and management, and (3) providing valuable feedback on your user experience and suggestions for improvement. Please direct any feedback regarding the CPTT, including your insights on accessibility, usability, functionality, and outreach, to: [email protected].
The primary goal of this initial CPTT version is to provide a user-friendly tool that simplifies fundamental career planning and facilitates access to relevant, timely, and cost-effective training opportunities.
Initially, this proof of concept tool focuses on the four most prevalent job series within the financial management community. To begin using the tool, simply “Click” on the Job Series and GS Level filters. Relevant career guidance will then be presented as virtual “cards” in the central display area and below.
Each virtual card is dedicated to a specific, relevant “competency.” It includes a general description, outlines relevant professional behaviors, and specifies proficiency levels. The information presented on these cards reflects the CFO Council’s consensus on the essential knowledge and skills required at each GS-Level stage within each job series. Importantly, these cards also feature embedded links to courses offered by vendor partners. These courses are designed to help you master different facets of each competency. Our partner vendors provide a diverse range of course types and learning modalities, encompassing online, on-site, hybrid, micro-learning, cohort-style, and many other formats. These courses are available for purchase using government purchase cards (please note that government purchase card transactions are capped at $10,000; most courses are priced well below this limit). By “clicking” on the vendor web page links, you can explore their extensive and varied training offerings.
In total, up to 54 competency variations (cards) may be applicable to each job series. Within the CPTT, the information displayed on the virtual cards dynamically “adjusts” based on the filters you select. The chosen GS-Level will directly influence the proficiency and behavioral career planning and training guidance presented. For instance, for those early in their careers or at foundational GS Levels (e.g., GS Levels 7-9), the cards will display basic, fundamental information. Conversely, for more experienced personnel at senior levels (e.g., GS 14-15), the cards will present more advanced and specialized information.
Federal employees can leverage this Career Planning Tool in numerous ways. After selecting the filters appropriate to their current job series and GS-level, employees can utilize the card information as a checklist to assess their current knowledge and skill needs. The tool also serves as a valuable resource for researching recommended knowledge and skills needed to excel in different job series or at higher GS levels. This capability is particularly useful for employees considering a lateral career move or aiming for advancement. Supervisors can also benefit from the tool by using it to pinpoint critical experience and training requirements for the professional development of their team members.
Once a user identifies a knowledge gap, they can easily use the embedded web links to explore available external training options. When choosing a course, users should adhere to their agency’s specific policy for training procurement.
Click here to access additional information about this initiative.
Within the CPTT initiative, we have partnered with several reputable training course providers (listed below). These providers offer vetted and competitively-selected courses that directly align with specific CPTT career competencies. As you navigate the tool and explore the courses, you will gain a deeper understanding of their offerings. Document links providing further helpful information about each provider are available below. These informational links typically summarize the scope of their course offerings, detail their purchasing procedures, and offer other pertinent information to assist you in making informed purchase decisions.
Please contact us at [email protected] with any feedback, questions, or concerns you may have.
