August 7, 2014, VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) – The Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) graduated its newest Command Career Counselors (CCC) trained with the new course curriculum Aug. 1.
The CCC course is held at the Career Counselor School in Norfolk and at CPPD Learning Site San Diego, was recently updated with the newest career and transition program information. Class 14080 is the first to complete the updated course and is ready to assist Sailors in the ever-changing and sometimes confusing career landscape.
The four-week course is designed to give future Navy Counselors and Sailors assigned to serve as collateral duty CCCs a preview and familiarization of the programs they will encounter and the impact they will have on Sailors and their command. Sailors who graduate from the course not becoming Navy Counselors receive the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) 9588.
“This has been the most informative and challenging class that I’ve taken since I’ve been in the Navy,” said Personnel Specialist 1st Class Devon Henesley, who is currently working as a collateral duty CCC at Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet.
Because of this course, he feels better prepared to assist Sailors. “I’ve learned to prioritize my work so that it will not become overwhelming,” he said. “It’s all about keeping your primary job and your CCC duties balanced and making sure each responsibility is respected and gets the right amount of attention.”
Chief Navy Counselor James Osborne, director of the CCC course in Norfolk said the new CCC course revision took three years and a number of pilot classes to complete.
“For the new course we added topics like Enlisted Distribution and Verification Report (EDVR), communication skills, and Career Navigator and Transition Goals, Plans and Success (GPS),” said Osborne.
“The foundation of being a CCC is to manage their career development teams and take care of the Sailors assigned to their commands,” said Osborne. “During the course, students learn the tools available to help them take care of their Sailors as well as how to train, motivate and manage their programs at their commands.”
Brandi Gemberling started the final class day as a Master-at-Arms; she finished the graduation ceremony as a Navy Counselor 1st Class. Gemberling converted her rating and will be reporting to her first command as a Navy Counselor.
“I really like how the new course is geared toward personnel with multiple levels of career counselor knowledge,” said Gemberling. “This is perfect because it will prepare the CCC with less experience to perform the basics of the position.”
Gemberling said most Sailors are not aware of all the programs the Navy offers benefiting their quality of life, whether it be personally or professionally. Gemberling intends to change that.
“As a new CCC, I will help the Navy by ensuring Sailors are well informed about programs and opportunities to assist in their personal and professional development,” said Gemberling. “I will do my part in ensuring our Sailors receive the best guidance possible to assist them in furthering their Navy career or transitioning to the civilian sector.”
Course topics also covered include active duty and post-retirement incentives, opportunities and benefits, counseling Sailors and administrative reporting systems. One topic that receives a lot of emphasis is career development boards and how career counselors can and should manage them.
“Career development boards are very crucial to our Sailors’ success in today’s Navy,” said Henesley. “They are designed to ensure our Sailors are being informed of and given the opportunity to take advantage of the programs that will help them develop and achieve career goals.”
Osborne said Sailors looking to attend the CCC course should be highly motivated and must be able to communicate complex programs.
“CCCs are organized self-starters who have a genuine interest in helping Sailors, and customer service is extremely important,” said Osborne. “This rating requires a thorough knowledge of the Navy organization, including personnel and administrative procedures and policies.”
“The goal of the course revision is to provide the deckplate CCC with the most up to date and relevant career management tools,” said CPPD Command Master Chief Dave Colton. “The CCC has an extremely vital role in assisting Sailors develop, track and achieve career milestones that forge their career path and the future of our Navy.”
For more information about the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD), visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/cppd/ and www.navy.mil/local/voledpao/.
Find CPPD on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Center-for-Personal-and-Professional-Development/100056459206 and on Twitter @CENPERSPROFDEV.
For more news from Center for Personal and Professional Development, visit www.navy.mil/local/voledpao/.