JANUARY 19, 2023 – The Department of the Air Force Civilian Development program is a portfolio of educational, experiential and leadership development courses designed to develop members of the civilian workforce and equip them with the competencies required for the service to succeed in the future fight.
With an expanded number of offerings for civilians at all developmental levels, there is something for everyone in Academic Year 24 of the Civilian Development program, which is taking applications now.
The Department of the Air Force Civilian Development program is a portfolio of educational, experiential and leadership development courses designed to develop members of the civilian workforce and equip them with the competencies required for the service to succeed in the future fight.
With nearly 40 diverse offerings in categories including Professional Military Education, academic degrees, fellowships, experiential assignments, and leadership seminars or short courses, there is a program that meets nearly every civilian’s developmental needs.
“The Civilian Development program was revamped to match the new career roadmaps released by Air Force Personnel Center in 2022. The Civilian Development program changes align to the ‘Civilians We Need’ career model and provide courses that can meet the needs of civilians on both the enterprise leader and functional expert career paths,” said Crystal Riego, Civilian Development Lead, Air Force Materiel Command. “AFMC has the largest civilian workforce in the Air Force, and the Civilian Development program enables us to develop our employees to meet personal and command needs for the future.”
AFMC civilians competed and earned 653 program spots in Academic Year 23 of the Civilian Development program, equating to nearly 43% of Air Force departmental total. With the increased number of offerings for Academic Year 24, the command anticipates a larger number of civilians earning placement in the competitive programs.
Changes for Academic Year 24 include:
- Eligibility for the Defense Civilian Emerging Leader Program expanded to include GS-7 to GS-12 and equivalent pay grades
- Executive Leadership Development Program is back to active status in nomination call
- Civilian Short-Term Experiential Program now open to GS-11 to GS-14 and equivalent individuals in the Audit, Financial Management, Force Support, and Science and Engineering fields
New courses for Academic Year 24 include:
- Strategic Thinker’s Program (GS-13 to GS-15 & equivalent)
- Director’s Development Program in Leadership (GS-14 to GS-15 & equivalent)
- Developing Supervisor Course (GS-11 & equivalent; Federal Wage Leads and Supervisors)
- The Supervisor as a Leader (GS 12 to GS-13 & equivalent)
- Leading Department of the Air Force Organizations (GS-014 to GS-15 & equivalent)
Additional program changes include the removal of the Leading Effectively Through Change, Leading with Impact, and Organizational Leader Course offerings. The Civilian Associate Degree Program will be managed by Air University’s Civilian Leadership Development School beginning in Academic Year 24.
For more information on Civilian Development program offerings, visit the myPers Force Development page at https://mypers.af.mil/app/categories/c/549/p/2.
To apply for a Civilian Development program, visit MyVector at U.S. Air Force – MyVector (af.mil).
Applicants should watch for internal deadlines set by their organizations. Academic Year 24 applications must be endorsed and completed through MyVector by March 10.
Individuals who have questions regarding Civilian Development can visit the AFMC Civilian Development SharePoint site from a CAC-enabled device at https://usaf.dps.mil/teams/21918/A1D/SitePages/Civilian-Development.aspx.
A series of virtual Civilian Development panels will be held on ZoomGov starting Jan. 12 at 2 p.m. ET. Registration and login information is available on the AFMC Civilian Development SharePoint site. Recordings will be available to those unable to attend.
Civilian Development CDE
Story by Marisa Alia-Novobilski
Air Force Materiel Command