H UMAN CAPITAL INITIATIVES AND CHALLENGES WITHIN DOC FINANCE COMMUNITY Lisa Casias Deputy CFO, Department of Commerce March 11, 2008

Accounting & Finance FTEs

HIRING/RETENTION 1. Department-Wide Internship Programs NAF – National Academy of Finance - Provides opportunity for talented area high school students to obtain hands-on experience in finance and accounting related fields - Offered in the summer between the students’ junior and senior years - Students are hired under the Student Temporary Employment Program at the GS-1 level and are placed throughout the bureaus - Developed in partnership with the National Academy Foundation, a national non-profit, school-to-career foundation - Targeted to students enrolled in a two-year track in accounting and finance - Serves as a means of developing potential future federal finance staff.

HIRING/RETENTION 1. Department-Wide Internship Programs, contd. FCIP – Federal Career Internship Program – Two-year program designed to prepare college graduates for federal careers in accounting – Targeted to college graduates interested in pursuing a career in accounting – Selected candidates are appointed to accounting positions under the Schedule B Authority at grade levels GS-5, 7, and 9 – Candidates become eligible for permanent positions upon successful completion of the program – Has proven to be an excellent source for filling hard-to-fill finance positions.

HIRING/RETENTION 1. Department-Wide Internship Programs, contd. Post Secondary Internship Programs – These are both summer and academic year paid internships – Targeted to U.S. citizens enrolled as undergraduate or graduate students at two and four-year accredited educational institutions – Includes on-site work experiences with DOC bureaus and offices to integrate academic theory and workplace requirements, gain relevant skills and knowledge, explore Federal career options, develop professional networks, and gain a greater awareness of the role of Federal agencies – Interns receive stipends as well as paid round-trip transportation expenses between their schools/homes and work locations, and assistance with temporary housing – Most internships are in the D.C. Metro area, but some are available at locations around the US – Interns are not DOC employees; rather, they are affiliated with one of the five sponsoring organizations with which we collaborate to recruit interns – The five organizations are Hispanics Assoc. of Colleges and Universities, American Indian Science and Engineering Society, Minority Access Inc., Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and the Washington Center.

HIRING/RETENTION 2. Student Educational Employment Programs (Paid) Provides employment opportunities for all students...high school, undergraduate, graduate, and vocational/technical. Students are employed year round under a flexible work schedule. Comprises two components : Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) – Offers temporary employment, from summer jobs to positions that last as long as candidate is a student – Needs not be related to candidate’s academic field of study. Student Career Employment Program (SCEP) – Valuable work experience directly related to candidate’s academic study – Provides formal periods of work and study while attending school – Candidate may be eligible for permanent employment after successfully completing education and meeting work requirements.

HIRING/RETENTION 3. Student Educational Employment Program (Unpaid) Student Volunteer Service – Offers unpaid training opportunities to students in high school and college – Provides work experience related to student’s academic program – Allows students to explore career options and develop personal and professional skills – Provides exposure to the various missions and responsibilities of the Department.

Developmental Programs/Succession Planning 1. ALDP (Aspiring Leaders Development Program)  12-month program - provides a series of developmental experiences to enhance leadership competencies.  Track 1 targets employees at grade levels GS-7 through 9 (or equivalent).  Track 2 targets employees at grade levels GS-11 and 12 (or equivalent).  Includes weeks of formal core training, 60-day developmental work assignment outside of staff’s office, action-learning team projects, speaker events, book reviews, shadowing assignments, and mentoring from senior managers. 2. ELDP (Executive Leadership Development Program)  18-month program - provides candidates with a wide variety of competency-based leadership development experiences  Targets employees with high potential at GS-13 and 14 levels (or equivalent)  Includes 120-day developmental assignment, an action-learning and team project, and access to individual mentors and coaches.  Concentrates on developing participants in the following leadership competencies: creativity and innovation, conflict management, decisiveness, human resources management, and influencing/negotiating/mentoring.

Developmental Programs/Succession Planning 3. SES CDP (Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program)  18-month duration  Prepares qualified candidates for SES positions 4. Careers In Motion  Improves skills and mobility of employees for potential advancement to higher levels  Includes career development workshops that best meet development needs 5. Others  Mentoring Program  Administrative Professional Certificate Program

Flexibilities/Incentives 1.Non-Monetary Incentives AWS Telework Credit Hours Cross Training 2. Monetary Incentives Paybanding Performance Based Bonuses Technical Position Designation On the Spot Awards

Others - Future Retention Bonus Student Loan Repayment Recruitment and Relocation Bonus Cooperation with the CFO Council on Human Capital Initiatives

CHALLENGES Dollars  Budget Constraints Limiting Monetary Incentives  Pay Gap for Starting Salaries Lack of Candidates  Shrinking Pool of Candidates for 510 Series on Certificates  Few Candidates on Certificates Meeting Pertinent Experience  Competition Among Federal Agencies for Same Types of Talents  Competition with the Private Sector where Accountants are in High Demand/Inability to Compete with the Private Sector for Talented Employees

CHALLENGES Qualifications  Academic Degree usually not Required for OPM Qualifications Standards 510 Series (may impact the quality of candidates)  OPM Qualification Standards Do Not Offer Additional Credit for CPA Credentials Process  Ranking of Applicants Determined by Human Resources/Automated  Timeliness of the Hiring Process.

Questions?