Developing USTRANSCOM’S Most Important Asset

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Transportation Command issued the following news release:

Human Capital Development is a talent management system which stresses the importance of investing in those working for the organization. It is currently being implemented at the U.S. Transportation Command.

"It is a continuous and deliberate competency-based process of ensuring the right people have the right training and development opportunities at the right time," said Ray Forcier, team lead for training and education at USTRANSCOM. "HCD again is ensuring that we provide the right developmental opportunities for our folks to insure that they can perform at the highest level. "

According to Diana Roach, USTRANSCOM Change Management lead, members of her office survey the command's workers, customers and partners annually "to find out how we are doing in meeting our mission, "she said. "Specifically by how well we share information, make decisions, change processes and organizational structure, and nurture our workforce through development and engagement activities.

"In 2012," Roach continued, "the feedback informed senior leaders and the workforce as we developed "Our Story 2013 to 2017" that induced Gen. Fraser (Gen. William M. Fraser III, then commander, USTRANSCOM) to establish a strategic area focused on making changes in our corporate culture.

As a result the command developed a working group to produce a sophisticated deliberate approach to human capital development.

According to Forcier, a competency assessment tool is being developed by the USTRANSCOM training team. "We are including the TRANSCOM workforce in helping us draft/develop that tool," he said. "We're putting that together, we're creating that tool as a foundation and then as we introduce it to our supervisors, we're looking for their feedback.

"Using a collaborative process, supervisors and subordinates will assess the subordinate's knowledge, skills and abilities to perform assigned duties and responsibilities," Forcier continued, "and determine the appropriate developmental opportunity that is needed to bridge any gaps.

"We aren't wasting our workforce's valuable time sending them to training or education that isn't needed, and our resources are used in the most efficient and effective manner," Forcier added.

The process of putting HCD into practice is ongoing.

"It is being implemented as we speak," said Michele Hayes-Martinez, Change Management consultant. "Many changes are occurring at the same time. The foundational piece of our HCD framework is based on first arrival. The sponsor and 90-day on-boarding (in-processing) programs have made profound changes focused on first arrival, 90-day ramp up and most importantly getting the member engaged and connected to our organizations goals and mission.

"The other tiers of the plan are based on a member's role in the organization," Hayes-Martinez continued. "Learning and engagement opportunities will be available based on competency requirements identified by the supervisors and directors."

According to Hayes-Martinez, USTRANSCOM leaders expect HCD will help continue to build a high-performing, customer-focused workforce that is forward-thinking, informed, educated and engaged.

"The Human Capital Development plan will help the commander enhance workforce skills and capabilities," Roach said, "to improve our ability to satisfy customer requirements effectively and efficiently to be the transportation and enabling capabilities provider of choice."

By Bob Fehringer, U.S. Transportation Command

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