Released by the NAWCWD China Lake Public Affairs Office

By Linda Lou Crosby
Advanced Information Engineering Services

At least 50 Engineering Scientist Development Program (ESDP) members of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) recently completed the “Building Team Skills for the NAVAIR Workplace” workshop offered at China Lake and Point Mugu.

“One of the reasons we wanted to hold a workshop for WD participants in the ESDP program is to provide foundational skills that are useful in the NAVAIR workplace,” said Joan Goppelt, facilitator for People Process Product and Resource (P3R) group.

The training offered team skills training, simulated systems work, effective meeting skills, and the application of problem solving methods. It was especially designed for the new ESDP recruits unfamiliar with the NAVAIR professional arena.

ESDPs come from colleges nationwide, and take three to five three-month tours throughout NAWC WD, working with different programs, before deciding on where they will be permanently placed.

“We want to create opportunities for learning and practicing team skills early in an individual's NAVAIR career,” said Goppelt. “The workshop also provides a forum for ESDP participants and local IPT (Integrated Product Team) leads to discuss what are useful team skills.”

“Much of what we do at NAVAIR is team-based,” explained P3R facilitator Keith Ray. “Learning skills for working in this type of environment is critically important.” The philosophy is being more productive in the NAVAIR working environment leads to better products for the warfighter.

ESDP attendee Daniel Loibl from China Lake added, “Most ESDPs coming into the program have little or no "real world" experience, so ESDP workshops help, I think, make the transition from a school environment to a working environment for those people who have never had that experience.” Loibl continued, “Having IPT leads there showed that there are people in upper management that support the things taught in the course.” Geoffrey Harris, another ESDP, agreed with Loibl, “It was helpful to gain perspective on the experiences of some well-seasoned individuals here on base.”

While ESDPs were looking for words of wisdom from those with years of experience in developing weapon systems to serve the Fleet, facilitators became aware of possibilities ESDPs could bring to the workplace.

Lisa DeSanti, of VPSI and a P3R facilitator, talked about her experience, “What struck me was an awareness that this is a new group - and in many instances - a new generation - for me to better understand and become familiar with. What they've experienced and what brings them to where they are today is new, different, and exciting.” Ray, concurred, “ESDPs have a fresh outlook and also seem to intuitively understand the value of working in a team environment.”

“We wanted the design to be participative, so the ESDPs could learn by doing,” said Ray. “One of the main design features was a simulation of a distribution system. The participants were able to experience how the system can cause it's own behavior, no matter what the people in it want to do.”

The workshop addressed people’s behavior through the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)that is based on a person’s preferences for behavior, and is a tool that can help people better understand themselves and others.

ESDP Abigail Torres found Myers Briggs useful, “The Myers Briggs indicator helped me understand the various personalities of individuals and the possibility of conflict as a result of the complex mesh of personal tendencies. I was able to learn my strengths and weaknesses as well as being able to adapt to the teams collective energy.”

As ESDPs head back to the workplace, some are already thinking about how to put these team skills to work. “The workshop can be brought back to the workplace most easily by example,” said Loibl. “The workshop was informative and will, I think, help a lot in dealing with anyone I work with, over, or for.”
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Cutline: Naval Mission Planning Integrated Product Team lead, Gerardo Garcia, talks about "real world" issues with Weapons Division's ESDPs.