By Vicky Falcón
NAVAIR Public Affairs Office

The new NAVAIR Leadership Development Program (NLDP) was formally introduced last month as a combination of the Senior Executive Management Development Program (SEMDP) and the NAVAIR AIRSpeed Black Belt training. The program is available NAVAIR-wide to civilian employees GS-13 through GS/GM-15, WG equivalent, DP-3 and above. Applications are being accepted now through June 13.

The briefing was presented Command-wide via video teleconference to civilian personnel on May 24. Rear Admiral Michael Bachmann, NAVAIR Vice Commander kicked off the session, followed by the presentation of the new program by the Assistant Commander for Corporate Operations, Karen Holcomb and Rear Admiral Mark Skinner, Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division. Both introduced the program as a significant change that will enhance leadership training.

“We already do a great job of providing a career progression ladder for our folks,” said Bachmann.

“This is a culmination of leadership training,” said Skinner. “It is designed to build on the skills taught in SEMDP and add productivity and improvement training.”

By merging the two existing programs into a full-time, two-year leadership training, Holcomb believes the organization is retaining the critical leadership learning of SEMDP, while adding the critical productivity learning of the AIRSpeed Program – Black Belt training to better prepare people for future leadership roles.

“The only real change to the SEMDP program is that there is no longer a rotational assignment,” said Holcomb, though, “The essence of learning about the other components of NAVAIR will still be a critical part of the program.”

Instead of a rotational assignment, she said, NLDP participants will be assigned to Black Belt projects that should give them experience in competencies outside their own.

The SEMDP program also was more flexible, said Holcomb, allowing participants three to five years to complete the course requirements. NLDP requires a full-time commitment in lieu of current responsibilities, with program completion in two years.

The SEMDP program will gradually fade out as current participants fulfill their requirements. SEMDP participants and graduates can apply for AIRSpeed Black Belt certification, while Black Belt trainees interested in the leadership component of NLDP can apply for that certification.

The first NLDP course group will form this summer with classes beginning August 29, 2005. Sixty applicants will be chosen by the competency from across NAVAIR. Applications for this group must be submitted electronically by June 13. For application instructions and requirements go to https://home.navair.navy.mil/hr/careerdevelopment. Future NLDP classes will form annually.

According to Holcomb, funding for the NLDP will be broken into two components. Funding for the Black Belt training remains the same as it is today, while funding for the leadership component will be handled as SEMDP is today.

To graduate from the NLDP, participants must complete the leadership courses (no waivers will be permitted), as well as the Black Belt training, Black Belt projects and Black Belt certification criteria.

For more information about the NLDP, contact your NLDP Site Coordinator or visit the Web site (listed above).