(l to r) Worldwide Business Research Divisional Director Lisa Ringlen presents NAVAIR Leadership Development Program Manager (NLDP) Jenny Russell and NLDP Instructional Design Specialist Frankie Jeffery with a Human Capital Management Government Award at a ceremony Dec. 3 in Arlington, Va. (courtesy photo)
Patuxent River, MD — NAVAIR’s mentoring and leadership development programs won third place at the Human Capital Management Government Awards ceremony Dec. 3 in Arlington, Virginia.
Specifically, in the “best workforce development program” category, the mentoring program was recognized for advancing opportunities for high-performing employees and providing training and competency development to engage and motivate the workforce.
“NAVAIR’s mentoring program has come a long way since being stood up in 2007,” said Mentoring Program Manager Donna Belcher. “We’ve reshaped it several times to fit the needs of the workforce, and a lot of time and effort has gone into making the program what it is today. I am honored the program was recognized for its value to our employees.”
NAVAIR’s mentoring program includes a mentoring handbook and iMentor, an online tool to match mentors and mentees based on specific criteria. Employees can choose mentors outside their current office, department or location. Non-NAVAIR employees can also use iMentor, increasing cross-agency mentoring and learning and expanding collaboration opportunities.
Employees can also participate in mentoring training, speed and group mentoring and national events focused on diversity or leadership.
The NAVAIR Leadership Development Program (NLDP) was recognized for training and preparing future leaders to develop cutting-edge human capital strategies, communicate effectively, manage performance and lead in a joint environment.
“It was a true honor to win this award and receive recognition for a program and team we’re so proud of,” said NLDP Manager Jenny Russell. “We’ve redesigned the program from the inside out, focusing on building NAVAIR’s future leaders organically.”
Revamped in 2013, the NLDP’s goal is to mentor, nurture and develop the next generation of NAVAIR’s leaders. NLDP participants, in addition to taking five leadership classes over three to five years, complete rotational job assignments, continuous process improvement classes and projects; find mentors; explore emergent technologies such as virtual worlds and massive open online courses; create individual development plans; shadow senior leaders; attend leadership and diversity events; and build a professional network.
The annual HCMG awards recognize outstanding efforts in advancing and progressing human capital management in the public sector.