Human Capital

The Department’s leadership recognizes the need to ensure succession planning in the area of financial management and to enhance the current workforce development initiatives. Therefore, internship programs are implemented through a variety of sources to give finance and accounting majors an opportunity to gain hands-on accounting experience, while introducing potential future employees to the opportunities that exist at the Department. In 2007, the Department continued a two-year career internship program for college-level graduates interested in pursuing a career in federal accounting. Candidates participated in finance-related training courses and rotational assignments throughout the Department. Department leadership continued its partnership with the National Academy Foundation (NAF) by employing finance interns from local high schools and participating in NAF-sponsored events.

Additionally, the Department’s senior executives reviewed and approved the business case analysis to add the accounting and budgeting series to the list of Department-wide mission-critical occupations. Employees at the GS-7 through GS-15 and equivalent levels in the accounting and budgeting series are eligible to apply for the Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program, the Executive Leadership Development Program, and the Aspiring Leaders Development Program. These programs include competency assessment, formal classroom training, developmental assignments, seminars, action learning task teams, and mentors for the participants to enhance the succession planning opportunities.