Veterans Affairs Acquisition Academy (VAAA)
Government needs wide net to recruit talent
April 29, 2009
By Jaime Gracia
As details emerge about how the federal government plans to bolster the acquisition workforce, specifically at the Defense Department, it is clear that officials need to cast a wide net to get the talent needed to make any hiring initiatives a reality and train the next generation of contract managers.
One of the great new programs making strides in this direction is the internship school at the Veterans Affairs Department’s new Acquisition Academy. During the intensive three-year program, participants develop the business skills necessary to become contracting specialists in a shifting environment in which acquisition professionals are trusted business advisers and not just administrators.
One of the better programs outside government is the National Contract Management Association’s Contract Management Leadership Development Program. The yearlong program provides participants with 180 hours of training in fundamental leadership, soft skills and contract management. It was created to help close the gap in leadership progression by accelerating the preparation of a select group of contract management professionals. The target student has two to four years of contract management experience and at least an undergraduate degree.
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This page may contain links to pages and/or documents outside the Department of Veterans Affairs Domain. These are annotated as shown below. We hope your visit was informative.
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