Lateral developmental assignments offer opportunities to develop new skills

Photo By Randy Cephus | Lewisville Lake park ranger, Paula Rafferty conducts an on-site inspection of the land proposed by The Colony, Texas, to construct a bunkhouse complex. The proposed bunkhouse complex will support camping and outdoor activities for organizations such as the Boy and Girl Scouts.  

FORT WORTH, TX, UNITED STATES

05.28.2013

Story by Randy Cephus 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District

FORT WORTH, Texas - In July 2000, the Fort Worth District initiated a program to provide opportunities for district employees to participate in developmental and cross-training assignments. Since the program’s inception 13 years ago, the district has sponsored more than 100 employees for the Lateral Developmental Assignment Program.

The program offers employees an opportunity to work outside of their current field and learn a new job. The employees apply their current skills while in the lateral assignment and acquire new skills that can be taken back to their original job.

Each year the Commander’s Advisory Board evaluates applications and recommends the nominations for the commander’s approval.

“This cross-training will not only help employees perform their current jobs better, it will also broaden their overall experience which will enhance their career opportunities,” said Fort Worth District, Chief of Real Estate, Hyla Head, who also serves as the project champion.

“The actions are documented as details, temporary reassignments, or temporary promotions and may be reflected in resumes when applying for job vacancies,” added Head.

For fiscal year 2013, the Lateral Developmental Assignments program offered 20 developmental assignment opportunities. Developmental assignments can be within the Fort Worth District, other divisions and districts within the Corps or with other Federal agencies.

“Those choosing an assignment with an outside organization, such as Directorate of Public Works, are responsible for coordinating with that agency to identify a possible assignment position as well as one of their employees to work with our district,” said Head.

Paula Rafferty, a natural resource specialist at Lewisville Lake was selected for a lateral developmental assignment with the reservoir control section.

“My skill set includes recognizing urban growth trends, imagery analysis and mapping. These skills are especially well suited for a growing metropolitan lake and the surrounding property,” said Rafferty. “This skill set translated well into reservoir control, where I used them to prepare projects dealing with urban water gauges and runoff.”

“Flood risk management is a common denominator for both jobs, but they are different in their focus,” said Rafferty. “Reservoir Control maintains the flood control system as a whole and is responsible for the 25 Corps lakes within the district, while Lewisville Lake is focused on an array of missions within the lake including flood risk management, recreation, environmental stewardship and water safety.”

Rob Jordan, Natural Resource manager at Lewisville Lake, had two employees selected to train in the program.

Jordan says that although giving up employees for an extended period has an impact on the immediate workload, the benefits gained are worth the short term inconvenience.

“Having an employee temporarily away from their normal duty station creates some manpower challenges, but in the long run it is very beneficial because that employee returns with a broader knowledge of how USACE operates as a whole,” he says. “The benefits not only help the employees with their careers, but also the office they are returning to."

“I have a clearer understanding of why the water cycle is harnessed in the manner that it is and that understanding provides a clearer purpose in my everyday duties,” said Rafferty. “The wealth of information that I will take back to the lake is astounding.”

“In the end, I have a greater appreciation of what we, the Army Corps of Engineers, do for our local municipalities, the State of Texas and the nation,” concluded Rafferty.

• Date Taken: 05.28.2013
• Date Posted: 05.28.2013 16:37
• Story ID: 107659
• Location: FORT WORTH, TX, US
• Hometown: FORT WORTH, TX, US