ACCMA engages academia to reach new audiences for key STEM positions

Courtesy Photo | Dustin Villarreal a Health Physics fellow speaks first hand to the group to share his experience serving in one of the many STEM-related occupations as an Army Civilian while Frank Evans, Director for the The Survivability, Vulnerability and Assessment Directorate (SVAD) at White Sands Missile Range, looks on. Representatives with the Army Civilian Career Management Activity and U.S. Army senior civilian leaders met with representatives from several universities at White Sands Missile Range for a key academic influencer engagement event April 24 and 25. (U.S. Army Photo by Tina Manns)  

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, NM, UNITED STATES

05.01.2024

Story by Shama Crumes 

Army Civilian Career Management Activity

By Miriam Rodriguez, WSMR Public Affairs and Shama Crumes, ACCMA Public Affairs

Representatives with the Army Civilian Career Management Activity and U.S. Army senior civilian leaders met with representatives from several universities at White Sands Missile Range for a key academic influencer engagement event April 24 and 25.
The purpose of the event was to bring together college deans and army senior civilian leaders to WSMR to engage and inform them of rewarding and exciting Army civilian career opportunities for students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by displaying some of the Army’s newest technology and showcasing the important and rewarding work Army civilians perform.
WSMR Commander Col. George Turner welcomed the group to the event followed by a presentation on WSMR.
“This is a great opportunity to reach out to our academic partners,” Turner said.
Turner said WSMR does a great job on developmental testing but to continue WSMR needs talent.
“We are looking to you, our academic partners, to help us bring that talent.”
Guests started their day at the Cox Range Control Center where they received several briefings on Army civilian careers led by Roy A. Wallace, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, Headquarters, Department of the Army. He is responsible for personnel readiness and well-being of the Army through the development and integration of human resources policies and programs for all three components of the Army, as well as Department of the Army civilian and contract employees.
Wallace said civilian employees are enabling Soldiers to continue defending our great nation.
“This is your Army; we are asking you to take the information back to your respective universities and help us tell the Army story.”
Timothy A. Weathersbee, Chief, Talent Acquisition Division, with ACCMA, then talked about some of the programs to include the Student Intern Program for students currently enrolled in a full-time degree program. He followed that with a presentation on the Fellows Program, a two-year program that provides Fellows the opportunity to embark on a developmental, accelerated career path as an Army civilian employee. Upon successful completion of the program, Fellows will then be promoted into a permanent position.
“This strategic outreach engagement, a first of its kind for the Army, is part of the Civilian Human Resources Agency and ACCMA strategy to improve access to top tier candidates and providing them the pathway to become Army Civilians.” Weathersbee said. “Through the trusted relationships we have built with these key academic influencers and their expanded understanding of Army Civilian Careers, we can better access the approximately 50,000 engineering students enrolled in these seven universities,” he said.
After lunch the group travelled to DEVCOM where they received a tour of the anechoic chamber. The next day they were treated to a demonstration at SVAD, followed by a tour at TRAC-WSMR.
Betsy Castro-Duarte, Director of the University of Texas El Paso Career Center Department, said, the event was very insightful which is why she felt it was important for the educators to attend.
“It’s an opportunity for us to learn a little bit more about the different divisions within WSMR,” Castro-Duarte said. “We got the opportunity to see and experience the employment opportunities for our graduates.”
Castro Duarte said she took several notes on the different programs available to students to include the SMART program, which is a combined educational and workforce development opportunity for STEM students, the SIP and direct hiring opportunities for some of their graduates who want to stay in the area and also opportunities for those who may want to leave the area.
Huinan Hannah Liu, Ph. D, Associate Dean of Student Academic Affairs for Bourns College of Engineering at the University of California at Riverside said she really enjoyed the facility tours and demonstrations.
“It was a great learning experience and I hope to bring what I learned back to my university and share it with me colleagues, the career center, and the students. There are many opportunities with the Army civilian careers.”
White Sands Missile Range which employs more than 6,000 civilians, is a Major Range and Test Facility Base that falls under Army Test and Evaluation Command, and directly supports Army Futures Command.
ACCMA, as a part of CHRA, provides deliberate career management of Army civilians which includes top-tier talent acquisition. ACCMA resources, recruits, hires, onboards and develops entry level Army Civilian professionals to support the accomplishment of the Army mission.
Other key academic influencers in attendance included David R. Allee, Professor, School of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Mebougna L. Drabo, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Alabama A&M University, Gabby Gandara, Assistant Dean for Engineering Student Success in the College of Engineering at UTEP, Kenith E. Meissner II, Ph.D., Dean, College of Engineering, UTEP, Heather Moore, Assistant Director for Career Engagement in the University of Arizona College of Engineering, Daniel J. Pack, Dean of the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Baylor University, Robert Rabb, Associate Dean for Education and Graduate Professional Programs, College of Engineering Penn State University.
Other U.S. Army representatives included: Christopher J. Barrett, Executive Director, U.S. Army Evaluation Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, WSMR Command Sgt. Maj. Michael S. Cordery, Vincent M. Liddiard, Executive Technical Director, WSMR, Hong V. Miller, Chief Human Capital Officer U.S. Army Futures Command, Myrna C. Saldana-Trevino, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army Texas (East), Tina Manns, Chief, Strategic Outreach Branch Army Civilian Career Management Activity Civilian Human Resources Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Clara Hannon, Outreach and Engagement Coordinator, Strategic Outreach Branch Talent Acquisition Division Army Civilian Career Management Activity, Civilian Human Resources Agency, Paula K. Rickleff, Strategic Outreach and Engagement Coordinator U.S. Army Civilian Career Management Activity (ACCMA), Neisha Rogers and Kristina Swingle serve as a Recruiting Specialist for the Talent Acquisition Division of Army Civilian Career Management Activity.

• Date Taken: 05.01.2024
• Date Posted: 05.09.2024 09:27
• Story ID: 470458
• Location: WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, NM, US