When NASA was named the best place to work in the federal government, its training and development capability was ranked #1, too.
According to a recent survey of “The Best Places to Work in the Federal Government,” conducted by the Partnership for Public Service, NASA ranked first among large federal agencies for the third consecutive year. The survey looked at more than 389 federal organizations to determine where federal employees are most satisfied with their jobs and workplaces. Rankings were based on factors such as overall employee satisfaction and commitment, leadership effectiveness, match between employee skills and mission needs, pay, strategic management, teamwork, innovation, work-life balance, support for diversity, and performance-based rewards and advancement.
Project practitioners gain a deeper understanding of cultural challenges, legal concerns, and teaming issues in APPEL’s International Project Management course.Photo Credit: NASA
One additional factor was highlighted: training and development. The degree to which civil servants feel their organization offers training resources that enhance their career development opportunities and enable them to contribute meaningfully in their jobs was considered an important element in determining the best place to work. On that front, NASA’s training and development services placed first among similar offerings at other large federal agencies.
As the primary provider of project management and systems engineering training for the agency, APPEL is NASA’s internal resource for technical workforce development. “We’re proud to know that our training and development efforts on behalf of the agency’s project managers and systems engineers have contributed positively to the way people feel about working at NASA,” said APPEL Director Roger Forsgren. APPEL has twice been named “Best academy in the world” in a global benchmarking study of project academies conducted by Human Systems International, a subsidiary of the Project Management Institute.
APPEL offers a wide range of courses to enhance and refine critical job skills, provide hands-on learning experiences, and supplement formal educational programs. Through its world-class training curriculum and development programs, APPEL helps ensure the agency’s technical workforce has the skills and knowledge they need to advance mission success at NASA.
Read more about the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government.
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