Human Resources

Management Council

MEMORANDUM FOR DIRECTORS OF PERSONNEL

Thank you for the continuing support you are giving to the Presidential Management Intern (PMI) Program. This provides you the PMI Orientation Training Program dates for the Class of 2000. We ask for your help to encourage your agency’s senior-level managers and executives to volunteer to serve as AAdvisors@ for the Career Development Groups (CDG) being established for the PMI Class. The CDGs will meet for the first time at the PMI Orientation Training Programs.

There will be three offerings of the Orientation Training Program in order to accommodate the entrance on duty dates of the PMI class. PMIs, working with and through their agency PMI coordinators and supervisors, will have the choice of attending one of the Orientations on the following dates:

-- October 11, 2000 through October 13, 2000

-- November 15, 2000 through November 17, 2000

-- January 10, 2001 through January 12, 2001

The Orientations will be held at OPM=s Eastern Management Development Center (EMDC) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. This training facility is a self-contained, executive and management residential environment located 70 miles from downtown Washington, D. C. The Center combines hotel quality (Clarion Hotel is co-located with the Center) lodging rooms with complete food services. Classrooms are equipped with ergonomic chairs and tables and Astate of the art@ presentation equipment. In addition, the Center offers a resource center including a library and Internet access; a computer classroom; a business center with copier and FAX access; and a fitness center and pool. Travel to the Center can be accomplished via automobile from Washington, D. C. or Baltimore in less than two hours. Train service is also available.

The Orientation Training program will be structured to permit numerous opportunities for PMIs to interact, and will include working mealtime sessions and evening training activities. The 24 hours of training that PMIs receive at the Orientation will count toward the 80 hours per year training requirement each PMI must receive.

One very important part of the Orientation Training program is establishing the Career Development Groups (CDGs). The 2000 CDG Advisors will be invited to attend all three days of the Orientation. It is important that the Advisor be available on the second day, which is the CDG portion, of one of the Orientation Programs at Shepherdstown (see dates on first page of this memo). The PMI Program Office pays for the lodging and meal expense of the Advisors attending the Orientation. The Advisor’s agency is responsible for paying travel expenses. Prior to each Orientation, a meeting will be held with the nominated Advisors to define the function of the Career Development Group and to inform them of their roles and responsibilities within the CDG. We will also conduct a session at the Orientation with the Advisors and Program Liaisons to help them establish a two-year agenda with their CDG.

We need your help to recruit 40-50 volunteers who will serve as CDG Advisors for the PMI Class. It is critical that we have a sufficient number of Advisors identified to support our CDG plans for this year’s class of PMIs. You can help us by circulating the attached volunteer form with the CDG Advisor information sheet to your senior-level managers and executives, along with your enthusiastic endorsement of our efforts. Please note that not all nominees will be selected as advisors.

Kristen Kershner of the PMI Program Office is available to answer questions about the CDG process and the role of Advisors. Kristen can be reached at (215) 861-3022. Please respond to us by Friday, August 25, 2000 to assist us with our planning. Thank you.

Attachments

CAREER DEVELOPMENT GROUP
ADVISOR INFORMATION SHEET

A Career Development Group is typically composed of approximately 20-25 PMIs representing a cross-section of agencies. Each PMI will be assigned to a CDG and will begin their two-year CDG experience at the Orientation. The primary purpose of each CDG is to provide educational and developmental programs, activities, and experiences outside a PMI=s every-day agency work setting. Each CDG is assigned a senior-level AAdvisor@ who supports, facilitates, and guides the activities of the group, serving as both a leader and facilitator of group activities. Each CDG will be assigned two Advisors. CDGs typically meet six to eight times a year. The time commitment necessary to accomplish these meetings, events and activities is determined by the Advisor and the PMIs in the CDG.

-- Sponsoring, scheduling, and guiding CDG sessions and activities throughout the two-year internship to expose PMIs to managerial competencies and to foster relationships with other CDG members, PMIs and agencies and organizations;

-- Serving as a knowledgeable, senior-level Federal resource and networking proponent;

-- Discussing PMI developmental and training opportunities;

-- Providing PMIs with the opportunity to experience group dynamics, and develop their interpersonal skills;

-- Increasing the PMIs’ awareness of the critical career decisions they will face now and in the future; and,

-- Affording opportunities for the PMIs to learn the views and insights of key Government managers and officials.

The Presidential Management Intern (PMI) Career Development Group Advisor role will entail a two-year commitment starting in the fall of 2000 and ending with the PMI raduation Program in 2002. It is anticipated that CDG Advisors will meet with their CDG as a group approximately eight times per year. Advisors will have flexibility in scheduling their group activities and meeting times.

Title:

Grade:

Agency:

Phone:

Please e-mail or fax this interest form to Kristen Kershner, by Friday, August 25, 2000.

E-mail: KWKERSHN@opm.gov Fax: 215-861-3030 Phone: 215-861-3022

Presidential Management Intern Program Office, William J. Green Federal Building, 600 Arch Street, Room 3400, Philadelphia, PA 19106.