HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – More than 50 developmental interns participated in Contracting JUMPSTART: Phase 2 here to build on the foundational training they received earlier this year.
During opening remarks, Anna Morris, director of Contracting (and senior contracting official) at Hanscom AFB, emphasized that professional development extends beyond learning the technical aspects of a profession.
“Learning your craft isn’t just about your job,” she said. “It’s about learning everything around it.”
The three-day professional development program brought together acquisition contracting professionals, program managers, engineers and financial specialists.
Organizers encouraged participants to use the training as an opportunity to step away from their normal duties and focus on developing their professional skills.
“Part of the goal is to make this training more hands-on and conversation-based, giving participants an opportunity to step away from their day-to-day duties, engage with one another and focus on developing skills they need to grow professionally,” said AJ Bazdanes, Contracting workforce development manager, during his opening remarks.
The training included cost model development, pricing strategies, source selection, fiscal law, market research, the Competition in Contracting Act and the Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul.
Participants also worked through real-world scenarios, interactive exercises and challenges designed to prepare them for integration into cross-functional Integrated Product Teams.
Bazdanes said the Phase 2 curriculum was intentionally designed to move beyond traditional classroom instruction by encouraging interaction among the functional areas that make up an acquisition team.
Marcus Green, Cyber and Networks contracting organizational senior functional and primary business advisor to the portfolio acquisition executive, told participants that successful acquisition professionals must understand the purpose behind their work and be willing to adapt.
“Acquisition transformation demands that we do things smarter, faster,” said Green. “We must be smart and we must be quicker about it, and we have to be willing to make those calculated risks to deliver capability.”
Col. Grant Spear encouraged participants to view themselves as leaders regardless of their current position.
“Don't wait until you have that position of leadership, particularly positional leadership at a branch, division, or above level, to see yourself as a leader and to see the criticality of you functioning as a leader,” he said. “Acting like a leader means being proactive, engaging, and pulling the team forward.”
Spear is the Department of the Air Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management’s Airspace Mission Planning Division senior materiel leader.
The Phase 2 curriculum reflected that philosophy by bringing multiple acquisition disciplines together and giving participants opportunities to collaborate, ask questions and apply what they learned.
Morris encouraged attendees to use the event not only to strengthen their technical skills, but also to establish professional relationships that will support them throughout their careers.
“As the leaders who will shape our future operations, the responsibility begins now,” she said. “When tough challenges arise, don’t step away, keep your seat at the table. Solving complex problems requires trust, and the time to build those relationships is today.” Morris said.
The latest iteration of Jumpstart supports Air Force Materiel Command’s emphasis on strengthening its workforce, revolutionizing processes and amplifying a warfighting culture.
By developing acquisition professionals who understand their roles, collaborate across functional areas and connect their work to operational outcomes, the program helps prepare the workforce to deliver capabilities to the warfighter.