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NewsCastle - Human Resources |
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Vol. 37 No. 5 A monthly publication of the Los Angeles District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers December 2007
New Employee Orientation
By Jay Field
The Los Angeles District welcomed six new employees in November with its redesigned New Employee Orientation.
The goal of the program is to welcome new employees into the district family, teach them about how the Corps does business and introduce them to the people and processes that will help them be successful.
Col. Thomas H. Magness IV, district commander, opened the session with welcoming remarks and an overview of his vision for the district.
Magness sees the New Employee Orientation as a critical element in the hiring process. “How we bring people onto the team will make a difference in the long term,” he said.
The orientation, when the redesign is fully realized, will help the district achieve its long-term goal of “recruiting, developing and retaining a world-class workforce enabled to excel.”
In the past, the program amounted to a half-day orientation. Now, the schedule has expanded to a full day so new employees will get a more in-depth introduction to the district. Presentations included Corps and district primers (USACE and SPL 101s) and briefings from each of the staff and support offices. An “HR Survival for Supervisors” session was added for those new employees taking on a leadership role in the district. The program will continue to evolve as feedback is gathered from attendees.
Millie Rodriguez, logistics management office, suggested the orientation include a short tour so employees can learn where things are located throughout the building. “Where you can get training on the different programs, like CEFMS {Corps of Engineers Financial Management System}, would also be nice,” she added.
In the works is a consolidated New Employee Handbook the district hopes will become a handy reference book for all employees. The handbook is being developed as an on-line tool that will cover all aspects of employment in the district, from attendance to travel.
Magness urged the district to be imaginative as it revamps its New Employee Orientation. He suggested the district consider having a panel of leaders to answer questions, among other ideas.
“Be creative--make this the best in the Corps,” Magness concluded.
The new employees at the orientation were: Rodriguez; Nirav Patel, engineering division; Marriah Alellera and Maya Dehner, planning division; and Kevin McCullough and Walter Scott, construction-operations division.
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