Professional improvement is continuous. It includes certification training and the full range of continuous learning activities that serve to increase the performance capabilities as an acquisition professional. Individual goals that support continuous learning may include:  

• Learning about new acquisition, technology and initiatives  
• Staying current on changes in a career field 
• Completing training for higher certification levels 
• Learning something about, or becoming certified, in other career fields 
• Completing a degree program 
• Broadening experience and expanding technical expertise 
• Developing new leadership and management skills

Most workforce members will participate in a combination of continuous learning activities. These activities can be characterized as either:

• Training
• Educational
• Experience
• Professional

The following sections along with the Recommended Continuous Learning Point Award table describe the guidelines for determining CLPs. These are only guidelines.  The supervisor, in conjunction with the workforce member, should use these guidelines to determine points credited for any given training or developmental activity that has not been predetermined by the sponsoring activity. 

When experience or other non-assessed activities are to be used to earn CLPs, certain principles should be followed. Supervisors and employees should pre-define, as closely as possible, the tasks to be accomplished, expected outcomes, and the learning opportunities. If it is an assignment, the individual should be mentored during the assignment. Accomplishment of a product, such as a briefing, a project design, a report, or other work product that shows the learning attained, is desirable. Sharing the knowledge and experience gained and the product with others in the organization should be highly encouraged.

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Training Activities

1. Career field certification training is required by DAWIA and is the most important facet of professional training for the workforce member. It should be the priority for those not certified to the level of their assignment. However, there are times, such as those while waiting for a class date or fulfilling the experience time requirements after training is complete, when other continuous learning activities are appropriate.
   


2. For professional growth and preparation for other opportunities, it is suggested that workforce members always strive to achieve Level III certification in his or her career field as well as certification in multiple career fields. Funding however, for certification training above that required for the position or for career fields other than the one identified with the position is not normally available from resources other than what may be available within the member’s parent command. In all cases though, DAU courses taken towards career field certification will count for continuous learning points.
   


3. In addition to DAU courses, examples of continuous learning activities include:
   
   
   1. Completing awareness training.  Periodically DoD and the Components conduct briefing sessions to acquaint the workforce with new or changed acquisition policy. There is no testing/assessment of knowledge gained.
      
      
   2. Completing learning modules and training courses.  These may be formal or informal offerings from a recognized training organization, including in-house training course/sessions or personnel demonstration projects, which include some form of testing/assessment for knowledge gained. If a course has been awarded Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for the successful completion, then these CEU should be used as the guide for awarding continuous learning points. The CEUs can be converted to points at 10 points per CEU.
      
      
   3. Performing Self-Directed Study.  An individual can keep current or enhance his or her capabilities through a self-directed study program agreed to by the supervisor.
      
      
   4. Teaching.  Acquisition workforce members are encouraged to share their knowledge and insights with others through teaching of courses or learning modules. Teaching is also a part of the Professional Activities category.
      
      
   5. Mentoring.  Helping others to learn and become more productive workers or managers benefits DoD and the individuals involved. Mentoring is also a part of the Experience category.

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Educational Activities

1. The continued development of the workforce through formal educational programs at institutions of higher learning is encouraged. For formal academic programs offered by educational institutions, each semester hour is equal to one CEU. A three-hour credit course would be worth three CEUs and 30 points.



2. The supervisor makes the determination at the time that the workforce member’s IDP is prepared as to which courses are appropriate for awarding continuous learning points. An engineer who is taking an accounting class leading to a Masters of Business Administration degree probably would get full credit for the semester hours. On the other hand, if the engineer is taking courses not related to his/her current or future duties, the courses would not be counted as continuous learning.

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Experience

1. The Experience category includes on-the-job experiential assignments, and intra/inter-organizational rotational career broadening and developmental experiences. While supervisors and employees must use discretion in arriving at a reasonable point value to be awarded for rotational and developmental assignments, a sliding scale is recommended as per the table below.



2. The assumption is that longer assignments are more beneficial than shorter assignments. The supervisor may feel that an individual may deserve more or less than the values shown. In determining the points for a rotational/ developmental assignment, the supervisor should consider both the long-term benefit to DoD, and the immediate benefit to the supervisor’s organization and the workforce member. For example, a second rotational assignment of the same sort would be less valuable than a different type of rotational assignment.

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Professional Activities

1. Participating in Organization Management.  Membership alone in a professional organization will not be considered as fulfilling continuous learning requirements, but participation in the organization leadership will. This includes, when they meet the restrictions in DoD 5500.7-R (Joint Ethics Regulation), elected/appointed positions, committee leadership roles, or running an activity for the organization.



2. Attending/Speaking/Presenting at Professional Seminars/Symposia/Conferences.  A workforce member can receive points for attending professional seminars or conferences. However, the supervisor needs to determine that the individual learned something meaningful from the experience. Due to the effort involved in preparation and delivery, making presentations should get full credit for each hour involved in preparation and presentation.



3. Publishing.  Articles for publication normally will meet the criteria for continuous learning. Points will be awarded only in the year published. Compliance with DoD publication policy is required.



4. Participating in Workshops.  Points should be awarded for workshops with planned learning outcomes.



5. Professional Examination, License or Certificate.  This includes such activities as passing the CPA exam, licensing as a Professional Engineer, or Project Manager Certification from the Project Management Institute. CLPs will be credited only in the year awarded.

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