Army Civilian Training, Education, and Development System (ACTEDS)

The Army Civilian Training, Education, and Development System (ACTEDS) is a requirements-based system that ensures planned development of civilian members of the force through a blending of progressive and sequential work assignments, formal training, and self-development for individuals as they progress from entry level to key positions. ACTEDS seeks to assure the systematic development and sustainment of Army's civilian workforce, and the development of technically competent and confident civilian leaders so essential to Army readiness. Leader Development courses are managed by Army
G-3 supporting these goals.

The Army's goals for ACTEDS are:

• Provide a holistic approach to civilian career development through a planned combination of civilian leader development courses, professional and technical training, progressively more responsible job assignments, and self-development.

• Develop broad gauged, multi-disciplinary civilian executive talent in complex fields such as acquisition, logistics, installation and information management, and research and development.

• Ensure consistent quality across occupations through planned career development of civilian employees from entry to senior executive levels.

• Ensure technical proficiency at each progression level and offer an opportunity for growth and development for those individuals with high potential for advancement.
  

ACTEDS plans are developed for career programs (see AR 690-950, Career Management, Sep 88) and career fields (see AR 600-3, The Army Personnel Proponent System, Nov 97) through a process which uses formal or informal job analysis techniques to identify required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) at the five major stages of career advancement (intern, specialist, supervisor, manager, and executive). These competency requirements serve as the basis for building a viable ACTEDS plan which includes: the identification of key positions; career ladders showing vertical and horizontal progression paths to key positions; and a Master Training Plan (MTP).

An MTP shows the proper blend of formal and on-the-job training, work assignments and self-development needed at each level to acquire required competencies in the career program or career field. For career program occupations, MTPs start with Master Intern Training Plans (MITPs) which apply to all career program interns regardless of whether they are locally funded or centrally funded by DA. MTPs also include the civilian leader development courses.

Chapter 3 of the ACTEDS Catalog identifies competitive professional development programs sponsored and funded by the various career program Functional Chiefs (see AR 690-950). These include university training, developmental assignments, Training-With-Industry assignments, and selected short and long term career development courses.