Programs aim to prepare government workers for leadership positions

Programs aim to prepare government workers for leadership positions

The Federal Government is the largest single employer in the nation and accounts for nearly 2 million workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In an effort to help prepare these individuals for leadership positions in their fields, some schools have created year-long programs that target these workers.

For instance, The Graduate School's Center for Leadership and Management offers an executive potential program (EPP), and recently, participants from more than 20 federal agencies met with local organizations.

Among the individuals who are involved with the EPP are those from the United States Marine Corps, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Education and Federal Aviation Administration. In order to participate, individuals must be nominated by their agency.

During the week-long session, teams from each federal organization learned about creativity and innovation by developing strategies to enforce better practices at their respective agencies, which they presented to everyone in attendance.

Schools may provide similar programs to help prepare workers for advancement in their careers. According to the BLS, the number of jobs for federal government employees will increase by nearly 10 percent over the next eight years.

By Stephanie Hughes