Program management trainees start new council

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Foster
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Hanscom has a new council on the block.

Program management (PM) trainees on the base have started a group to promote the professional development of trainees working for the Electronic Systems Center (ESC).

The hope is to increase the opportunities available to enhance career and personal development as well as encourage trainee collaboration and camaraderie.

Leah Miranda, Air and Space Operations Center Weapon System PM trainee, says her main goal for the council is to build up the camaraderie.

"If you know someone and have a friend, it makes it easier," she said. "Having that tight network of peers is really beneficial."

The council also provides an organizational structure for communication among trainees by sharing plans, ideas and lessons learned to promote the whole person concept.

According to the Career Field Education and Training Plan (CFETP) for the PM Palace Acquire (PAQ) interns, all of the programs aim to develop well-rounded individuals who can deal effectively with change and complexity within the Air Force environment.

Each trainee rotates to a different program annually to gain experience.

This process of rotating trainees among organizations introduces them to various phases of an acquisition program and to a wide range of acquisition management techniques employed at ESC.

Beth Farrington, Nuclear Command and Control Branch PM trainee and council chair said the idea to start the council stemmed from the Acquisition PM PAQ Intern Workshop Training Conference held in San Antonio.

"It was interesting to see how other trainees were with each other," she said. "It seemed we knew less of each other than they did at other locations."

Farrington realized that starting a council at Hanscom could be beneficial for the trainees.

"Everybody's in different stages of their training program," she said. "Everybody has different backgrounds, therefore we can learn from each other."

Becoming involved with base activities such as fundraising and community service is also a priority for the new group.

ESC is following the example started by the Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 2004.

For further information about the PM trainee council, contact Beth Farrington at 781-377-1186, ext. 3191.