Federal Aviation Administration

Leadership Assessment/Development

C² is supporting the development of effective leadership within the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO). The project team began by identifying key leadership behaviors associated with each level of ATO supervision and management. Next, workshops were conducted to develop indicators of proficiency associated with the behaviors. Development opportunities (e.g., training courses, assignments, self-study) associated with the critical behaviors were also identified. As a result, employees can evaluate their current level of proficiency in the leadership behaviors using a 180° assessment, and identify recommended development opportunities that will guide the development necessary to perform at each level of supervision and management.

Safety Culture

C² supported the effort to define and develop a safety culture within the ATO. The project team began by working with subject matter experts to define ATO’s vision for a positive, vibrant safety culture. Next, specific behavioral indicators of effective safety-related performance were identified for each level of leadership. This information will be used as a concrete illustration of the culture to which the organization aspires. It will form the foundation for strategic communications, the development of safety-related training curriculum, and the conceptualization and implementation of new organizational metrics.

Development of Air Traffic and Technical Operations Career Paths

C² partnered with the FAA to develop career paths for Air Traffic and Technical Operations positions within the ATO. The team built on background information to identify notional progressions, and then facilitated focus groups to expand and finalize the overall set of career paths. Once the paths were established, the team solicited input from subject matter experts to identify the knowledge and skills that incumbents must develop at each point along the progression, as well as the types of experience and training that support development in these critical areas.


Career Path Tool

C² is developing an interactive career path tool that will reside on the FAA’s intranet, be integrated with its LMS, and meet all 508-compliance requirements. The tool will illustrate the typical paths of progression within ATO, identify the knowledge and skills that incumbents must develop at each point along the progression, and specify key work experience and training that support this development. The career guidance will be organized into interactive modules which will allow employees to explore career options, build customized career paths, assess current knowledge and skills, and identify relevant developmental activities. Lastly, to ensure currency and accuracy of the career guidance, the tool will capture data regarding frequently viewed career paths, and will include online forms for users to submit feedback.

Development of Training Curriculum Plans

C²supported the development of training curriculum plans for Engineers, Inspectors, Program Managers, and Flight Test Pilots in the Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) division. The team began by updating and enriching the leadership and technical competencies for each position, and mapping competencies to FAA’s existing training curriculum to identify gaps between competency requirements and available courses. Deficiencies in current training curriculums were then identified. These deficiencies will be addressed through new course design and development activities.