Publication:Sea Talk Spring 2006/Sea Change editorial
I was appointed Head of the Sea Change Implementation Team (HSCIT) back in February 2006. After almost six months in the Team, I am pleased to be able to report that Sea Change is continuing to make excellent progress, and is about to enter into an exciting new stage, but more of that a little later.
Sea Change was launched in September 2004, and started its life with approximately 240 action items. These actions were a response to your inputs on a wide range of personnel issues. In the last 18 months, a whole raft of initiatives has been implemented across the entire Navy. Success stories to date include the introduction of local career management centres in HMAS Stirling, Darwin, HMAS Cairns, and most recently in Sydney. The introduction of Five Year Career Plans (FYCP) is underway, and the Sea Change Sailor Promotion System is in place. The Flexi-Crewing Trial has been underway for a year, with fine-tuning about to begin as the first year of data is analysed.
The Sea Change program is a massive undertaking, and much remains to be done. Over the next few months, work is continuing on duty watches in home ports. Development of internet access and communications at sea is ongoing, and we are working towards better communicating and promulgating civilian accreditation initiatives. Fleet Support Units (FSUs) are being introduced to help provide more meaningful employment and better opportunities for up-skilling for technical sailors posted ashore. These actions are but a few of the personnel initiatives that are being pursued under the Sea Change umbrella. In the immortal words of the advertising icon Tim Shaw: "But wait, there's more!"
Feedback (both formal and informal) has clearly indicated the need for more fundamental issues to be addressed by Sea Change. As a result, Chief of Navy (CN) has directed the establishment of the Sea Change Workforce Renewal Project (SCWRP). The aim of the SCWRP is to develop a sustainable future Navy workforce capable of meeting Navy's capability requirements. This activity will be progressed via 10 subordinate projects, and is likely to be the most challenging personnel related initiative currently being progressed by Navy. The Sea Change Implementation Management and Reporting System (SCIMARS) will be used to manage these projects and keep people informed of the aim, intent, implementation plan and progress. Restructuring SCIMARS to reflect the new key area should be complete by the time you receive this edition of SeaTalk. In some cases the new projects will subsume existing Sea Change initiatives, and these will be transferred accordingly.
Another new dimension to the Sea Change program is an increased emphasis on conditions of service. When Sea Change was first conceived, the intention was to concentrate on conditions of employment rather than conditions of service. Your feedback has indicated that our focus needs to be broadened, and we are now working towards adding to the staff resources of the SCIT, in order to be able to address better, your conditions of service concerns.
As you can see, Sea Change continues to transform as it tackles new challenges. I thank you for your continued feedback to the SCIT, and commend you for your ongoing support of the Sea Change program. Keep up the good work!
Clinton Thomas, CDRE RAN Head Sea Change Implementation Team
