Publication:Sea Talk Summer 2006/FBE scores new sailors' career management centre
By WOET Mark Donlan
The opening of Local Career Management Centre - Fleet Base East (LCMC FBE) in Garden Island's Building 32 marks the final step in the achievement of a major Sea Change initiative.
The four centres are a key element of the Directorate of Sailors' Career Management (DSCM) efforts to improve access by sailors to career managers and career information.
During his inaugural visit to DSCM FBE, the Chief of Navy remarked: "A significant milestone has been achieved well ahead of schedule due to the goodwill and efforts of DSCM, Sea Change Implementation Team (SCIT), local COs and Corporate Support personnel."
The LCMCs located at Cairns, Darwin, Fleet Base West and Fleet Base East provide the opportunity for face-to-face career counselling and local-area posting management for sailors of CPO rank and below posted there.
LCMCs are also performing an important function in providing support to the divisional system of our Navy and are establishing closer working relationships with support organisations such as Service health centres, Naval Reserves and Fleet human resource management (FHRM) in a joint effort to stabilise, better manage and maintain a sustainable workforce.
The Warrant Officer of the Navy, WO-N James Levay, also attended during CN's visit and he spoke with staff and discussed the importance of the initiative in affording personal contact between career managers and sailors.
WO Levay noted the centres provide the ideal opportunity - supported by career managers and information - to enable partners, both serving and non-serving, to become involved in family career planning and management.
The Director of Sailors' Career Management, CAPT Michael Noonan, retains overall responsibility for the centres to ensure consistent application of career management policy and management practice, with a focus on the strategic issues required to manage an increasingly mobile and diverse workforce.
"I would like to encourage all of our sailors to discuss their career aspirations with their career managers at least every 12 months," he said. "The LCMCs provide you with the ability to do this in a face-to-face setting. I also encourage you to involve your partner in this process."
To date, the LCMCs have proved a huge success through their commitment to deliver personal and better-tailored, individual career management of our sailors.
