Publication:Sea Talk Winter 2007/So what’s the plan PO?
By Petty Officer Michelle Barker
The Directorate of Sailors’ Career Management (DSCM) has recently invited all petty officers to submit five year career plan (FYCP) proposals to their respective career managers as part of a Chief of Navy, Sea Change initiative.
It describes the intended employment locality, sea service and career advancement of the member for a period of up to five years.
The aim of a FYCP is to provide sailors and their families with an opportunity for greater involvement in the future direction and management of their careers, and to afford them a greater degree of certainty about geographic location of employment.
A FYCP is not an employment contract as it is noted both the members’ circumstances and service requirements will change over time.
“The FYCP is an ideal opportunity for sailors to shape their career plans in consultation with their families and career managers,” said the Director General of Navy Personnel and Training, CDRE Nigel Coates, “including the important aspect, for members and their families, of where they work.”
A FYCP will be generated and maintained for each sailor, and they are encouraged to describe their career aspirations in the form of a FYCP proposal. Once endorsed by the career manager, the plan becomes the basis for formulation of posting intentions. Where a sailor is temporarily unable to meet service obligations, the career manager will work with the sailor and divisional staff to develop a suitable FYCP.
Warrant officers and chief petty officers were invited to submit FYCPs in December 2005, and junior sailors are likely to begin submitting their proposals from this July.
DSCM recommends junior sailors start looking at the FYCP concept and talking with their families and career manager about the five year plan so they are ready when submissions are called for in the second half of this year.
While the career manager in DSCM is responsible for endorsement of the FYCP- staff can provide assistance at local career management cells in Cairns, Darwin, Fleet Bases East and West, and in Canberra.
FYCP proposals can be generated using the form on Navy People Central, accessed via the Defence intranet’s PMKeys Self Service at: http://pmkportal.dcb.defence.gov.au/psp/pkdssp1/?cmd=login and the associated tutorial.
