Intern Background Information

The background information collected from the surveys and interviews was useful in cross-referencing the importance of an intern’s length of service and experience, interns’ certification levels, education levels of the contracting workforce, and interns’ previous contracting experience. This information was also helpful for determining the interns’ job performance baseline and the education baseline of the workforce.

a. Length of Service and Experience

Of the 42 interns from JM&L and TACOM that participated in the study, 79 percent had one to three years of working experience in the federal government, while 12 percent had less than one year, and nine percent had three to five years in the federal government. No intern had more than five years of federal government experience. To illustrate the intern respondents’ years of federal government experience by combined (JM&L and TACOM) command totals and by individual command, the results are summarized in Figure 10.

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Figure 10. Intern Length of Federal Employment (data from surveys)

The interns surveyed had between six months to three years of contract specialist (1102) experience. Of the combined total of interns surveyed from JM&L and TACOM, 19 percent had between six months to one year experience, 60 percent had between one to two years of experience, and 21 percent had between two to three years of 1102 work experience. One difference between the commands is that TACOM had no intern respondents with one to two years of 1102 work experience while 50 percent of the JM&L interns had one to two years of 1102 work experience. The group of intern respondents from JM&L that participated in this study had more work experience than the TACOM

interns. Figure 11 illustrates intern respondents’ length of contract specialist (1102) experience, by combined (JM&L and TACOM) command totals and by the individual command.

Figure 11. Length of Time as a Contract Specialist (data from surveys)

b. Certification and Education Level

The intern respondents were asked their current level of DAWIA contracting certification and the responses from both commands are as follows:

38 percent had not yet achieved any certifications, 45 percent had achieved Level I, and 17 percent had achieved Level II. The outlier in the intern survey was TACOM, which had no intern respondents with Level II certification. JM&L had their highest percentage of respondents achieve DAWIA contracting Level II certification at 39 percent. This outlier can be explained when Figure 4.2 and 4.3 are combined. Interns should have Level II certification after the second year of 1102 contracting experience. TACOM had no interns with more than three years of 1102 contracting experience, while JM&L had 50 percent of their interns with more than three years of 1102 contracting experience. To illustrate the current

level of DAWIA contracting certifications by combined (JM&L and TACOM) command totals and individual command totals, the results are summarized in Figure 12.

Figure 12. Intern Current Level of DAWIA Certification (data from surveys)

c. Level of Education, Certification, and Years of 1102 Experience

The Workforce Development interview respondents were asked:

What percentages of employees in their command have Master’s degrees?

TACOM only identified their intern population and could not give a percentage for the entire command. Thirty percent of the TACOM intern population has master’s degrees and 25 percent are currently pursuing Master’s degrees. JM&L responded that of their entire workforce one person has a doctorate degree, 12 percent have Master’s degrees, and three percent are pursuing Master’s degrees.

The two commands were asked: What percentage of their contracting workforce is Level III contracting certified? The response from TACOM was 98 percent of the workforce is Level III certified and the individuals

that are not Level III certified are missing classes or have not applied for certification. Ninety-five percent of JM&L’s contracting workforce is Level III certified. JM&L has two employees not certified at the appropriate level, one employee should be Level III certified for their position, and the other individual still has time to get certified before being considered late.

The division chiefs were asked: What percentages of their employees have more than three years of 1102 contracting experience? TACOM division chiefs did not respond to this question. Each division chief at JM&L stated that 70 to 75 percent of their workforce has more than three years of contracting experience, but a couple of the division chiefs stated that most of their division has less than five years of experience.

d. Previous Work Experience

Of the intern respondents’ surveyed at both (JM&L and TACOM) commands, 62 percent had no previous work experience as a contract specialist or in any related field, 21 percent had very little experience, 17 percent had some experience, and none of the intern13 illustrates the previous level of work experience of the intern respondents by combined (JM&L and TACOM) command totals and individual command totals.

Figure 13. Previous Work Experience Prior to Becoming an Intern (data from surveys)

e. Hiring Attributes

When the workforce development respondents were asked to describe a key factor used to select individuals for hiring in the 1102 workforce, TACOM respondents often indicated that interpersonal skills were paramount.

One respondent said TACOM is not looking for any particular technological skill because the center can mold the intern in the contracting field. JM&L looked at new hires’ Grade Point Average (GPA) and how they spoke during the interview in relation to confidence, presentation, negotiation skills, and leadership qualities.