Department of Energy: Actions Necessary to Improve DOE's Training Program
RCED-99-56
Published: Feb 12, 1999. Publicly Released: Mar 15, 1999.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Department of Energy's (DOE) training program and the changes that are needed to address those problems, focusing on: (1) DOE's current process for setting its training budget; (2) opportunities to reduce the costs associated with DOE's training program; and (3) DOE's draft plan for training its employees in the future.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Energy | To improve the process for setting the training budget, the Secretary of Energy should require the expeditious completion of a comprehensive occupational training needs assessment throughout the department. Where the assessment process cannot be expedited, priorities should be set for the order in which occupational groups will be assessed. |
Closed – Implemented
DOE has conducted job assessments and completed individual training needs assessments for critical nuclear safety and technical operations positions. Assessments will be carried out annually.
|
| Department of Energy | To improve the process for setting the training budget, the Secretary of Energy should require the completion of individual development plans for all departmental employees required to have one by DOE order. |
Closed – Implemented
In a memorandum dated March 4, 1999, the Secretary of Energy required DOE offices to prepare individual development plans for their employees as required by DOE orders.
|
| Department of Energy | To improve the process for setting the training budget, the Secretary of Energy should require the completion of annual training plans as required by DOE order. |
Closed – Implemented
In a memorandum dated March 4, 1999, the Secretary of Energy required DOE offices to prepare annual training plans as required by DOE orders.
|
| Department of Energy | To reduce spending on DOE training, the Secretary of Energy should require the establishment of criteria for what type of nonmandatory training is appropriate and a review and elimination of nonmandatory training courses given across DOE that do not meet those criteria. |
Closed – Implemented
In a memorandum dated March 4, 1999, the Secretary of Energy required DOE offices to eliminate funding of unnecessary training that is not required by law or DOE directives, does not address a mission-related objective, or does not contribute to maintaining a highly skilled, versatile and diverse workforce.
|
| Department of Energy | To reduce spending on DOE training, the Secretary of Energy should require the standardization of the development and delivery of training that has general application across DOE. |
Closed – Implemented
DOE has initiated a new training class referral process involving the DOE training community to standardize training and reduce duplication of training design and development.
|
| Department of Energy | To improve DOE's new training plan, the Secretary of Energy should require that the plan include a realistic estimate of the overall costs to implement the plan and the overall savings to be achieved. |
Closed – Implemented
DOE's finalized plan will include milestones, cost estimates, and projected benefits for each task in it. GAO staff reviewed the latest draft of the plan.
|
| Department of Energy | To improve DOE's new training plan, the Secretary of Energy should require that the plan include an explanation of how DOE's decentralized training resources will be committed to finance the plan. |
Closed – Implemented
Per discussions with the head of DOE training, a financial support approach for all the initiatives in the plan will be developed.
|
| Department of Energy | To improve DOE's new training plan, the Secretary of Energy should require that the plan include a policy regarding the use of the Department's centers of excellence. |
Closed – Implemented
DOE has developed a policy regarding the purpose, use, support for and services provided by the training centers of excellence.
|
| Department of Energy | To improve DOE's new training plan, the Secretary of Energy should require that the plan include an identification of the steps necessary to improve contractor training performance. At a minimum, those steps should include: (1) establishing departmental guidance on the development, monitoring, and evaluation of contractor training programs and budgets; (2) incorporating a standard set of performance measures regarding training into its performance-based contracts; and (3) clarifying the roles and responsibilities for the oversight of contractor training performance departmentwide. |
Closed – Implemented
In a memorandum dated March 4, 1999, the Secretary of Energy required DOE offices to establish specific DOE management objectives for contractor training programs and to amend DOE contracts to include performance-based requirements for contractor training.
|
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Topics
Contractor personnelCost controlEducation or training costsEmployee trainingFederal employeesRedundancyStandardsStrategic planningTraining utilizationExpenditure of funds