Individual Development Planning

FOR ALL EMPLOYEES - YOU and YOUR DEVELOPMENT

The DOE is making a learning investment in you every day. Work assignments provide an opportunity to improve your current capabilities and attributes and to acquire new knowledge, skills, and abilities. In addition to work assignments, the Department invests in training and education where it serves the Department's missions and where the Department will benefit from improved performance and employee retention and motivation. At the same time, you develop additional competencies that can build your career. And while no official Federal government competency exists that defines a positive attitude; a positive attitude, combined with hard work, training, education, and developmental job assignments will produce a win-win result for both you and the Department.

Start by preparing your learning agenda: an Individual Development Plan.

• Step 1 - Learn about Individual Development Plans (IDPs)
• Step 2 - Add Learning Objectives Using the DOE Competency Framework
• Step 3 - Explore Employee Self-Service (ESS)
• Step 4 - Start Your Search

Step 1 - Learn about Individual Development Plans (IDPs)

Identify your specific learning and development objectives and then find training and education activities that can help you meet those objectives. For more information, see the IDP instructions.

Back to top

Step 2 - Add Learning Objectives Using the DOE Competency Framework

The Department has taken a Competency-Centric Approach to learning and development. Before completing your IDP, review the Department's competency framework to identify additional short- and long-term objectives for your IDP at Getting Started with Your Individual Learning Plan.

Back to top

Step 3 - Explore Employee Self-Service (ESS)

After defining your learning objectives, go to Employee Self-Service, where you can find additional guidance on IDPs.

After entering ESS, you will find a set of options across the top of the page:

When you put your cursor over Training or IDP you will find the following options:

IDP Options:

Training Options:

First, go to the Instructions and then to the IDP Start Page. Identify the person who approves your IDP (your supervisor or training official). Then set your objectives on Create New IDP or review and reset your objectives on Update Current IDP and start searching for activities that match your objectives.

One note before you start your search: Developmental assignments, having a coach or mentor, and designing and delivering a mission-related presentation or research study all can be very effective learning actions.

Back to top

Step 4 - Start Your Search

Begin by familiarizing yourself with the mandatory Departmental programs at Mandatory Training.

Then start on your own career agenda by exploring available training resources at Training Choices. Clicking on a topic will transport you to a resource page. The resource lists are not totally comprehensive, but they do provide a starting point and you can use the terms on those pages to conduct your own research on the Web.

DOE employees also can participate in formal Career Development Programs. To develop leadership competencies or take part in a planned sequence of training and related assignments, review the Career Development and Mission Critical Programs opportunities.

Back to top