Individual Development Plan
The completion of an IDP by each careerist in conjunction with their supervisor facilitates the accomplishment of the training objectives outlined on the MTP. For interns, the IDP is used to facilitate career progress, recordkeeping and career planning discussions among interns and supervisors to foster their early development into fully productive members of the Army.
A completed IDP is essential to establishing personnel career objectives and aids in ensuring that the necessary funds are available. Commanders and managers at all levels, in concert with their local servicing CPAC and regional CPOC, must develop financial plans to support a robust training program. Completed IDPs help to support the level of funding that is submitted with respect to training.
Preparing the IDP
An IDP must be developed and tailored for each careerist to integrate his/her qualifications with training and developmental experiences to prepare the individual for a position of greater responsibility. The supervisor, with the employee's assistance, will develop the IDP. Career program members must be fully informed about career patterns, opportunities for progression, and appropriate training and development opportunities. The supervisor and CP member will develop a career plan that includes the employee's immediate and long-term career goals plus the actions needed to achieve them. An IDP should be completed and updated at least annually and must be completed in preparation for career appraisal. Throughout the year the IDP should be kept current by annotating the date of course completion.
For interns, the IDP is a written plan that the intern's supervisor and the intern will prepare within 30 days of the intern's arrival on duty. The requirements within the CP-32 ACTEDS Plan MITP and the background of the intern will be the basis for the IDP. All mandatory training stipulated within the MITP must be in the intern's IDP. An example of this training is the CTDDIC. IDPs should include on-the-job training. IDPs are approved by the Army CP-32 Army Training Career Program Office and an ACPM ensures that each intern follows the training outlined. The IDP form can be downloaded and completed either manually or electronically.
A saved electronic file can be used as the basis for periodic changes or annual updates.
Career Counseling
Career counseling should normally occur when the IDP is being developed and during the semiannual performance appraisal. Career interns are rated 6 months after their entry into the position and again at the end of 12 months. This first rating (at 6 months) is considered a special rating. The first annual rating is rendered at the end of 12 months. Interns continue on their unique annual rating cycles (based on their entry into the positions) until they complete the intern program - at which time they are phased into the DA cyclic rating periods.
Career counseling that assists employees to set career goals should lead to planned training and development activities. If the employee has experienced performance problems during the rating period, counseling should focus on remedial actions before giving attention to career planning. When noted improvement has occurred, then further career planning should be discussed.
Supervisors will make periodic reviews of the employee's progress and may schedule additional counseling as appropriate. They will make every effort to help their employees to fulfill their IDPs and requirements within the established time frame.
Additional information on intern careers and training can be found in the Interns section.
Training Requests
CP-32 careerists must maintain a well-developed IDP that addresses training needs at least one year in advance. In almost all cases, absence for training and associated costs (to accommodate or support training) require planning at least several months in advance to gain a class quota and approval. Thus, requests for training must be initiated by the careerist and approved at the local level in accordance with the timing and procedures established at each command/activity.
Certain requests are placed through RASS, an automated financial system that centrally manages the ACTEDS resources for the intern and Competitive Professional Development (CPD) programs.
Resource Allocation Selection System (RASS) is a real time, web-based life-cycle management system for centralized management of funds for ACTEDS-approved DA intern and CPD training. RASS eliminates manual procedures, enables creation, submission, approval, status tracking and reporting of training and travel-related request forms (Standard Form (SF) 182, DD Form 1610 and SF 1164).
Primary users include ACTEDS interns and CPD candidates and their supervisors, intern program managers, CPD program managers, FCRs, and Army Command intern coordinators. User manuals can be found on the CPOL Web site.