Force Readiness Command (FORCECOM) is scheduled to receive the 2021 International Society for Performance Improvement Award of Excellence in May. Their submission—the Coast Guard’s Framework for the Development of Facilitated Online Training Courses (FOT)—earned selection for this recognition.
The FOT framework was developed as part of the service’s Modernized Ready Learning Strategy. The strategy focused on adopting current industry technologies to make learning more adaptable, modular, and student centered. Prior to developing this instructional intervention framework, the U.S. Coast Guard conducted 90% of its training in an in-person, resident format and the remaining 10% using self-paced e-learning (SPeL).
“Effective training is the backbone of a mission ready total workforce and facilitated online training helps cultivate our workforce talent through non-traditional means,” said Capt. Eric P. King, chief of the FORCECOM Training Division. “I am extremely proud of the work by the team. This course was the first big step in a transformation of the training system moving the classroom to meet the students at their home unit rather than in a classroom setting.”
In the past year, FORCECOM has converted 61 courses to some form of blended delivery. The team’s excellence in winning this award sets FORCECOM as a shining example of the power of performance improvement.
The winning team consisted of:
- Cmdr. David Torres, FORCECOM
- Lt. Cmdr. Travis Collier, FORCECOM
- Lt. Cmdr. Mike Mastrianni, FORCECOM
- Lt. Cmdr. JoEllen Arons, FORCECOM
- Lt. Cmdr. Eric Lunde, FORCECOM
- Lt. Cmdr. Russel Merrick, Office of Aeronautical Engineering (CG-41)
- Don Aubuchon, Instructional System Specialist at Training Center Yorktown
- Shyla Volk, Senior eLearning Specialist at Training Center Petaluma
- Chief Petty Officer Chadwick Oberholzer, an aviation maintenance technician at Aviation Technical Training Center, Elizabeth City, North Carolina
- Chief Petty Officer Shane Sprague, an aviation maintenance technician at Aviation Technical Training Center, Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Each USCG FOT course is composed of self-paced and instructor-led training. During instructor-led portions students and instructors meet on an online learning platform. During self-paced portions a student completes offline assignments, views pre-recorded lectures, completes SPeL content or conducts on-the-job training. Each course has a website hub which holds course content, schedules, discussion boards, links to references, and the online classroom.
In October 2019, the Unit Maintenance Resource Management Facilitator course was selected as the first course for conversion. This five-day resident course was successfully fielded in February 2020 in an online format. This conversion saved the Coast Guard $30,000 in annual student travel costs, while doubling course throughput that closed a critical skill gap across the aviation program.
Subsequently, the FOT framework became a critical tool across the training system to provide fleet-wide training and maintain operational readiness during the pandemic. To date, the service has saved more than $3.67 million in travel costs.
The ISPI will be hosting an awards ceremony on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at 10 a.m., EDT online to recognize FORCECOM’s professional contribution to the ISPI.
More information about the award ceremony can be found on ISPI website.