Career Gateway: Acquisition

Career Gateway: Acquisition (CGA) is an experiential, cohort-based training program designed for acquisition professionals beginning their careers in the federal government. The program uses a variety of teaching techniques to convey essential principles to learners, including a threaded Mission to Mars scenario in which the learner becomes immersed in an acquisition simulation.

CGA has complete DAU equivalency, encompassing content from CON 1100, 1200, 1300, and 1400. Thus, participants who complete the program will fulfill all their FAC-C and DAWIA Contracting certification training needs.

Career Gateway: Acquisition ensures participants gain true competency, not just technical compliance. Our program emphasizes 7 key elements: technical competency, research, market analysis, strategic sourcing, business acumen, policy and process knowledge, and a complete understanding of the Federal Acquisition Regulation and agency specific supplements and rules— all of which enable immediate application within real-world teams. Covering fundamental tenets and soft skills such as critical thinking and leadership, we surpass typical training solutions to provide comprehensive education for acquisition professionals early in their careers.

The benefit of CGA’s cohort-based lies in its emphasis on teamwork, a crucial aspect of success in acquisition. Learning alongside peers fosters a collaborative environment, enhancing communication and collaboration skills essential for professional careers. While instructors provide guidance, much of the learning occurs through peer interaction, with learners sharing discoveries and supporting one another in real time. Our program incorporates team activities, networking opportunities, and community forums, all of which facilitate connections among new acquisition professionals. Through this immersive learning experience, participants begin forging the career relationships vital to sustained success.

CGA utilizes a flipped classroom approach. This powerful combination of face-to-face, scheduled learning (synchronous) and online learning (asynchronous) makes the best use of learner time. Cohort members can access self-directed and collaborative learning when their schedules permit and bring their reflections and questions back to the group during scheduled live events. We emphasize demonstrating, practicing, and mastering tasks; this experiential learning model allows learners to fully absorb key skills and the necessary technical knowledge.

Gearing our program toward performance outcomes improves the likelihood that learners can transfer their skills and knowledge to the workplace. Performance outcomes are observable behaviors and tasks that are meaningful on the job. To create these positive outcomes, we utilize a variety of outcome-based activities such as self-assessments, skills dashboards, coaching, opportunities for reflecting on career paths, and robust projects and challenges designed to improve work performance.

Sometimes called soft skills, these are not secondary to technical knowledge; rather, they promote successful application of technical skills in the workplace. Critical thinking, ethics, standards of conduct, leadership, problem-solving, financial management, and business development are just a few of the professional skills learners will absorb along with the technical knowledge. These skills are fully integrated into the program so learners can practice and improve as they learn the tasks associated with acquisition.

A complex scenario (Mission to Mars) runs the length of the program. It is a goal, a mission to complete. The scenario has both typical and uncommon complications, and it requires both technical skill and professional skills such as problem-solving and leadership. Solving the challenges embedded within this rich story can help learners see the applicability of the content and solidify the knowledge acquired through the course.

CGA accommodates individual learner needs through assessments, 1:1 coaching, supervisory support tools, and action planning. Learners have opportunities to meet regularly with an instructor or career coach to discuss questions that arise in the workplace and career planning. Their manager also receives communications about their course progress and coaching tips to support the individual in the workplace.

To ensure the best and most relevant experience for our students, only government employees are eligible to register for CGA. Proof of government employment requires that the registration be made with a .gov or .mil email address.

Our learning platform offers a centralized hub for learning materials, tools, resources, and networking. It boasts a sleek, modern design aimed at providing an engaging and enduring learning experience while fostering social interaction and self-directed learning. Additionally, the platform ensures compliance with 508 accessibility requirements without the need for extensive customizations. Creating new cohorts, courses, programs, and instances is straightforward, facilitating scalability for agencies of all sizes.

Integrated systems enable diverse reporting options and data visualization, empowering learners to guide their self-directed learning journeys. Detailed engagement metrics allow facilitators to tailor instruction effectively. Furthermore, the platform features robust survey and communication functionalities, including notifications, messaging, feedback mechanisms, and behavioral nudges, all aimed at promoting engagement and social sharing.

The platform is designed to accommodate government employees, offering full functionality even amid security, browser, and permission restrictions.