European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 07, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Uncle Sam turns teacher for Federal workers by Walter Hennessey is new York Bureau it s Back to school for increasing i thousands of government workers on virtually every rung of the Federal lad de Uncle Sam just Ike the managers of private firms striving to keep abreast of today s expanding technology has be come convinced and is convincing the hired hands that the process of education does t end with High school or even College. No matter what their jobs Federal workers Are learning that their education is really never completed. As a result postal clerks secretaries investigators engineers and a wide variety of others in government Ca Reers some of them holding Down top management jobs Are headed to the classrooms for a Post graduate Brush up on present skills or to learn new ones. The idea is to assure that government employees regardless of their position can function As efficiently and economically As possible in these Days of rising costs and snowballing paperwork brought on by population growth and the expanding Range of Federal activities. To meet the changes taking place in almost every Field the . Civil service commission at the direction of the president has set up a network of ii regional training centers where gov or Ament workers can learn new tech Rivies. Topics cover everything from sick mundane matters As How to meet and Deal with the general Public to inc esoteric concerns us How to get the most profitable use out of computer systems. The training sessions which can run anywhere from a single Day to several weeks or More Are a Boon especially to smaller Federal agencies which Lack sufficient personnel to make running courses of their own practical. The centers tailor their curriculum too to fill in the gaps in areas where Many larger agencies traditionally have not established training programs or where changes have come on so rapidly they have not As yet been dealt wit elsewhere in Federal personnel pro Grams. Government agencies sending their employees for this special schooling Are billed by the centers which last Yea handled 36,500 participants at 893 ses Sions around the country. This year the program has been expanded by about 25 per cent following the establishment of a Bureau of train ing in the commission s Central office in Washington. Employees of 67 Federal agencies at tended the commission s inter Agency courses during the past fiscal year Over a third of them coming from the army Navy air Force and other branches of the defense establishment. Ten civil service centers Are teaching Federal workers new skills techniques. M a n a g e m e n t and personnel courses attracted most of the military people with a Good number polishing up their automatic data processing an communication and office skills. Chairman John w. Macy or. Of the civil service commission said the concept of advanced training and education for Federal employees is essential if we Are to survive and conquer the tidal Waves of change that the physical and social sciences Are bringing  from the newest trainee to the most sophisticated professional the commissioner has pointed out there is a continuing need to upgrade skills. That basically is Why the president has or dered that the system of inter Agency training be streamlined and expanded. Besides stretching tax dollars the courses encourage workers to equip themselves for faster career Advance of the idea is to assure that government employees regardless of their position can function As efficiently and economically As possible in these Days of rising costs. Ment and often Are of immediate Bene fit to John q. Public. One highly acclaimed program for example teaches Federal people who Deal directly with the citizenry How to recognize the More common causes of misunderstanding and to appreciate the View from the customers Side of the counter. It can come in Handy for postal clerks receptionists inspectors and others who meet the Public every  members of local draft boards have found it helpful. Participants learn among other things that the Best Way to soothe a taxpayer with a Gripe is to convince him he s come to someone who wants to understand the problem. Even a Well intentioned smile instructors note can be misinterpreted because a Man witha problem would rather be listened to than smiled  message is Clear understanding treatment can often turn a potential complaint into a compliment and that saves time Money makes service More efficient and enhances Uncle Sam s image. It makes sense especially i government where every complaint to an Agency head or a congressman can touch off an endless Cycle of inquiries and  Are offered to enhance the performance of personnel on Ever level. Most of the centers have had students in jobs ranging from gs-2to gs-17, which just about covers the full spectrum of government employ ment. Some of the courses particularly those aimed at improving the capabilities of top shelf management people Are Complex. They Are frequently con ducted by members of outstanding Man ii poll bbb Ami a Bibb a Bibb Bill mob Mihi pm in i pm in a. T government agencies have inf 36,500 to courses such As automatic data processing seminar. May 7, 1969 the stars and stripes gement consultant firms and faculty members from leading colleges and universities. In fact some of the courses offer dread like they were right out of a University Catalon advanced seminars in automatic data processing and personnel management systems analysis for computer program mers executive seminars in manage ment information theory. The Atlanta san Francisco. Philadel phia and St. Louis regions run special classes in financial management an planning programming and budgeting systems. The data processing courses Are held in new York Chicago Dallas and san Francisco. Most of the centers offer about 50courses in the Basic curriculum and Are geared to handle about 50 optional  addition directors have a free hand in establishing special courses to Sui the needs of local communities. For instance Robert l. Mckeand director of the new York regional train ing Center says a special course in conversational Spanish has won Praise from letter carriers government phone operators and others who must Deal with the City s growing puerto rican pop Ulace. L eople on the Center s own Job in formation desk found the course was helpful As did personnel from govern ment investigative agencies social Security representatives and others. Al though most classes Are conducted Dur ing the Normal work week the special language course was held on an after hours voluntary basis. We have a tremendous number of people said Mckeand who have taken our various courses and indicate they would like to come Back for More. We ask participants to rate the Quality of our training and As Many As 75 per cent feel it is outstanding. An the comment from the agencies that have sent their people to us has Bee equally  besides conducting courses the Cen ters must themselves stay abreast of changes in technology to fill the role of guidance consultant to the various fed eral agencies. Often for example a Agency May have a problem in a Field where no Center offers courses but which can be solved with a referral to another government activity or a Pri vate institution. To do their Job the personnel at the training centers must themselves keep up with changes even the latest course scan age fast. The director of the new York Cente noted that a management consultant told a recent class of Federal worker that it was probable that any Young Man joining the work Force today Wouldhave need of Job training seven times Between now and retirement. Pone