Career Development

DFAS promotes professional development for employees through a wide variety of courses including topics in financial management, project management, systems, and leadership development. Continued learning is encouraged through eLearning, developmental assignments and our mentoring and coaching program.

The DFAS Career Acclimation Program (DCAP) is a 2-year program for employees entering developmental, professional and administrative positions typically targeted to a GS-09 or GS-11 level. While in the Program, participants enjoy permanent, full-time employment, competitive salaries, benefits, and career advancement opportunities.

The program is designed to give you time to focus on learning the job and gaining exposure to its related processes, enhancing technical skills and learning about the agency and its organizational through job exposure experience and training opportunities.

You will gain invaluable experience, understand our end-to-end processes, develop a network through social functions, community service activities, process improvement projects and regular mentor meetings with other participants.

Quick Reference Guide DCAP

Competitive Civilian Academic Degree Program

The DFAS Competitive Civilian Academic Degree Program (CCADP) provides support for employees pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree. This is a competitive program in which certain eligibility requirements must be met in order to apply and be considered.

This program funds tuition, and course-related fees leading to the completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree. Tuition reimbursement is capped at the cost per credit hour at local public or state-supported accredited institutions of higher educatio

Tuition Assistance

We provide tuition assistance for college courses that are job or mission-related. Tuition as well as fees related to taking a specific course (i.e., laboratory fees and fees related to taking a course online) are provided. Employees may receive tuition assistance for up to two courses per fiscal year from colleges on a semester credit hour system or three courses per fiscal year from colleges on a quarter hour credit hour system. Note: Tuition assistance funds are subject to availability.

Professional Certifications

DFAS strongly encourages employees to pursue professional certifications key to their career field and supports our employees in this endeavor by paying or reimbursing for review courses examination fees, license, certification and renewal fees. Subject to supervisor approval and mission requirements, time off may be provided to take the examinations. We also provide a wide variety of training that meets the ongoing continuing education requirements for maintaining certifications.

Professional Organizations

DFAS encourages its employees to enhance their networking capability through association with professional organizations. A supervisor or mentor will steer you toward the most beneficial association(s) for you.

Mentoring

DFAS offers an avenue for employees to share wisdom, knowledge and experience through a voluntary mentoring program. We also have an executive coaching program for supervisors.

Developmental Assignments

Developmental assignments include challenging projects or work assignments in your current position as well as assignments to new positions providing opportunities to learn new skills and perform different types of work. This work-based learning approach allows new knowledge or skills to be acquired in the midst of action and dedicated to a specific work task.

eLearning Technology

DFAS is increasing the availability of learning materials to employees via Web-based applications. In collaboration with SkillSoft thousands of Web-based training courses, job aids and briefings focused on technical and professional development topics are available free of charge to our employees. Courses can be accessed by DFAS employees from any computer with an internet connection 24 hours a day.

DFAS also offers a collection of thousands of eBooks, book summaries, research reports, and best practicies. In addition to these full-text electronic versions of published books, employees have access to an online collection of more than1,500 journals, magazines and newspapers focused on a variety of United States business interests, computers and information technology. Employees can also access these materials from their mobile devices.

DFAS provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. We are committed to cultivating a diverse, results-oriented, high-performing workforce and fostering a flexible, inclusive work environment to provide the highest level of service to our customers. We know that we are at our best when we draw on the talents of all parts of our society and that diverse perspectives are one of our greatest strengths.