A Message from the Chairman

FCC Strategic Human Capital Plan

2007 - 2011 A Message from the Chairman

I am pleased to introduce the Federal Communications Commission’s first Strategic Human Capital Plan. This plan was developed to ensure that the FCC maintains a highly skilled, motivated, well trained and engaged workforce ready to meet current and future challenges while serving the American public.

The FCC plays a vital role in our nation’s economy. Our work touches the daily lives of the American people. As Chairman, I continue to be impressed by the professionalism, knowledge, dedication and commitment to public service demonstrated by the FCC’s workforce.

Looking forward, a broad range of factors, including rapidly developing technology and changes in the legal landscape will continue to challenge the FCC’s workforce.

To meet these challenges, while preparing for retirements among our staff and leadership, the FCC must continue to attract the highest caliber candidates, train our current workforce, and reward performance and innovation.

The strategic approach set forth in this plan will help make sure that the Commission has the highly skilled staff it needs to continue to effectively and efficiently accomplish our mission and serve the public interest.

Kevin J. Martin Chairman Table of Contents

I. About the FCC 1

II. Human Capital Strategy 2

III. FCC’s Workforce Analysis 3

IV. The Strategic Human Capital Plan 4

V. Key External Workforce Drivers 8

VI. Future Workforce Needs 11

VII. Conclusions 11

VIII. Implementing the FCC’s 12 Strategic Human Capital Plan

Appendix

 Workforce Planning Model I. About the FCC

The Federal Communications Commission confirmed by the Senate for five-year terms. (FCC), established by the Communications Act The President also designates one of these of 1934, is the United States’ principal Commissioners to act as the Chairman, who telecommunications regulatory agency. It serves as chief executive officer of the operates as an independent agency responsible Commission. The Chairman and the other directly to Congress. The FCC is charged by Commissioners oversee all FCC policy Congress with regulating interstate and activities. They delegate certain of their international communications by radio, responsibilities among seven operating bureaus television, wire, satellite, and cable. Our and ten staff offices. The operating bureaus are mission is to ensure that the American people the: Media Bureau (MB), Wireless have available – at reasonable rates and without Telecommunications Bureau (WTB), Wireline discrimination – rapid, efficient, national and Competition Bureau (WCB), International international communications services, whether Bureau (IB), Enforcement Bureau (EB), Public by radio, television, wire, satellite, or cable. Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) and Consumer and Governmental Affairs The FCC regulates communications Bureau (CGB). The larger staff offices include technologies that affect almost every aspect of the Office of Engineering and Technology life in the United States. For example, because (OET), the Office of General Counsel (OGC), almost all electrical and electronic equipment and the Office of Managing Director (OMD). emits radio-frequency electromagnetic fields, the FCC’s equipment-authorization rules are FCC Staffing by Organization intended to prevent consumer products from FY 2007 receiving or emitting potentially harmful interference. Activities as diverse as using a PSHSB, 90, 5% EB, 290, 17% wireless home network, swiping a credit card at MB, 224, 12% a gasoline pump, or activating a home-alarm OGC, 77, 4% system before going to bed are impacted by CGB, 190, 11% Other, 114, 6% Commission action. The FCC must also play a key role in promoting public safety and OET, 92, 5% homeland security. The FCC oversees access to WTB, 227, 13% IB, 134, 7% 911 emergency services and facilitates the WCB, 155, 9% OMD, 202, 11% availability of reliable communications systems for emergency-response personnel. The FCC also advances the universal availability of The staff of any particular Bureau or Office may affordable telephone service, works to promote perform multiple functions including processing the delivery of communications services to all license applications and requests for regulatory and protects and informs consumers about their relief, analyzing and acting on industry or rights. Moreover, the agency remains vigilant in consumer complaints, conducting investigations, the protection of consumers from indecency, adjudicating disputes, developing regulations to violence and other unwanted content. implement Congressional requirements, and participating in regulatory or legislative The people most directly charged with achieving hearings. While each Bureau and Office has these challenging objectives are the five discrete functions, many major FCC activities or Commissioners appointed by the President and initiatives require the expertise of multiple

1 Bureaus or Offices. As a result, Bureaus and effective systems, processes, resources, and Offices routinely work together on regulatory organizational culture. matters. To enable the FCC to fulfill its mandates and The FCC deploys its resources to achieve the achieve its goals, Congress appropriates annual following strategic goals: budgets of around $300 million of which the FCC will raise all but $1 million from regulatory Broadband: All Americans should have fees, an additional allocation of about $85 affordable access to robust and reliable million from spectrum auctions receipts to broadband products and services. Regulatory operate the spectrum auctions program and policies must promote technological neutrality, about $14 million for the administration of the competition, investment and innovation to FCC credit program. The day-to-day work of ensure that broadband service providers have the FCC also generates additional revenue sufficient incentive to develop and offer such through fees and spectrum auctions that goes products and services. into the U.S. Treasury. The use of market mechanisms such as spectrum auctions has Competition: Competition in the provision of enabled the FCC to become a net contributor to communications services, both domestically and the U.S. Government’s public funding. For overseas, supports the Nation’s economy. The example, in 2006, the FCC spent a total of $289 competitive framework for communications million, but contributed $332 million to the U.S. services should foster innovation and offer Treasury through the collection of regulatory consumers reliable, meaningful choices in and application fees. From its inception in 1994 affordable services. through 2006, the spectrum auction program has deposited almost $21 billion into the U.S. Spectrum: Efficient and effective use of non- Treasury while only costing taxpayers about federal spectrum domestically and $800 million during the same time period. internationally promotes the growth and rapid deployment of innovative and efficient communications technologies and services. II. Human Capital Strategy Media: The Nation’s media regulations must Factors such as rapidly developing technology, promote competition and diversity and facilitate convergence of delivery systems, demands for the transition to digital modes of delivery. increased interoperability, marketplace consolidation, and changes in the legal Public Safety and Homeland Security: landscape present exciting challenges for the Communications during emergencies and crises Commission’s work force. Because of shifts in must be available for public safety, health, communications markets and technologies, the defense, and emergency personnel, as well as all FCC will continue to require a highly trained, consumers in need. The Nation’s critical expert staff capable of assessing and communications infrastructure must be reliable, understanding technological and industry trends interoperable, redundant, and rapidly restorable. as well as the legal and economic challenges impacting the nation’s communications systems. Modernize the FCC: The FCC shall strive to be a highly productive, adaptive, and innovative The FCC’s human capital strategy, therefore, is organization that maximizes the benefit to to acquire, develop, and maintain a highly stakeholders, staff and management from skilled, agile and engaged workforce committed

2 to continuous learning, with a strong cadre of work of the Bureaus. Most of the FCC’s leaders. Key features that need to be in place to workforce is located in Washington, D.C. Staff ensure a successful human capital strategy at the are also located in FCC facilities in Gettysburg, FCC include the following: PA, Columbia, MD, and at 25 field stations throughout the continental United States, . A recruiting strategy that will attract highly Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. skilled, expert and adaptable talent; A. Attrition . Learning programs to support staff in developing and maintaining legal, technical, From the end of FY02 through the end of FY06, and managerial expertise; and the FCC showed a net loss of 240 staff.

FCC Net Losses . An organizational culture that encourages (End of FY02 thru FY06) performance excellence, continuous learning, and knowledge sharing. IT/Telecom Key Occupations Specialists, 17, 7% 81, 34%

CAMS*, 21, 9%

III. FCC’s Workforce Analysis Specialist, 9, 4%

Clerical, 13, 5% Industry Analyst The FCC employs a highly skilled workforce 23, 10% and is comprised of 1,795 employees. The Tech/Assistants Acct/Aud/Budget 41, 17% 17, 7% Commission’s key occupations are attorneys, Prog./Mgt. Analysts *Consumer Advocacy and 18, 7% economists, and engineers. These occupations Mediation Specialists account for approximately 47% of the FCC’s workforce as follows: 510 attorneys, 56 The key occupations of attorney, economist and economists, and 273 engineers. Other major engineer represented 34% of this loss, while categories of FCC employees include: 89 non-key occupations accounted for 66% of the program/management analysts, 77 industry attrition. analysts, 64 Consumer Advocacy and Mediation Specialists, and 372 other specialists. The Within the key occupations, the number of majority of FCC staff – 1310 employees – work attorneys on-board declined by 34 (6%), economists declined by four (7%) and engineers FCC On-Board declined by 43 (14%). (1996 – 2008*)

Total Employees 2,100 B. Affect of VERA 0

3 2,060

/ 2,049 f

9 2,050 o

s 2,028

A 2,000 2,023 1,964 d 1,979

r Based on a workforce analysis conducted in a 1,950 1,944 o 1,952 1,941 n B -

O 1,900 2004, the FCC offered “early-out” retirement to

s 1,862 e

e 1,850

y all occupations except for the key occupations of o l 1,800 1,820 p

m 1,795 attorney, economist and engineer. The purpose

E 1,750 1,700 was to begin reshaping the workforce by

Does not include *FY 08 Projected voluntarily reducing staff in non-key Students/Interns occupations. The “early out” offer successfully accelerated attrition in non-key areas and in one of the seven operating Bureaus. The 485 enabled the FCC to focus on reshaping the employees in the Offices generally support the workforce to meet the Agency’s core mission.

3 Twenty-six percent of separations of non-key areas where there are high levels of retirement permanent staff during the VERA timeframe eligible attorneys. The percentage of were the result of the “early out.” Of the 45 supervisory economists eligible to retire over the “early out” separations, 33 positions were next four years is not a concern because there is an ample pool of non-supervisory economists on staff should the need for supervisory economists Separations of Permanent FCC Staff During VERA* arise. Agency-wide, across all occupations, 44 (Excluding Attorneys, Economists and Engineers) 7/30/04 - 9/30/06 percent of the FCC’s supervisors will be eligible to retire by FY 11. "Early Outs" 45, 26% Transfers The picture of retirement eligibility for non- 23, 13% supervisors differs somewhat. By FY 09, 31

Resignations percent of non-supervisory economists and 35 26, 15% percent of non-supervisory engineers will be Retirements Other, 4, 2% eligible for optional retirement. By FY 11, 44 77, 44% percent of non-supervisory economists and 40 *VERA - Voluntary Early Retirement Authority or "Early Out." Non-SES Attorneys, Economist and Engineers were excluded from the VERA. Early out figures include two percent of non-supervisory engineers will be SES Attorneys. eligible to retire. Collectively, 37 percent of the eliminated and 12 were re-staffed. Of the 12 non-supervisory workforce across all positions that were re-staffed, eight were filled occupations will be eligible to retire by FY 11. through realignment within the Commission, and only four were filled as new external hires. Retirement Eligibility of FCC Non- Supervisors C. Retirement Eligibility in the Occupationa On Eligible Eligible Eligible Current Workforce l Category Board FY06 FY09 FY11

Attorneys 370 8% 15% 20% An analysis of the retirement eligibility of the current workforce indicates that a high Economists 52 17% 31% 44% percentage of supervisors in the key occupation of engineer will be eligible to retire in the near Engineers 223 26% 35% 40% future. Beginning in FY 06, forty percent of the All FCC 1508 19% 30% 37% FCC’s supervisory engineers were eligible for Occupations optional retirement, and by FY 09, over half of Does not include OCM, = 30% or More Eligible supervisory engineers will be eligible. Agency- Commissioners’ Offices or OALJ to Retire wide, the analysis shows that there are just a few Retirement Eligibility of FCC Supervisors Occupational On Eligible Eligible Eligible IV. The Strategic Human Capital Category Board FY06 FY09 FY11 Plan Attorneys 123 14% 20% 29%

Engineers 53 40% 55% 55% Recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of the FCC’s current workforce, the evolving All FCC 289 24% 37% 44% Occupations challenges presented to the agency, and the retirement eligibility statistics available, the Does not include OCM, = 30% or More FCC’s Strategic Human Capital Plan is designed Commissioners’ Offices or OALJ Eligible to Retire

4 to develop a sophisticated professional Attorney Honors Program workforce that can adapt and respond to the next generation technologies and legal and economic The Attorney Honors Program is a formal challenges presented by domestic and global recruitment and two-year training and telecommunications markets. As noted above, development program designed to introduce the strategy is comprised of three core objectives recent law school graduates with superior which are to recruit skilled and adaptable talent, academic credentials to the field of increase and improve the current learning communications law and policy. During the programs, and promote a culture that encourages two-year program, attorneys are provided performance excellence. professional and educational opportunities unique to program participants, including A. Recruitment Strategy: Programs, rotational opportunities after the first year. By Policies, and Practices providing highly challenging assignments and professionally enriching development, the FCC As part of the FCC’s Strategic Human Capital is able to attract excellent entry-level attorneys. Plan, the Agency has instituted targeted hiring programs designed to recruit new talent, The FCC Attorney Honors Program announces a supplement the retiring workforce, and allow the fall application window to enable the FCC to retiring work force to transition and train the compete for top caliber students who participate new hires as follows: in the traditional fall interview/job offer process. The agency’s broad outreach and targeted Engineer-In-Training recruitment efforts include law schools with communications law programs and top tier The FCC developed the Engineer-In-Training universities nationwide. The FCC also conducts Program (EIT) to increase the number of highly on-campus interviews at local law schools. skilled engineers throughout the Commission. Through targeted recruitment, the program Economist Recruitment Program attracts recent engineering school graduates with superior academic credentials and an interest in Most FCC economists are hired at the PhD communications engineering and Internet level. Through targeted recruitment, the FCC Protocol networks. The program provides for hires top candidates with expertise in a field of accelerated promotions based on successful applied microeconomics, statistics or applied completion of formal on-the-job training. econometrics. In order to attract the highest caliber candidates, the FCC advertises in Selection for participation in the EIT program is professional economic publications prior to the highly competitive. The EIT initiative includes American Economic Association (AEA) multiple recruitment windows to attract summer, meeting held in January each year. Onsite winter, and spring graduates. Enhancements to recruitment/interviews coincide with job EIT recruitment include automated recruitment announcements. By centering recruitment tools, public notices and advertisements in around the AEA meeting, the FCC ensures the engineering publications. The FCC also best candidates nationwide are available for the conducted on-site recruitment at four OPM critical few job openings that occur in this key sponsored Federal Career Days aimed at FCC occupation. attracting highly qualified engineering students. These ongoing efforts are producing a high volume of quality candidates for employment as FCC engineers.

5 lateral and vertical exchange of information Since 2004, the hiring of attorneys, economists among the staff. and engineers, as a percentage of accessions, has increased steadily, while the percentage of all Excellence in Economic Analysis other occupations has decreased. . The Office of Strategic Planning and Policy B. Learning Program Analysis manages the Excellence in Economic Analysis (EEA) Program to ensure that The FCC has employees are fluent in the principles of communications economics. The taken concrete Percentage of All FCC Accessions steps to (FY04 - FY08*) Non - Attorneys, program consists of ongoing training Economists and Engineers 80% strengthen and Attorneys, Economists and and development opportunities 69% 70% Engineers s

n targeted at, but not limited to, staff

o 61% 61%

improve its i

s 55% e

c 51% economists; economics training for employee c 50% 49% A 45% C

C 40% 39% 39% non-economists; and research tools F

development f

g such as data analysis software. programs. In a t n

e 20% c r specific, FCC e P 10% Excellence in Legal Analysis University was 0% FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 established to Does not include *FY08 Projected provide the students of interns . The Office of General Counsel offers development tutorials on legal subjects such as resources to increase the fluency of Commission updates on recent case law involving the FCC, staff in communications technology, economics, ethics training and overviews of specialties and law. A feature of FCC University that has such as antitrust, bankruptcy, and been fundamental to its success is the administrative law. involvement of staff from throughout the Agency. Representatives of key occupations Excellence in Research have been involved in defining the training needs and evaluating, designing and delivering . The FCC Library offers tutorials on the use of internal courses. For example: the various online databases that they provide to support research on law, economics, and Excellence in Engineering technology. They also support a lending library of books, training videos, and audio . The Office of Engineering & Technology programs. manages the Excellence-in-Engineering (EIE) Program that includes on-site courses and Involvement of FCC staff in delivering timely tutorials related to communications and relevant training programs has also enabled technology. Courses address both the the Agency to increase staff participation while foundation level knowledge that is required managing the size of investment needed for across all occupations, and the advanced delivering an effective training program. knowledge and skills required by the engineering staff. The EIE Program also A key issue for the Agency is the development includes an Engineer-in-Training Program for of management and leadership capability. The entry-level hires; a Graduate Degree Program FCC’s strategy is to develop leadership skills at in Engineering to develop advanced technical all levels so that executives have a well-trained skills needed now and into the future; and a cadre of leaders from whom to select. As such, Knowledge Sharing Program to increase the

6 FCC University offers a curriculum comprised of special programs targeting various levels of C. FCC Performance Culture management, as well as continuing leadership education offerings that are available to both The Performance Management System at the FCC formal and informal leaders. links the FCC Strategic Plan to the Bureau and Office goals and objectives. Bureaus and Offices develop performance targets related to the program Because the press of business often makes it initiatives outlined by the Chairman in the FCC difficult for those in leadership positions to Strategic Plan. These targets are incorporated in attend lengthy classes, FCC University also the SES goals and then cascaded throughout the offers alternatives to the traditional classroom organization in the subordinate performance plans. learning experience, such as online learning, reading and study groups, and fora that promote The FCC has these three performance appraisal sharing of experience among managers. programs for its employees:

Since much development takes place outside of SES Plan -- “Pay-for-Performance” the classroom, FCC University also provides individual and organizational development for The SES “Pay-for Performance” plan covers all managers, employees and teams. These members of the Senior Executive Service. The programs are designed to: build leadership plan places significant emphasis on results with meaningful measures, and differentiates pay FCC University Activity based on level of responsibility and level of 2500 11000 performance. The rating system has five levels: 10000 Level 5 – Distinguished, Level 4 – Meritorious, 2000 9000 FCCU

) Level 3 -- Fully Meets Expectations, Level 2 --

Created 8000 s e c n ) 7000 a t

K Minimally Meets Expectations, and Level 1 – s

$ 1500 n (

s t 6000 # ( n

e Unsatisfactory. n o m i t

5000 t s a e p v

1000 i n c i I 4000 t r a

P Supervisors and Management Officials 3000

500 2000 Performance Plan

1000 0 0 The Supervisors and Management Officials FY00 FY01 FY02 FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 * CR in effect for FY07 – Late funds led to less up front participation and necessitated more expensive off-site courses later in the year. Performance Plan links individual and work unit capacity; enhance management team performance to the FCC Strategic Plan. effectiveness and efficiency; support strategic Performance is defined as the employee’s planning; improve individual and organizational accomplishment of assigned work identified in performance; and strengthen customer service the critical job elements: Program Performance, inside and outside the agency. Communication and Coordination, Leadership and Managing Change, and Managing Personal Development Plans (PDP) are required Resources (optional for management officials). by staff at all levels to promote continuous The rating system has four levels: Outstanding, learning. They are a useful tool for planning Excellent, Fully Successful, and Unacceptable. training and other developmental activities, and serve to focus the mid-year performance review on individual development and organizational success. Non-Supervisors Performance Appraisal System

7 Key external workforce drivers will help shape The Non-Supervisors Performance Appraisal the FCC’s future workforce. The FCC’s current System, which includes bargaining unit and future external workforce drivers fall into employees, contains one critical element which five general categories: (1) Technological describes the core competencies required of all Advancement; (2) Market and Economic employees. The core competencies are: Job Developments; (3) Public Safety and Homeland Knowledge, Technical Skills, Professional Security Support; (4) Consumer Protection and Application, and Working with Others. The 2- Advocacy; and (5) Legislative and Legal level Pass/Fail Appraisal Program gives the Requirements. These drivers support a employee a rating of record of Pass (equivalent continued FCC campaign to attract and train a to Fully Successful) or Fail (equivalent to workforce of energetic, highly-skilled Unacceptable). professionals to carry out the FCC’s mission.

These performance appraisal programs are Technological Advancement designed to give supervisors and managers the ability to better manage the workforce by Technological innovation and product providing them with a systematic way to: (1) development are significant contributors to FCC tell employees what is expected of them; (2) tell workloads. Manufacturers and service providers employees how they are doing; (3) recognize continue developing new and innovative and motivate employees; and (4) assist technologies. The communications industry’s employees in improving performance. drive to implement increasingly complex communications products, involving every form All three performance programs have the of delivery, will require the FCC to adapt following items in common: quickly. As a result, FCC staff will need to model and understand competing interests, 1. Employees provide input in the elements identify and monitor possible interference, and and standards or participate in the discussion develop interference mitigation policies, of the supervisor’s expectation for techniques, and other tools as needed to advance performance; the Agency’s mission. 2. Have written elements and performance standards, i.e., critical elements, or core

competencies; Technological 3. Require that mid-term progress reviews Advancement between the rating official and employee Market and Public Safety take place; Economic and Homeland Developments Security 4. Conclude with a written appraisal of performance and an annual rating of record; and 5. Supervisor determines Overall Summary Rating after evaluation of the employee’s performance on each of the job elements.

Consumer Legislative and Protection and Legal Advocacy Requirements V. Key External Workforce Drivers Innovation in wireless and satellite technologies also drives a demand for spectrum. This

8 demand will require FCC staff to develop novel access to spectrum for American business also mechanisms to accommodate that demand to demands expert representation in regional and promote competition and broadband deployment international fora including the International throughout the Nation. Likewise, wireline and Telecommunication Union. The FCC’s rapid, cable system technologies are evolving rapidly, skilled response to innovation is crucial to the challenging FCC staff to adapt. FCC staff can continued development of the communications be expected to continue to confront complex marketplace. Performing this highly specialized legal, technical, and policy issues implicated by work requires a work force that is experienced, efforts to foster competition and promote talented and adaptable. broadband deployment. To accomplish these objectives in a way that adapts to and reflects Public Safety and Homeland Security the constant changes in technology, the FCC workforce must have the requisite training, Homeland security and public safety work are experience, and expertise. increasingly driving the need for a more highly- trained professional workforce. Drivers in this Market and Economic Developments area range from immediate disaster relief activities to long-term work towards developing Market forces can be expected to continue to an interoperable, nation-wide, first responder push telecommunications companies towards system. Current FCC work in this area includes innovative financial strategies and novel international and cross border negotiations for combinations. The FCC’s public interest new systems, authorization of satellite/terrestrial obligations will require the FCC to review the hybrid communications systems, improved E- competitive impact of these activities and 911 and Emergency Alert Systems, investments, reviews that can only be Communications Assistance for Law accomplished by skilled and experienced Enforcement Act (CALEA) and law attorneys, economists, and other professionals enforcement support, and other priority with highly-developed technical, analytical, and activities. legal expertise. The dynamic communications industry and the As stewards of the country’s public airwaves, growing sophistication of the Nation’s the FCC’s spectrum market activities contribute telecommunications networks ensure that public directly to the communications marketplace and safety and homeland security demands will drive economy. As the wireless sector of the FCC staff work well into the future. As communications industry continues to demand networks change and new capabilities are access to additional spectrum, the FCC will be deployed, FCC staff will need to evaluate and required to develop more advanced market- maintain standards for law enforcement support, based techniques in response. To do so in a network reliability, outage reporting, cyber procompetitive manner, FCC employees will be security, and other essential public safety and required to understand changing industry homeland security needs. FCC work in this area demands from legal, economic, and technical is also driven by an increasing need to plan for points of view. the FCC’s own continuity of operations and facility reconstitution. Innovations in devices that operate over the nation’s spectrum commons will also challenge The demands for ensuring public safety and the FCC’s engineering workforce as new homeland security must be met by a highly- licensed and unlicensed devices are brought to trained workforce including attorneys, market. Because spectrum knows no borders, engineers, and other professionals educated in

9 public safety and homeland security issues. that FCC staff be prepared to educate consumers FCC staff must understand the intricacies of regarding their rights and responsibilities. The evolving networks and coordinate increasingly FCC will be required to bring substantial with professionals in the Department of expertise to bear to protect and educate Homeland Security and with state and local consumers in the evolving communications public safety officials throughout the country to market. maintain network reliability and ensure that the needs of the public safety community are met. The maturation of the communications industry also presents challenges relating to the Consumer Protection and Advocacy deployment of services to rural and insulated communities, as well as persons with Continued development in the communications disabilities. As multiple platforms and services industry will create significant consumer emerge, the need to support universal protection and advocacy challenges. In the area deployment and access opportunities for all of media and content, the FCC staff must remain Americans will demand creative work and vigilant in the protection of consumers from careful oversight from FCC professionals. indecency, violence, and other unwanted content. Legislative and Legal Requirements

Additional consumer protection and advocacy A significant portion of the FCC’s current and challenges arise from complex changes in the future work involves responses to legislative and international and domestic telecommunications legal demands. Currently, the FCC is marketplaces. Current practices with responsible for producing numerous competition international mobile termination rates, calling and industry reports to Congress including party pays, and the rise of voice over the reports on, Satellite Competition, Commercial internet, demand that the FCC monitor Mobile Radio Services (CMRS) Competition, developments and analyze how these services Video Competition, and Cable Competition. impact consumers. Rapidly developing alternative services create opportunity for In addition, the FCC is responsible for a number competition, but may also create consumer of congressionally mandated reviews of rules confusion and the possibility of unfair or and regulations including the Biennial Review unreasonable charges or practices. The and Quadrennial Review of Media Ownership Commission will monitor market developments Rules. These legal requirements and reports to ensure consumers are protected and service include sophisticated economic and legal providers are meeting their obligations. In analysis that can only be performed by highly- addition, technological developments may raise trained, educated staff. The FCC is also subject privacy issues that the Commission must be to numerous legislative requirements outside prepared to address. Whether sensitive those relating to the communications industry customer data is adequately protected by itself such as laws and regulations applying to telecommunications service providers will small businesses, government procurement, continue to be a concern. Protecting consumers internal management, fee collection, and from unwanted intrusions will also continue to government ethics. Proper administration of be a focus of the Commission. Do-not-call and these mandates demands FCC staff with junk fax enforcement, for example, will remain a expertise in these requirements. core focus of the Commission’s consumer protection efforts. Similarly, transitions in the marketplace, such as digital transition, mandate

10 VI. Future Workforce Needs 3. Engineering Skills

A comprehensive review of the FCC’s current . Radio Frequency Engineering and future workforce drivers reveals a pressing need to recruit and maintain an energetic, Analog, Antenna Design, Digital, Interference educated workforce to meet coming demands. Analysis, Propagation, Receiver Design, All indications are that the FCC should Satellite, Spectrum Analysis implement a strategic human capital plan that will increase the percentage of highly-trained . Network & IP Engineering attorneys, economists and engineers, along with professionals capable of supporting these Data Networking, Data Transmission, occupations. In light of the external demands Microprocessing, Multi-platform, Network and the make-up of the current workforce, the Control, Network Design, Video Networking, FCC has begun to recruit both skilled talent to Wireless Networking provide for adequate succession planning while bringing on new talent in a timeframe that can . Other Engineering take advantage of institutional knowledge needed to address the FCC’s complex workload. Audio/Video Processing, Consumer Premise Equipment, Domestic and International The skills most highly associated with the Telecommunications Regulations & Policy, FCC’s workforce needs are outlined below: International/Bilateral Negotiations, Software, Systems Design, Technical Writing 1. Legal Skills

. General Legal Specialties VII. Conclusions Antitrust, Bankruptcy, Congressional and Because of the complex and rapid changes that Legislative Process, Corporate, Disability characterize the legal, economic and technical Rights, Employment, Environmental, Federal aspects of the telecommunications industry, the Labor, Government Ethics, Government FCC must have a strong, highly skilled yet still Procurement, Intellectual Property, Mediation, adaptable workforce. In the coming years, the Trial and Appellate Litigation FCC’s workforce will undergo significant change due to a large number of employees who . Communications Specialties are eligible for retirement. In addition to the impact on the agency’s technical expertise, there Domestic and International Telecommunications will be shifts in the make-up of the leadership Law and Policy, International/Bilateral and supervisory core of the agency. To address Negotiations, Media and First Amendment Law’ all of these issues, the FCC is implementing a Satellite and Spectrum Management strategic human capital initiative that will Requirements simultaneously recruit new talent and continue to train existing and new employees to meet the 2. Economic Skills complex challenges presented by the marketplace as well as the leadership challenges Applied Micro and Macro Economic Expertise, associated with accomplishing the agency’s core Competition Analysis, Econometrics, mission. In summary, the FCC’s strategy is Theoretical and Experimental Economics made up of these three core initiatives:

11 1. Recruit. Continuing to replenish the non- VIII. Implementing the FCC’s supervisory workforce with a rejuvenated entry Strategic Human Capital Plan and mid-level recruiting program. Continue to build a results-oriented 2. Train. Develop an adequately sized pool of performance culture high-potential candidates available to take on supervisory and technical challenges. . Assess each year’s Annual FCC Employee Survey results and develop plans to address 3. Reward. Build a results-oriented areas needing improvement. performance culture. . Institute a four-level rating system. By implementing attorney, economist, and . Strengthen the link between organizational engineer hiring programs at this stage the FCC goals and performance management and has taken an important step toward meeting the recognition. challenges associated with its mission. In addition, since a key issue for the Agency is how - A pay for performance system has been to capture the knowledge of those who are developed and implemented for the approaching retirement eligibility and transition Senior Executive Service. This system to others so that it is not lost to the Agency, the links organization goals to individual FCC is addressing this issue by encouraging performance reviews by aligning senior staff to develop and teach courses to share expectations of executive performance their knowledge. The Commission also directly to the FCC’s Strategic Plan. encourages those approaching retirement to . Implement a Human Capital Accountability focus their Personal Development Plans on the and Performance Measurement System. development of others and the transitioning of their expertise. The FCC intends to supplement - Requires an annual assessment of agency these efforts with a formal mechanism to human capital management and results facilitate the development of mentoring including compliance with relevant laws, relationships between senior staff and high rules and regulations. potential candidates for future leadership - The FCC has an interagency agreement positions. with the OPM to assist in completing this The FCC plays a crucial role in our nation’s action. economy and in the advancement of public Rejuvenate the recruiting program and safety. To do so effectively, efficiently and in reshape the workforce the public interest, the Commission requires a workforce that is both committed to its mission . Develop an assessment approach to gain a and well trained to carry it out. The FCC’s better understanding of the mission critical workforce must shift over time to adapt to skills that need to be obtained when changes in the legal, economic, and technical recruiting and hiring new employees, and arenas. The FCC has designed a strategic develop strategies to acquire and develop human capital plan that will ensure that the those skills. evolving workforce will be able to continue to . Reshape the workforce to shift resources to successfully carry out its core and critical mission critical occupations via a request for mission for the American public. Voluntary Early Retirement Authority for specific occupations.

12 . Expand the recruitment plans to hire entry- Develop a pool of high-potential level engineers, Honors Attorneys, and senior candidates for future supervisory and level economists on an annual basis. technical expert vacancies

- The Engineer-in-Training (EIT) . Develop and establish a formal succession Program is announced each August and management program for leadership the FCC hires engineering school positions. graduates with superior academic . Institute a management and leadership credentials and provides comprehensive development program to build a cadre of training in the field of communications. leaders who are prepared to assume future Applications for multiple openings are supervisory, managerial, and executive accepted from recent or soon-to-be responsibilities. engineering graduates during three application windows. . Create a mechanism to facilitate the development of mentoring relationships - Participate in OPM’s four Federal Career between senior staff and high potential Days scheduled in the Fall. These candidates for future leadership positions. included an emphasis on recruiting engineers. . Develop a succession management review process to ensure that those perceived as - The Attorney Honors Program is high-potential candidates for future announced each September to enable the leadership positions are developing their FCC to compete for top caliber students leadership skills as well as their technical who participate in the traditional fall skills. interview/job offer process. Through the Attorney Honors Program, the FCC hires . Evaluate the costs and benefits of expanding recent law school graduates with superior the knowledge sharing program to additional academic credentials and provides two occupations beyond the engineers currently years of training and development in the participating. field of communications law and policy. . Evaluate the costs and benefits of expanding - Supplement the current Legal Intern the Graduate Degree Program to include Program with a Summer Associate Masters of Business Administration and Program for Attorneys that would be other advanced degrees that are directly designed to lead to permanent related to the FCC’s mission. employment. - The Economist Recruitment Initiative is announced each October through professional economic publications prior to the American Economic Association meeting every January. The FCC conducts onsite recruitment and interviews at the meetings, ensuring that the FCC attracts the best candidates nationwide.

13 Appendix FCC Workforce Planning Model

Analyze Current Workforce

Monitor, Analyze Future Evaluate and Workforce Revise Requirements

Implement Analyze Gaps Workforce in Workforce Strategies

Develop Strategies to Close Gaps