YN, PS Advanced Course Gets a Makeover

By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Melissa F. Weatherspoon, Center for Service Support Public Affairs

June 1, 2010 - NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- Training specialists from the Center for Service Support in Newport, R.I., and its learning sites in Norfolk and San Diego tested the improved and modernized Yeoman/Personnel Specialist Advanced Administration Course, graduating seven students May 28 in San Diego.

The updated course blends computer-based training with traditional classroom instruction to bring the course up-to-date and in step with the ever-changing world of enlisted command and personnel administrators.

"As the environment in which command administrators work changes and evolves, so too, must the training and the curriculum by which we train our yeoman and personnel specialists," said Chris Leahy, one of CSS's instructional systems specialists.

Today's Navy demands that YNs and PSs be more technically proficient and well-versed in all aspects of naval administration and personnel. Therefore, according to Leahy, "graduates of this course of instruction now have a better understanding of the many technical elements of their ratings and will, as a result, be more efficient and effective members of their respective command administration teams."

Although only a small number of YNs and PSs graduated from the pilot course, the regularly scheduled course set to kick off in October 2010 will allow for approximately 400 students to attend annually in San Diego as well as the CSS Learning Site in Norfolk. Each site is scheduled to conduct eight classes per year.

The one-week, computer-based portion of the training must be completed at the prospective student's parent command prior to his or her arrival in either Norfolk or San Diego for the two-week residence portion. For last month's pilot course, however, the students completed the computer training at the schoolhouse with CSS staffers on hand to monitor the process.

The computer-based modules "were really helpful to have as a refresher of the 'big picture' and to help build a foundation in order to concentrate on the specifics during the instructor portion and to help find answers to our everyday issues," said Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Gerardo Arbulu, currently stationed at the Personnel Support Detachment in Sigonella, Italy. "[This training provides] great tools for Sailors that want to be better leaders and supervisors."

In developing curriculum, it is the responsibility of CSS and its learning sites to support the Navy's forward-deployed and widely distributed force by delivering more proficient and knowledgeable Sailors in less time. The blended solution as seen in this new course is designed to do just that.

"I strongly think that hybrid learning of computer-based training in the Navy Knowledge Online (portal) being used for pre-requisite requirements followed by the traditional classroom training will pave its way in the fleet," said Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey Sotingco, officer in charge of the CSS San Diego learning site. "We are leveraging on new technologies familiar to our students, which provides a general overview and introduction to more-detailed topics once the [classroom portion] starts. This poises students to successfully meet and retain knowledge and skills that can be immediately employed upon graduation."

The course's lesson plans are tailored to enlisted leaders in the command and personnel administration workcenters, so this advanced course is restricted to top-performing first- and second-class petty officers. However, waivers for hard-charging third-class petty officers will be considered. To enroll in the course, interested Sailors meeting the course criteria should request to attend via their chains of command and educational services officer. More information about the course can be found in the Catalog of Naval Courses.