Curriculum and Instructional Development for the USMC Acculteration Program

U.S. Marine Corps

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Challenge

Approximately 35,000 Civilian Marine employees work within the U.S. Marine Corps and remain an integral part of the Total Force Concept. The Civilian Workforce Development section of Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps (HQMC) is responsible for the development of policy and actionable plans for career management and development in support of the lifecycle of Civilian Marines. The Civilian Workforce Development division required training to support and strategically communicate the Civilian Workforce Campaign Plan which solidifies the Marine Corps’ vision to be the “employer of choice.” The Civilian Workforce Development division is charged with acculturating Civilian Marines’ to the Marine Corps, to nurture and further Civilian Marines professional goals and opportunities, to provide flexible career opportunities and to create Civilian Marine leaders at all levels within the organization.

Solution

In support of this mission, The Bowen Group was retained to develop and deliver the Marine Corps Acculturation Program (MCAP) Curriculum and Training. The Bowen Group was responsible for the development of a comprehensive management and training curriculum and all course materials, instituting multiple train-the-trainer sessions to Human Resource (HR) Personnel, and the direct training of summer interns and newly hired Civilian Marines across the Marine Corps. The training program increases understanding of the Marine Corps culture and work environment, enhances opportunities for professional career development, and augments local initiatives sponsored by installation Civilian Leadership Development Programs. The variety of creative and innovative teaching tools and training materials support classroom-based instruction and provide a comprehensive training package which includes individual exercises, materials, group exercises, videos, display items, and platform-based instruction. The curriculum guide and participant guide include goals, learning objectives, references, resources, curriculum, PowerPoint slides, and participant instructional material. The modules include

• Introduction to U.S. Marine Corps Civilian Workforce
• History of U.S. Marine Corps
• Mission and Organization of U.S. Marine Corps
• U.S. Marine Corps Culture and Protocols
• Civilian Marines
• Marine Corps Workforce Development

Result

The Bowen Group has provided support and delivery of the highly successful MCAP Training Program since 2007.Through their significant expertise in training, curriculum development and creative instructional design, human capital and workforce planning, and train-the-trainer (T3) workshops, there is an increase in participant knowledge and understanding of the Marine Corps history, culture, work environment, and organization. Learning outcomes consistently indicate and increase in knowledge in 100% of participants. Further, The Bowen Group trainers receive the highest scores on subject matter expertise and training techniques, and are frequently engaged to conduct end-user training in addition to T-3 events. Today, the MCAP curriculum is actively and successfully deployed across the Marine Corps, and The Bowen Group was again retained to develop the next iteration of the program, MCAP 3.0.

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• Demobilization Kit, USMC
• Instructional Systems Design, MC&FP
• Curriculum Development and Instructional Design, MCAP